Iron Chef America:
Secrets of Kitchen Stadium

Kitchen Stadium (Anders Krusberg/Food Network)

[Author's Note: I recently spent the day watching two Iron Chef America battles. As a huge fan of the show, it was extremely interesting to see what goes on behind-the-scenes. I now share all of my findings with you.]

How do the chefs think up their five meals so quickly?

Get this: The chefs on Iron Chef America know the secret ingredient before it's revealed by the chairman.

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Yes, that's right. The chefs have about twenty minutes with the secret ingredient before the "official" reveal takes place. But wait, there's more. Prior to this, the chefs are told that the secret ingredient could be one of three possible ingredients. Granted, the chefs don't know which one, but it still gives them time to come up with possibilities for each option. So, next time you watch Iron Chef and wonder how they came up with plate ideas so quickly, and how the sous chefs were right on target with the main chef, now you know why.

I'm not taking anything away from the chefs. Their jobs are still extremely difficult. And really, twenty or so minutes isn't that long to mentally prepare such delicacies. Alton Brown, expert commentator on Iron Chef America, compared the chefs who compete on the show to "athletes at the top of their game." He said that nothing in the Iron Chef America competition is easy.

Think about some of the secret ingredients they have to use: French andouille (composed primarily of the intestines and stomach of pig), spicy lobster, tofu, or purple asparagus. Then again, even battles involving secret ingredients like cheese and chicken are hard to master. No matter what the secret ingredient is, having sixty minutes to create five mouth watering dishes that will all outshine your competitor's is no easy task.

How do the challengers know their way around the kitchen so well?

I always figured that the Iron Chefs had an advantage because they knew Kitchen Stadium and where everything was located, and the competitors had no idea. I thought maybe they received a tour of the kitchen first. Wrong. Prior to the battle, the chefs each create a shopping list with every ingredient they would want to use for any of the secret ingredient possibilities they are given. Well all of those groceries are stocked up in front of each chef in their half of the stadium. Everything they need is right there. Of course, if something needs to be in a freezer, they have to run over to the freezer, but that's hard to miss.

If there's something a chef needs and they really can't find it, they can tell someone on the production team. Kitchen Stadium is located in the Food Network studio, where there are huge test kitchens. Anything a chef needs, someone can get for them.

There's production running around the set?

Oh you bet there is. They walk around the stadium right next to the kitchen asking the chefs and sous chefs what ingredients they're using, what they're doing, etc. This information gets fed to Alton Brown and Kevin Brauch. Brown is positioned at a podium in front of video monitors featuring the chefs, in order to aid his expert commentary. Yet the monitors don't show everything. Brauch is only one person and can't possibly know what each chef is doing at every moment. So, the production staff runs around behind the scenes to fill in Brown and Brauch on the chefs' every moves.

Is the Iron Chef Battle exactly how we see it on TV?

In some ways? Yes. In other ways? Not so much.

There is obviously no music, and let me tell you, the music definitely adds to the intensity. But, like I said, the battles really are sixty minutes exactly, so when the Chairman (Mark Dacascos) says "Allez Cuisine!" the battle begins. When the clock reads zero, the battle is done. There's no editing there.

As for the judging, well that's a whole different enchilada. If you're a frequent Iron Chef watcher, you've probably noticed that when the sixty minutes are up, the chefs only have one plate for each dish. Yet there are three judges plus the Chairman, so when are those extra three dishes made?

First, once the sixty minutes are complete, the food goes in for its beauty shots. Yes, the plates are actually rolled away on carts to have pictures of them taken. This takes about twenty minutes.

Next, each chef has about 45 minutes to plate and present all their dishes for judging. This means it takes around 1.5 hours to complete the judging segment. For example, in one of the battles I saw, Iron Chef Mario Batali was competing against challenger Andrew Carmellini. Once the beauty shots were completed, Batali plated four plates of his first dish and presented it to the judges. Then he went back and plated the next dish and so on and so forth. Batali had a total of 45 minutes for this. Remember, plating doesn't just mean getting the food on the plate, but getting it heated up, etc. Once Batali finished, his challenger went. It was exhausting.

Andrew Carmellini & Mario Batali (Anders Krusberg/Food Network)

Does Mario Batali really always wear shorts and Crocs?

This is a fun one. Mario Batali is known for wearing shorts, no matter what the weather is, and his Crocs. Knowing that, I was still surprised when I saw his outfit. Get this:

Neon green shirt. Neon pink socks. Neon orange Crocs. (Of course, he had khaki shorts on too.)

Let's discuss. Crocs. Personally, not a huge fan. But when you turn them neon orange? I'm not sure I can be okay with that. (Then again, I did just get my Syracuse University Bookstore catalogue, which had orange Crocs on the cover. You know what though? Even that's not okay.)

Hmm, then when you add the neon pink socks and neon green shirt to the mix? Yeahhhh, not much I can say on that.

Then again, it's Mario Batali, and somehow he can pull it off. Who knew an Iron Chef could wear that and still give off the Iron Chef vibe? Somehow Batali does it.

Can we have a little Q&A with Mario Batali?

Sure! I was able to chat with Batali in Kitchen Stadium, and despite his overpowering outfit, he was incredibly nice and funny. He took the time to speak with me while his challenger, Andrew Carmellini, was going through the judging process.

MV: How would you describe your Iron Chef America experience?
Batali: Great terror, followed by great action, followed by great relief.

MV: What is one ingredient you'd never want in Kitchen Stadium?
Batali: Sea cucumber. Or maybe placenta.

MV: What is one ingredient you haven't had that you want?
Batali: To me parmesan cheese is very close to the perfect ingredient.

MV: Do you ever look back on the show once it's complete and wish you had done things differently?
Batali: Every time. There's always room for improvement.

MV: Are you ever offended when the judges don't like your dishes?
Batali: No. If I really don't agree, or they're really persnickety, I think they're an asshole.

MV: What's the first meal you ever cooked?
Batali: Banquet frozen chicken. I was seven years old.

MV: What would you be if you weren't a chef?
Batali: A pool boy in Malibu.

What's it like being a challenger on Iron Chef America?

Following the Batali versus Carmellini battle, I spoke with Chef Carmellini to find out what his experience was like.

MV: What was it like for you being on Iron Chef America?
Carmellini: Tiring. I'm taking the rest of the day off. The adrenaline really kicked in at the end of it though.

MV: Were you nervous?
Carmellini: No, I've been on TV before. I was nervous about finishing on time. I would run to get something and then forget what I went for.

MV: How did you prepare?
Carmellini: I practiced the timing of certain dishes. I planned on making six dishes so that if one didn't work out, I could abandon ship.

MV: Why did you want to be on Iron Chef?
Carmellini: I loved the Japanese one and I've seen friends up here doing it.

MV: What is one ingredient you didn't want to be the secret ingredient?
Carmellini: I would have been disappointed if it were broccoli.* Everything can be pretty versatile. I probably wouldn't want a squid eye battle. Or live eels.

MV: Now that you're done, do you wish you did anything differently?
Carmellini: Yes. I would have liked to sweat less. I had to keep wiping my glasses. I was also a little messy.

MV: So now that it's all over, how do you feel?
Carmellini: It was my "Spinal Tap" moment. My dream in life.

*Note: When I interviewed Alton Brown, he said he'd love to see a broccoli battle. Good thing for Carmellini that Brown doesn't choose the secret ingredients.