Ep 24. Cora vs. Phan

Cora vs. Phan is the twenty-fourth episode of the seventh season of Iron Chef America. The episode features two extraordinary female chefs, Cat Cora and Mai Phan, going head to head in a thrilling cooking competition.

The show, which is a spin-off of the original Japanese show, Iron Chef, follows a similar format with a panel of judges and a secret ingredient. The challenger, Mai Phan, is a Vietnamese-American chef who owns the Lemongrass restaurant in Sacramento, California. She is confident in her abilities, having trained under several Michelin-starred chefs throughout her career. On the other hand, Cat Cora is the Iron Chef, a winner of the 2005 Iron Chef America competition, and the owner and executive chef of three restaurants in the United States.

As the show begins, both chefs are introduced, and we learn that the secret ingredient for the episode is Gruyere cheese. The two must create several dishes within sixty minutes, using Gruyere as the primary ingredient. The judges for this episode are chef and author Daisy Martinez, restaurateur Mario Batali, and actor Stanley Tucci, a frequent guest judge on the show.

The first dish is an appetizer with two different approaches. Mai Phan creates a Gruyere cheese tartlet with a Vietnamese twist, while Cat Cora goes for a creamy Gruyere cheese souffle. The judges are impressed with both dishes, but the flavors in Mai Phan's dish stood out, showcasing her creative approach in combining traditional Vietnamese cuisine with Gruyere cheese.

In the second course, Cora presents a Gruyere cheese stuffed quail with a side of mushrooms while Phan cooks up Gruyere cheese risotto with shrimp. Although both chefs present delicious dishes, the judges prefer Phan's risotto due to its comforting, home-cooked taste.

For the third course, both chefs take on pasta. Cora serves up a unique dish, pan-seared scallops with a Gruyere and Parmesan cheese sauce on a bed of orecchiette pasta. In contrast, Phan presents a dish similar to the Vietnamese dish she grew up with, Gruyere cheese fritters with pho-style beef broth and noodles. The judges appreciate the boldness and creativity in Phan's dish, but ultimately choose Cora's scallops due to its delicious combination of flavors.

The fourth and final dish is dessert. Cora makes a Gruyere cheese and pear tart, while Phan creates a Gruyere cheese and green tea ice cream. The judges are impressed with both dishes, but Phan's ice cream wins the judges' hearts due to its unique flavor and the skill level needed to execute the subtle balance between the sweetness of the ice cream and the saltiness of the cheese.

In the end, the judges choose Mai Phan as the winner of the competition. Her creativity and ability to combine her Vietnamese heritage with the secret ingredient provide her with an edge over Cora. Phan becomes the first female challenger to win against an Iron Chef in the seventh season of Iron Chef America.

The episode concludes with both chefs thanking the judges for the opportunity to showcase their skills. We are left with the excitement of yet another thrilling episode of Iron Chef America and the anticipation of who the next challenger and secret ingredient will be.