Ep 19. Abalone

The cooking competition show Iron Chef, season one, episode 19, titled "Abalone," features chefs challenged to incorporate the rare, expensive, and challenging-to-prepare sea snail abalone into their dishes.

The show begins with host Takeshi Kaga introducing the challenger, celebrity chef Atsushi Yamamoto, who specializes in kaiseki, a traditional form of Japanese cuisine that emphasizes natural flavors and elegant presentation. Chef Yamamoto is known for his creative and avant-garde approach to kaiseki, and the panel of judges, including guest food critic Shinichiro Kurimoto, are excited to see what he will do with the abalone.

Iron Chef Chen Kenichi, a master of Sichuan cuisine, is the chosen Iron Chef who will compete against Chef Yamamoto. Chen Kenichi is famous for his bold and spicy flavors, and he is not one to back down from a challenging ingredient like abalone.

The show's signature "secret ingredient" is then revealed with dramatic flair by Chairman Kaga, who lifts a silver dome to reveal several live abalones crawling on a platter. The chefs have just one hour to create five dishes using the abalone in a predominantly Japanese style.

The cooking commences, and the chefs are shown busily preparing their dishes, cutting and cleaning the abalone and combining it with ingredients like sake, soy sauce, and ginger. Chef Chen Kenichi opts to make a spicy dish called "Abalone for the Sumo Wrestler's Heart," which includes a red chili pepper sauce and is meant to be extra filling. Chef Yamamoto, on the other hand, creates a delicate abalone soup with sea urchin, as well as a grilled abalone with wasabi and soy sauce.

During the cooking process, the judges offer occasional commentary, providing insight into what they are looking for in each dish. Kurimoto remarks on the challenge of working with abalone, calling it a "barometer of a chef's skill." He notes that the abalone must be cooked carefully to avoid becoming tough, and that the chefs should be aware of how much seasoning to use to highlight the natural flavor of the abalone.

As the cooking time winds down, the chefs begin plating their dishes, arranging the abalone slices and garnishing with herbs and flowers. The judges sample each dish and provide their feedback, praising the creativity and technical skill of both chefs. They note that the abalone is a difficult ingredient to work with, but that both chefs have succeeded in creating delicious and visually stunning dishes.

Finally, after all five dishes from each chef have been presented and tasted, the judges deliberate on the winner. Kaga leads the dramatic reveal of the winner, presenting a piece of paper with the name of the victor written on it. The chefs and judges hold their breath as Kaga reads the result aloud.

Overall, this episode of Iron Chef is a thrilling showcase of the chefs' incredible skills and improvisational creativity, as well as an opportunity to learn more about an elusive and exotic ingredient like abalone. Fans of Japanese cuisine and cooking competitions will no doubt enjoy this tense and exciting episode.