ICA: Symon vs. Nunez
Iron Chef Michael Symon faces off against challenger Jesus Nunez. Chef Núñez is chef and owner of Gastroarte Restaurant in New York. The judges are Jose Andres, Cady Huffman, Andrew Zimmern and Sophie Michell.
The menu at Gastroarte Restaurant showcases rich, imaginative cooking with a focus on simple yet robust flavors and also reflects Chef Núñez’ youthful history as a graffiti and fine artist. In the kitchen, he draws inspiration from his love of urban design and street art, designing his dishes to be colorful creations that many diners say are “too beautiful to eat.” The stage for these edible works of art offers its diners two unique dining experiences.
Chef Núñez’ passion for fusing old-world recipes with new-world preparations is to say the least artistic but in Kitchen Stadium awaits Michael Symon as the two collide in Battle Octopus. Be sure to check out my exclusive interview with Iron Chef Symon HERE.
Check below for the outcome.
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| Symon | Núñez | |
| Taste | 37 | 32 |
| Plating | 16 | 17 |
| Originality | 16 | 19 |
| Total | 69 | 68 |
ICA: Flay/Vallodolid vs. Morimoto/Zimmern
Two Iron Chefs are teamed up with special guests in this All-Star Kitchen Stadium battle. Marcela Valladolid, who appears on Food Network’s ‘Mexican Made Easy’ is paired with Iron Chef Bobby Flay; and Andrew Zimmern, of Travel Channel’s ‘Bizarre Foods,’ joins Iron Chef Masuhara Morimoto. Judges are Penn Jillette, Donatella Arpaia Stewart and Simon Majumdar.
Growing up around expert and traditional cooks in Tijuana, Mexico, Marcela was raised to be passionate about food. She jumped straight into a culinary life by working her first job at her aunt’s cooking school in Baja, Mexico. She realized she too wanted to pursue this growing love for food full time and enrolled in the Los Angeles Culinary Institute, and later graduated from the Ritz Escoffier Cooking School in Paris as a classical French pastry chef.
Marcela went on to run a catering company and teach children about the culinary arts in Tijuana. She collected recipes and applied her knowledge and skills (of her family’s cooking traditions) to map out her dreams. Marcela eventually parlayed her classical training and ability to become a food editor at Bon Appétit magazine.
Andrew Zimmern is a James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, food writer, teacher and is regarded as one of the most versatile and knowledgeable personalities in the food world. As the creator, host and co-executive 
producer of Travel Channel’s hit series, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, he travels the globe, exploring food in its own terroir.
In May 2010, Zimmern won the prestigious James Beard Award for ‘Outstanding Television Food Personality.’ He is a three-time Beard Award nominee. Zimmern is a contributing editor at Food & Wine Magazine, an award-winning monthly columnist at Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine and a senior editor at Delta Sky Magazine. As a freelance journalist, his work has appeared in numerous national and international publications.
Bobby’s faithful (and scorching hot) sous chef Renee Forsberg joined him. Renee and Marcella on his team? Bobby Flay is one lucky man. Battle: Sea Whistle Salmon should be fun.
Check below for the outcome.
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Flay/Vallodolid Morimoto/Zimmern
Taste: 27 Taste: 25
Plating: 11 Plating: 14
Originality: 13 Originality: 11
Total: 51 Total: 50
Turkey Tips From the Country’s Top Chefs
Gobble, gobble is just a few weeks away. Now is the time to finalize your plans for cooking your Thanksgiving dinner. Some of the country’s best chefs got together at the Aspen Food and Wine Festival and literally talked turkey. Check it out:
MARIO BATALI
ANDREW ZIMMERN
THOMAS KELLER
