ICA: Zakarian vs. Schenker
Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian faces off against chef Jesse Schenker, chef and owner of Recette in New York. Judges are Julie White, Art Smith and Anya Fernald.
Chef Jesse Schenker manipulates ingredients and temperature to create maximum flavor. He went for his Culinary Degree at the Atlantic Technical Center in Coconut Creek, Fla. During that time, he gained his first professional kitchen experience at Cafe Maxx, guided by Chef Oliver Saucy. From there, he became the Chef de Partie at Chef Mark Militello’s James Beard award-winning restaurant, Mark’s on Las Olas and then onto Sous Chef at Fort Lauderdale’s celebrated Italian restaurant Rino’s Restaurante.
With experience under his belt, Jesse moved to Miami to become Sous Chef at the upscale wine bar, City Cellar Wine Bar and Grille. After wowing the best culinary cities of Florida, it was time to take on the challenge of wowing foodies in the Big Apple. Jesse was offered a position as Chef de Partie at the two-Michelin-star rated Gordon Ramsay at the London. He launched his own venture, Recette Private Dining and teamed up with Savoy Bakery owner Brian Ghaw and Per Se pastry alum Christina Lee, and created up to ten-course tasting menus for exclusive private parties.
Chef Schenker is a talented chef but so is the newest Iron Chef. The Technician is sure to be ready for the challenge in Battle: Plantains.
Check below for the outcome.
[ad] Empty ad slot (#1)!
| Zakarian | Schenker | |
| Taste | 25 | 25 |
| Plating | 13 | 14 |
| Originality | 14 | 14 |
| Total | 52 | 53 |
ICA: Forgione Brothers vs. Campanaro Brothers
Two teams of culinary brothers meet in Kitchen Stadium. Iron Chef Marc Forgione teams up with his brother, Bryan, to face off against Challenger Joey Campanaro and his brother Lou. Joey Campanaro makes his second appearance in Kitchen Stadium, having previously been bested by Iron Chef Cat Cora in Battle Venison. Judges are Cady Huffman, Mario Rizzotti and Anya Fernald.
Joey Campanaro was raised in an Italian-American household in Philadelphia where the food of his childhood inspired him to make cooking his vocation. With a culinary approach firmly rooted in his 
Italian grandmother’s kitchen and honed in a range of America’s top restaurants, Joey brings a lifelong affinity for Mediterranean cuisine to every dish he creates.
Lou Campanaro has always loved his family and loved to cook. At his new Philadelphia restaurant, Village Belle, he gets to incorporate those two things into his daily life, working in the kitchen alongside his brother Joey. Leo was also on Joey’s last team to enter Kitchen Stadium.
Bryan Forgione is the son of one of America’s great chefs, Larry Forgione – the godfather of modern American cuisine. Bryan is also the little brother of Iron Chef Marc Forgione who earned his title by winning Next Iron Chef 3. The younger Forgione is also the executive chef at Society Café Encore in Las Vegas so he’s no slouch either.
This battle of the brothers should prove interesting with a secret ingredient like parmigiana reggiano. If you haven’t yet, make sure you check out my exclusive interview with Iron Chef Marc Forgione (HERE).
Check below for the outcome.
[ad] Empty ad slot (#1)!
Forgiones Campanaros
Taste: 25 Taste: 21
Plating: 13 Plating: 12
Originality: 15 Originality: 10
Total: 53 Total: 43
ICA: Symon vs. Culinary Students
Iron Chef Michael Symon takes on a group of culinary students led by Katelyn Remick in Battle: Balsamic Vinegar. The judges were Karine Bakhoum
I’ll save you my mindless gibberish and just show you the judgement:
[ad] Empty ad slot (#1)!
ICA: Cora vs. Carter
Chef Robert Carter enters Kitchen Stadium from his hometown of Charleston, SC, the “best-mannered city” in the US. Will he walk away from his battle with Iron Chef Cat Cora a gracious winner or a sore loser?
Southern by the grace of God, Chef Robert Carter started his culinary voyage in Charleston, SC back in the late 80’s when he attended Johnson & Wales University. That’s the same 
campus that gave us Emeril Legasse and Tyler Florence. Chef Robert funded his matriculation by working as a private chef for one of those old school aristocratic Southern families. So popular was his cooking that he parlayed that into a one-man catering company he called Rent-a-Chef.
After graduation, Carter apprenticed under certified master chef Victor Gielisse of Dallas. Before long he was on everyone’s short list including one of the most revered restaurants in the country The Inn at Blackberry Farm in the Smokie Mountains of East Tennessee where he would serve as executive chef. That is until leaving for Key West’s Café Marquessa.
Deep down inside he wanted to go back home to Charleston and as Bear Bryant once said, “When mama calls. . . .” In 1997 he opened The Peninsula Grill with Hank Holliday which Esquire promptly named one of the Best New Restaurants of the Year. The accolades have flowed in ever since.
Waiting for Chef Carter is Kitchen Stadium’s resident Southern Belle, Cat Cora. Two questions loom over this battle – who’s cuisine reigns supreme and is this Cora’s last battle as an Iron Chef?
The judges for Battle: Okra were Anya Fernald, Lee Jones and Karine Bakhoum.
Check below for the outcome.
[ad] Empty ad slot (#1)!
Cora Carter
Taste: 23 Taste: 21
Plating: 13 Plating: 10
Originality: 13 Originality: 13
Total: 51 Total: 44
