ICA: Flay vs. Stein
After taking a few weeks off so the sugar addicts could satisfy their Jones with some mind-numbing cake bake-offs ICA is finally back for some real cooking. It’s the Windy City vs. the Big Apple when Chicago-based Chef Todd Stein enters Kitchen Stadium to take on Iron Chef Bobby Flay. Who’s cuisine will reign supreme?
Chef Todd Stein has been a mainstay of Chi-Town’s restaurant scene for several years going back to his apprentice days at Gordon Sinclair’s self-named Gordon Restaurant. From there he worked his way up the lardon ladder with stages at Le Bernardin and Moulin de la Vierge before being named Chef de Cuisine at MK the Restaurant in 2003. Two years later he was promoted to executive chef.
Stein left Chicago in 2006 to take the position of Consulting Executive Chef for Minneapolis’ B.A.N.K. and a year later he was off to Sin City to run the show at David Burke Las Vegas. In 2009 he returned to Chicago to take command of Roof, then Cibo Matto (where he was employed during taping) and ultimately to head up The Flourentine starting in 2010.
Along the way he has collected an impressive list of accolades highlighted by being named Best New Chef by Chicago magazine and making Cibo Matto a 2010 James Beard semifinalist for Best New Restaurant and Time Out Chicago’s Best Hotel Restaurant.
If you’d like to learn more about Chef Stein the good folks at Zagat sat down with him last year for a terrific interview that you can read HERE. With a back ground in New American cuisine and classic French it is the flavors of Italy where Stein’s star shines brightest. We’ll see how bright when he enters Kitchen Stadium to take on Iron Chef Bobby Flay in Battle Mussels.
Chef Flay was once again assisted by Sous Chef Rene Forsberg (who I believe oversees Flay’s Mesa Grill outpost in the Bahamas) and Christine Sanchez, Culinary Director of the Iron Chef’s company, Bold Food. The two cutest sous chefs in all of Iron Chefdom, when do we get to see Renee with her own show? The judges for this battle were Julie Chen, David Rocco and Laura Calder.
If you haven’t already be sure to check out my exclusive interview with Iron Chef Bobby Flay (HERE) or my extensive interview with judge David Rocco just before the Cooking Channel went on the air last year (HERE).
Check below for the outcome.
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Flay Stein
Taste: 25 Taste: 25
Plating: 12 Plating: 13
Originality: 12 Originality: 10
Total: 49 Total: 48
ICA Flay vs. Angerer
After a week off Iron Chef America returns with the classic 2008 match between Iron Chef Bobby Flay and Austrian-born chef (and colossal food blogger) Daniel Angerer in Battle Beer. The battle was won by the challenger.
Angerer is the author of the popular food porn blog, danielangerer.com and the executive chef of the renowned NYC restaurant KLEE. Chef Daniel’s blog is ripe with recipes and insights about the chef’s favorite foods and embarrassing photos (Seriously, chef, leatherhosen?).
Here’s what the New York Daily News has to say about the challenger:
Daniel Angerer, owner and executive chef of Klee Brasserie, has traveled throughout Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany, cooking in a variety of elite resturants and working with such culinary stars as David Bouley, Tony May and Joel Robuchon.
He earned a degreee in hotel and restaurant management in Austria before becoming a professional chef, and soon was cooking in Paris under Joel Robuchon. After coming to the United States, he worked at San Domenico and later at Jean Georges before opening his own restaurant, Klee Brasserie, in 2006. Chef Angerer is currently at work on his first cookbook. His simple, elegant style of cooking focuses on seasonal ingredients and fresh herbs. Even the most basic pasta dish becomes a feast when prepared by Chef Angerer.
