ICA: Forgione vs. Zimmerman
Iron Chef Marc Forgione faces off against challenger Andrew Zimmerman, executive chef at Sepia in Chicago. Judges for Battle: Cream Cheese are Mario Rizzotti, Alison Sweeney and Jason Sobocinski.
Growing up in New York in the ‘80’s, Andrew Zimmerman’s childhood goal was to be a rock star. He pursued music into his early 20’s, supporting his dream by working in local restaurant kitchens. Over the years, he realized that he was a better cook than musician, and that his true calling was in the kitchen. He worked for nearly three years under Renato Sommelia, whom he cites as one of his strongest culinary mentors, and then enrolled in the prestigious French Culinary Institute. Zimmerman graduated first in his class in 2000 and never looked back.
After three years working on the East Coast, Zimmerman was ready to make a move. Drawn to Chicago by the abundance of world-class restaurants, he accepted a position at the Park Hyatt Chicago working alongside Sandro Gamba. In 2004, he met restaurateur Terry Alexander, who hired him as Executive Chef at MOD. From there, the duo opened widely acclaimed del Toro. Zimmerman followed that up with a stop at NoMI where he met restaurateur Emmanuel Nony, and the following year, Nony offered Zimmerman the executive chef position at Sepia.
Zimmerman’s cuisine at Sepia blends rustic and contemporary styles, with flavors influenced primarily by the Mediterranean and France. His food is direct and seasonally based, utilizing product from local and regional farms whenever possible. Under Zimmerman’s direction, Sepia received a sought-after star rating from the Michelin Guide in 2010.
Chef Zimmerman’s reputation is indeed impressive but so is Iron Chef Marc Forgione.
Check below for the outcome.
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| Forgione | Zimmerman | |
| Taste | 23 | 23 |
| Originality | 12 | 14 |
| Plating | 12 | 12 |
| Total | 47 | 49 |
ICA: Forgione vs McClain
After a summer nearly devoid of new ICA action this is the second fresh episode in a row. This time, Iron Chef Marc Forgione faces off against challenger Shawn McClain, the executive chef at Sage, at Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Martin Yan, Ching-He Huang and Adam Richman are the judges for this battle.
Shawn McClain, executive chef of Sage at ARIA Resort & Casino, has a knack for balancing innovative concepts with refinement and sensibility. His spirited New American menu takes the seasons as its departure point, tapping the freshness of California’s fertile environment to produce elevated flavor combinations interwoven with Mediterranean undercurrents.
A native of San Diego, Calif., and a 1990 graduate of the School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College in Evanston, Ill., McClain’s star rose quickly in the culinary world. He broke onto the national scene at Trio restaurant in Evanston, earning four stars from both the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. There, his style came into focus, one that juxtaposes Eastern influence with Western foundations. After seven accolade-filled years, he left to open Spring – his homage to seafood. The restaurant opened in 2001 to extraordinary critical and consumer success. That same year, Spring was nominated for the James Beard Foundation’s Best New Restaurant award, and McClain was named Esquire magazine’s Chef of the Year. In 2002, he appeared in “40 Under 40,” Crain’s Chicago Business’ highly competitive list of who’s who in the city.
Chef McClain’s food had better be Zen perfect when he goes up against Iron Chef Marc Forgione in Battle: Tropical Ingredients.
Check below for the outcome.
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| Forgione | McClain | |
| Taste | 41 | 46 |
| Plating | 20 | 17 |
| Originality | 17 | 20 |
| Total | 78 | 83 |
ICA: Morimoto vs. Forgione
Iron Chef is Back!!!!
It’s a battle of the Iron Chefs as Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto faces off against Iron Chef Marc Forgione in an Iron Chef Grilling Battle set in Kitchen Stadium. Judges are John T Edge, Elizabeth Karmel and Rick Abramson.
Iron Chef Forgione had this to say about the special, “Epic Iron Chef America battle this Sunday at 10:30 pm on Food Network! Tune-in to watch me go up against Iron Chef Morimoto in a grilling battle.”
Check below for the outcome of Battle: Mangalitsa Pig.
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Forgione Morimoto
Taste: 25 Taste: 26
Plating: 12 Plating: 12
Originality: 11 Originality: 12
Total: 48 Total: 50
Chopped All-Stars Season 2 Judges & Host Bios
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