ICA: Morimoto vs Cora vs Symon
The first ever Iron Chef Three-way!
The branches of the United States military always work together to protect the country, but there also is an intense competitive spirit among the divisions of the armed forces. The Army, Navy and Marines move their rivalry to Kitchen Stadium and join forces with three Iron Chefs in the ultimate Military Grill Battle. Iron Chefs Morimoto, Symon and Cora travel to Hawaii where each will team with a well-seasoned cook from a different branch of the military.
At the scenic and historic Marine Base Hawaii at Kane’ohe Bay on the island of Oahu, the Iron Chefs and their military cohorts must cook to impress a tough panel of judges highlighting the usage of a world class grill and a bounty of Hawaiian ingredients in their culinary arsenal.
It’s good to see Cat Cora don her Iron Chef jacket one more (or is it one last?) time. The judges for Battle: Ahi Tuna were Daniel Dae Kim, Sunny Anderson and Simon Majumdar
Check below for the outcome.
| Morimoto | Cat Cora | Simon | |
| Taste | 25 | 24 | 26 |
| Plating | 13 | 12 | 12 |
| Originality | 13 | 12 | 15 |
| Total | 51 | 48 | 53 |
ICA: Morimoto vs. Bogle
Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto faces off against Challenger Justin Bogle, Executive Chef at Gilt in New York City. Judges are Donatella Arpaia Stewart, Ben Sargent and Karine Bakhoum. With Morimoto in the kitchen and Ben Sargent on the judges table it is safe to assume this will be a seafood battle.
Chef Justin Bogle continues to make his mark at GILT as their Executive Chef. Rooted in the classics, Bogle’s unique approach makes the most of the best ingredients, creating completely new ideas and innovative presentations while still utilizing comforting, familiar 
flavors. His primary goal is creating something delicious that people will want to eat, always using the highest-quality, sustainable ingredients. Before moving to New York Chef Bogle worked at the Striped Bass where he worked side by side with Chef Christopher Lee in developing one of the most successful restaurants in Philadelphia.
A graduate of The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia PA, Bogle is the youngest chef in New York City to receive Two Stars from the MICHELIN Guide, which he has received for the third year in a row with the recent announcement for the 2012 Guide. (GILT has earned the coveted award for the fourth consecutive year.) In August 2010, Bogle was named a “Rising Star Chef” by Restaurant Hospitality, followed by Zagat honoring him as one of New York City’s “30 Under 30″ Up-and-Coming Chefs to watch in 2011. He also recently appeared on the Martha Stewart Show, showcasing his celebrated “dirt salad.”
So a challenger with a background in seafood is taking on Chef Morimoto (the king of fish battles) with the host of Cooking Channel’s Hook, Line and Dinner sitting on the judges’ table has got to mean a fish battle right? You got it; Battle: Paiche.
Check below for the outcome.
Morimoto Bogle
Taste: 30 Taste: 21
Plating: 15 Plating: 12
Originality: 15 Originality: 10
Total: 60 Total: 43
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.
Flay/Vallodolid Morimoto/Zimmern
Taste: 27 Taste: 25
Plating: 11 Plating: 14
Originality: 13 Originality: 11
Total: 51 Total: 50
ICA: Morimoto vs. Martin
Chef Dena Marino, born and raised in a huge Italian family in New Jersey. She was brought up on a steady diet of pizza, pasta, and sausage. Leaving New Jersey for the Culinary Institute of America, she currently heads the kitchen at Ellina in Aspen, Colorado, where she interprets modern and classic Italian cuisine. Now, she’ll draw knives with the dean of the Iron Chefs, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto.
With the knowledge she gained cooking alongside her grandmother, Dena left for Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. She graduated to a job at Caesar’s Palace Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. Three years later, on a visit to San Francisco, Dena traveled to the Napa Valley’s Tra Vigne to sample the creations of Chef Michael Chiarello. In him she found a culinary soul mate; she finagled a job and soon became the restaurant’s sous chef. After three and a half years with Chiarello, Dena was offered the position of Chef at the Ajax Tavern in Aspen.
Marino’s Menu:
Fig & Ahi Crudo
Fig & Pancetta Stuffed Quail Over Gnocchi
Red Trout with Fig Marmelatta
Fig Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Fig Panna Cotta
Iron Chef’s Menu:
Fig Hassun (Chili Fig, Nama-Fu, Fig & Beef Tartare, and Fig Martini)
Steamed Bun with Pork & Fig
Fig Carpaccio
Wagyu Fig Wellington with Eel Over Rice
Selection of Fig Desserts (Cappuccino with Fig Creme, Fig Burrito, and Fig Doriyaki)
The judges for Battle: Fig were Andrew Knowlton, Danyelle Freeman and Jeffrey Steingarten.
Check below for the outcome.
Morimoto Marino
Taste: 24 Taste: 21
Plating: 12 Plating: 10
Originality: 13 Originality: 10
Total: 49 Total: 41
