ICA: Garces vs. Lata – Outcome
SPOILER ALERT: The following information is the outcome of Garces vs. Lata. If you want information on the combatants click HERE. If you are only interested in the outcome read on.
The judges for Battle: Sparkling Wine were author and master sommelier Andrea Robinson, wine expert Steve Olson, actress Debi Mazar, and Barneys’ creative director Simon Doonan. Iron Chefs Garces was triumphant defeating Chef Lata by a score of 70 to 67.
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ICA: Garces vs. Lata
Put all of that conjecture about Garces leaving Iron Chef to rest. In episode 2 of the ninth season he returns to take on Chef Mike Lata in Battle: Sparkling Wine.
I have a soft spot in my heart for challengers like Mike Lata. Like me, he became a chef without going to culinary school but rather by working his butt off for 
years in kitchens in Boston, Martha’s Vineyard, New Orleans, Atlanta and even France (a lifelong dream). A sustainability devotee, he became a self-appointed spokesperson for the Georgia Organic Growers Association.
Today Lata is Chef/Partner of FIG (Food Is Good), a local neighborhood eatery located in the heart of downtown Charleston. Along with partner Adam Nimerow he has forged FIG into a James Beard Award winning eatery that is, “laid-back, eclectic and unpretentious, FIG is one part retro diner, one part neighborhood café, and one part elegant bistro.”
Waiting for Chef Lata is Iron Chef Jose Garces who is sure to be focused after finishing last season with back-to-back losses, the first two of his career. The judges for Battle: Sparkling Wine were author and master sommelier Andrea Robinson, wine expert Steve Olson, actress Debi Mazar, and Barneys’ creative director Simon Doonan.
Click HERE for the outcome.
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Next Iron Chef 3
I am curious to see what unfolds on the Next Iron Chef 3.
The original was amazing television that was made up of past Food Network stars like Aaron Sanchez and eventual winner Michael Symon and introduced us to some new ones like Chris Cosentino (who now co-hosts Chefs vs. City with Sanchez) and TLC’s John Besh (Inedible to Incredible).
The drama of that first season lay in the fact that every contestant was an established star chef who realized that winning NIC could mean the difference between a six figure salary and a seven figure salary. Also adding to the chemistry was the fact that most of the competitors were old friends. Though there was a little friendly trash talking there was a strong sense of camaraderie among that first group.
Season 2 was not very good. With few exceptions (Amanda Freitag, Eric Greenspan, Nate Appleman and Jose Garces) there were few truly well-known chefs in the contest. What there seemed to be was an over-abundance of was contrived drama and a gaggle of idiotic challenges that did nothing to prove who was best qualified to be an Iron Chef.
There was also Jehangir Mehta, a pastry chef of all things vying to be the Next Iron Chef. Mehta, though talented, seemed to get moved along each week despite a number of tragically failed challenges, cheating and other undesirable behavior. It was clear by season’s end that Mehta was not there because he was a plausible Iron Chef but because the Food Network knew viewers would hate him and tune in just hoping he’d get eliminated. Adding to the failure of Next Iron Chef 2 was the fact that the eventual winner, Jose Garces shot three battles as an Iron Chef in 2009 and has since been invisible.
Speculation has been rampant: Has Batali finally completed his long, drawn-out exit? Is Cat Cora stepping away to spend more time with her growing family? She was on MasterChef you know? Maybe Flay, Symon or Morimoto is leaving? The most popular assumption is that there has been some kind of falling out between the Food Network brass and Chef Garces.
Season 1 produced Michael Symon who is the winning-est Iron Chef in the history of the show having taken home victory over 80% of the time he’s gone out. Season 2 produced, well, nothing really. So just what does the third season hold? Will it elevate someone new to a title that signifies the best of the best or will it be another one hit wonder? I guess we’ll all have to wait until October.
Meet this season’s contestants HERE.
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my exclusive interviews with Iron Chefs Bobby Flay and Michael Symon as well as the newest Iron Chef, Marc Forgione HERE.
