'The Next Iron Chef': Technique trumps creativity

"The Next Iron Chef" is Chef Jose Garces.

In the end, Garces' technique -- though bland at times -- beat out Chef Jehangir Mehta's unquestionable creativity.

For this finale, the judging panel added Iron Chefs Michael Symon, Bobby Flay and Masaharu Morimoto, weighing in on who should join their stable of "cooking giants" who defend their titles in Kitchen Stadium on Food Network's "Iron Chef."

The cheftestants were given 60 minutes to make a five-course feast that represents America's melting pot. The secret ingredient was ribs and racks of all sorts, including buffalo, pork and beef.

Chef Garces played it safe, an approach that seemed to impress the fellow Iron Chefs. But it turned off the judges, who have presided over the competitions that led up to tonight's showdown, including food critic Jeffrey Steingarten.

At times, the competition seemed less about Garces versus Mehta and more about Steingarden versus the Iron Chef judges.

Steingarden appeared to be trying to shame the Iron Chefs into voting for Chef Mehta by accusing them of playing it safe as well. He said like Garces because he cooked like them. "I would not pay for that food, and if any of you would, I have a bridge going to Brooklyn that I would like to sell you," he said.
 
Chefs Mehta and Garces are radically different in their cooking style yet well matched. They both won three challenges apiece during the course of the competition, which this season was set in Los Angeles and Japan.

Mehta was back at the ice cream again, making an avocado version that made nearly everyone swoon. But he also made a pork burger that was, well, raw. And it was served along with raw French fries. Chef Morimoto told Chef Mehta that he had tried to do too much -- it would have been better to focus on one dish and execute it perfectly.

On the other side of the spectrum, Chef Garces did just that, executing everything nearly perfectly. (The exception being a mouthful of cartilage that one of the judges got biting into his carnitas taco). But on balance, Garces' dish were kinda safe and boring, according to some of the judges.

The judging panel was left with a difficult decision: What talent should the reward most? Perfect execution, without a lot of flash? Or creative genius that sometimes fall short? Chef Symon asked this provocative question: "If you're creative and you fail, are you creative? Or are you a failure?"

It was a bit of an exaggeration, of course -- Mehta is not a failure by any stretch. But his culinary high points -- which may have surpassed anyone else in the competition -- were followed by comparable lows. Said one judge: "He can hit a high point ... but can't execute a French fry well."

It was enough to hand victory to Garces.

So what did you think? Did the right chef win?

-- Rene Lynch 
 

Comments

[brandon]

Chef Mehta should have been the Next Iron Chef. I think Chef Garces flew under the radar screen and was consistently boring. Creativity is much more important. Chef Mehta can enhance his techinical skills. Chef Garces cannot increase creativity.

[HSH]

Chef Mehta was totally robbed. I don't understand all these comments saying that he was portrayed as a villain, I actually think that he did the same thing as every other chef. Chef Mullen was shown yanking food out of Chef Mehta's hands so I don't see how what Chef Mehta did was any different. As for Chef Garces filling some void in IC, I think Chef Flay already cooks with a Latin flair whereas none of the IC cook in an Indian style like Chef Mehta. Creativity should be more important for an IC than technique, when the technique only produces safe, boring dishes. Also, I thought Chef Garces was really annoying the entire time with his "stories" in the dishes he seemed like a complete suckup.

[mindy]

I agree with Nathan. Chef Mehta was being painted as a villain, though the evidence was feeble. Mehta was clearly the more creative chef, but Garces seems like an easy-going, likeable guy. I'm glad the Iron Chefs will have somebody nice to pal around with, but an opportunity for creative excellence was missed here. Personally, I loved Chef Mullen and think either he or Chef Mehta would have rounded out the Iron Chefs much better.

[Sue]

I think the judging could be biased. A latin chef would complete their profile better. Also in challenges where there is a challenger vs. the iron chef, I think the judging should be anoymous. Meaning the judges should not know who prepared the dishes. This would have objective results. In the current set up 99.99% of the time the iron chef wins. No surprise at all considering that the judges know which dishes are prepared by the iron chef. Simply not fair - this needs to change!

[Jose Fernandez]

No, the best chef lost. Mehta should have won. The final decision was pretty lame. You can fix issues like cooking a French fry properly, you cant teach talent. How does the guy who cooked the best dish of the night loose? We already have a chef who can cooks like Garces, his names is Bobby Flay. None of the iron chefs can cook vegetarian dishes like Mehta can, none of them are good with sweets or pastries, none of them can cook south Asian food, with the exception of Morimoto they all stick to basic ingredients. Did you see how Mehta cooked the bitter melon when they were in Japan? it was amazing. The most annoying part of last night was Iron chef Simon with his stupid rhetorical are you a genius or are you a failure question. If this show is going to be about executing basics and not an exhibition of talent and creativity a lot of people are not going to be tuning in. Iron chefs should thrill, excite the audience make the home viewer go "wow! I didn't know you could mix that and that and make something so awesome". People don't take an hour out of their day to watch people playing it safe.

[Jennifer]

This show is lacking something. It needs a revamp in the worst way. Nowhere near as entertaining as Bravo's "Top Chef". The judges have no personality, Jeffrey Steingarten is totally annoying! I know this is supposed to be a serious competition but I found it hard to watch.

[Steve G]

I think it's interesting to point out the following:

Chef Garces owns four restaurants. If his food were mediocre, I imagine he would not have been successful for long.

Chef Garces beat Bobby Flay at Kitchen Stadium in a previous competition, and Steingarten was one of the judges!!

It seemed Chef Freitag did better than Mehta in the Japan according to the judges comments, yet she lost to him. Mehta was given a nice break when the Chairman asked for an "Indian Feast" during that episode. It seemed like Mehta was overly favored, especially by the annoying Steingarten.

I was glad to see Garces beat Mehta and thought he deserved the win.

[LS]

I think Chef Mehta should be the next IC. Why ? because he is the most creative chef that I ever saw with more likable dishes in each and every competition and rounds. It would have been nice to have someone in Kitchen stadium who can cook totally different from other IC's and is unpredictable with the ingrediaents. I was curious everytime he tries to come up with new combinations. I have read some comments about his huge eyes and his behaviour with grape leaves. Come on, no one talks about the same episode when Mehta shared the leaves with Chef Trvinio. Every chef in this competion at some point of time did the same thing but I see everyone talks about Mehta but not anyone else. Is this because he just came out of nowhere. Don't we get bored with the Food Network episodes doing the same dishes over and over again. We want to see some exiting new dishes made and Chef Mehta can bring that to the table.

Chef Garces on the other hand shows lot of attitude and always cooks the same way, does not take an risks to show new flavors. Let us also not forget that Chef Garces pork was also undercooked as per some judges.

Can you guess why why Flay and Simon were voting and pushing the decision to be made in favor of Chef Garces. The answer: They were threatened by the possible rise and popularity of Chef Mehta. I could see in their faces very clearly. The 3 judges wanted Mehta but Flay and Simon were kind of rude and stubborn to choose Garces. The 3 judges should decide as they saw them closely through out the entire competition. Can you guess why the scores were not revealed. It is obvious that Mehta got more votes. I remember Simon preparing meals for a Jewish community and noticed that he does not know much. His comments were very rude and he seemed to worry too much if the judges would pick Mehta over Garces. The current IC's should also remember that, Food network is not the only channel or way that one can become famous. I'm sure many who watched Mehta on this competiton and are ready to offer him exciting packages.

Good Luck to Chef Mehta and hope food network will be more careful in choosing their winners.

[SN]

I think Food Network made the show more dramatic than it should be. It should be about food, how it's prepared and presented with less drama. Portraying one as a villain and others as nice guy doesnt go well with me. And people get a life about judging others character and understand that it's clever editing than their real personality. To me, Chef Garces is ok. I have eaten a lot of tasty carnitas and braised pork. Just another version of the same doesnt cut it. I think Chef Mehta was the better chef yesterday night and he should have won.

[Sam]

What disappointed me about Garces, other than a rather bland presentation of a silly pizza and the boring German dish, was that the entire theme was concentrated on Chicago. What is wrong with this picture? It's one thing to argue that Chicago is a microcosm of the diversity that is the USofA, it's quite another to say that I cooked Chicago style, therefore, I represented the US culinary diversity well. BTW, I forgot to take any risk either! Sorry, it was a farce IMHO.

[B. B.]

In the end, the deserving chef, Chef Garces, won, in my opinion. Congratulations, Chef Garces!

I felt so sorry for Chef Mullen, though. His kaiseki dish with "yuba" sounded so delicate and wonderful. And I would not have minded hardened "ikura" (salmon roe). It is the nature of "ikura" to get tough when cooked, and even then, they still taste wonderful, and I love them like that. In fact it is the texture that you enjoy, when you cook "ikura." I believe the judges greatly missed the mark there. I appreciated Chef Metha's gracious interview he gave today. I like the fact that he will keep his restaurant intimate and small.

I have had issues with the judges throughout the season. In my humble opinion, Food TV should reconsider appointing Mr. Jeffrey Steingarten in the capacity of judge, because of his attitude towards chefs, and in turn, to the viewers. It struck me that once he likes you, he likes you regardless of what, and the other way round seems to be also true. I read somewhere that Ms. Donatella cannot take hot spicy food. Why was she chosen as a judge, when the charge is to taste "global" food--from all over the world, which by definition should include hot and spicy food?

In the Japanese version of Iron Chef, as the program evolved over the years, all the judges' scores began to be made public on the TV screen, and sometimes an individual judge or judges were even interviewed as to the score she or he gave. That was helpful for me to understand why a certain chef won over the other, especially when the competition was very tight, or the judgment surprising. I think it is time that American Iron Chef does the same, which will add to the program a sense of objectivity and accountaliby. But . . . maybe not, given the differnece of social dynamism.

I am interested in good food and fine cooking, and not in any sort of "staged drama among personalities" or "ego trip" on the TV screen. That's why I watch Food TV. Thank you.

[jason]

One of the better chefs won but the best chef did not win... can Garces cook well, it appears yes... can he make you get off the couch and try that... No

thats my issue... and Chef Garces saddled up to Symon and flay saying he cooks like them...

what incensed me most is the comments of Mike Symon... dude never appears on the program, his battles are against culinary arts students and his comments against Mehta were rude and condescending... oh he scooped up Bobby's ice cream... but when he called creative or failure and Mehta was a failure that was extreme.. even Steingarten hasnt said that

and why were the Iron chefs given equal votes, i think the 3 of them should have had 1 vote.. that way it gives weightage to the judges who have been there from episode 1

and i think there was a lot of editing of comments from Steingarten, it looked like he started off saying they were a gang... something was missing there...

one of the more interesting stories was Flay was so quiet.. have never seen the dude like that.. was it because he thought that Garces had already defeated him and he cant critique him?

that left with newbie Symon being condescending, i wont watch ICA unless its Flay or Morimoto... Garces was impressionable not brilliant or impressive

[Tish Perez]

Absolutly, Garces should have won. He wasn't as showy with his plating but his dishes seemed really good. That last plating that mehta did with all those flowers was definately an overkill. Seemed more like flower arranging. And didn't like his attitued and just his low blow tactics he used during the competiion.

And I have to say that sometimes I don't like to watch the iron chef because of steingarden. He is so snobbish and arrogant. He needs to get over himself.

Thanks, Tish

[Auros]

What frustrated me most about that verdict was that I got the impression Mehta probably would've won if the burger-and-fries dish had been cooked better. The judges basically acknowledged that he was the chef who produced the more interesting cuisine. I think after a few more battles for practice, his sous chefs would've been better able to navigate the time limits and nail the technique more consistently. I think the verdict is unfortunate for viewers -- Mehta would've been more FUN.

I also think it's a shame that there aren't more cuisines represented on the show, especially cuisines outside Europe and the Americas. The old Japanese version of Iron Chef specifically worked to ensure that only one chef represented a given region. Currently, Iron Chef America has Italian (Batali), Japanese (Morimoto), Mediterranean/California fusion (Cora), American Southwest / Latin (Flay), and robust/traditional Mediterranean (Symon); and now they're adding Garces, who does more authentic Central and South American. So, three Mediterranean cuisines, two Latin, and Japanese. Why not get on somebody who can do Indian, or West African, or Persian?

Anyways. I was rooting for Mehta from day one -- partly because his cooking seemed the most interesting, and partly because he always showed a positive, friendly attitude towards his fellow chefs (which stood in stark contrast to some of the negative, hypercompetitive comments seen from a few of the other guys, especially Appleman; although I'm a fan of his actual cooking, having been to his places in SF, he behaved like a jerk on the show). I'm looking forward to trying Graffiti the next time I make it to New York.

[NA]

I won't say anything mean about Chef Garces - he's a good cook.

I still think that Chef Mehta should have won.

This is how I look at it - the entire competition was judged by these three judges. They judged and eliminated on their the basis of their palates. I don't think that the ICs needed to steam roll over the final verdict. I'm also certain that the network had some say about the winner, the entire process and the battle between the ICs and the judges.

I would love to see what each contestant got in terms of scores - innovation would have stood out for Chef M.

Congratulations to BOTH Chef Garces and Mehta.

And one request to fans - stop with the hating.

[LAS]

It was actually Donatella Arpaia who bit into the cartilage in "his" carnitas tacos!

[hcad]

Garces deserved to win.

Almost everytime the contestants had to pick a winner amongst themselves they chose Chef Garces. All three Iron Chef Judges chose Garces. Bobby Flay raved about his food during his judging.

Mehta lost to Morimoto
Garces beat Flay

Morimoto is would be the bigger challenge, but how can you crown a IC who has lost to one. (Freitag also lost - to Flay I think).

[Seth Quinlan]

The judges were too kind to say he is creative because of there wasn't much else.

Is everyone too politically correct to not point out everything came of out of Mehta resembles an Indian Buffet from local restaurant ? All the ingredients, techniques were Indian. To be honest I love Indian cuisine but an Iron Chef needs to show he is capable of transforming beyond his specialty to answer new challenges. To me he isn't creative, just whimsical. That explained why he failed often. The judges were too kind to him in my opinion. And he clearly benefited multiple times when the Chairman poorly picked consecutive Asian themes (one of them a feast of you guessed it, India).

Garces, he's shown he is truly cosmopolitan and consistently near perfect every time out. That is what an Iron Chef supposed to me. Oh yeah Mehta's grape leaves incident should have disqualified him long ago in the competition, too.

[john d]

no way. The judges picked a boring chef. Definitely won't be watching any time soon.

[Carol]

I think Chef Mehta’s performance was phenomenal! What I did not like about the episode was the fact that they decided to introduce new judges who had no clue about the contestants’ actual styles. I disagree with Chef Simon’s criticism of Chef Mehta’s technique. Had he been weak on technique he would never have come this far. Besides I checked Chef Mehta’s website and he has trained as a culinary chef and not a pastry chef as most places erroneously report. Chef Mehta has exhibited some of the finest culinary skills throughout the competition; he has explored some unchartered territories and triumphed as a winner. That is the reason the judges were rooting for him. The Iron Chefs just showed that their outlook to food is very narrow. They like the food to be tasty and that it should always be within the boundaries of what they consider as good or traditional. So what happened to broadening the horizon, to exploring new flavors? Such people can never enjoy Chef Mehta’s food. He has an ability to explore different ingredients and create flavors which are delicious and new! In the Japanese round Judge Steingarten had complimented him by saying that he found Chef Mehta’s cooking to be educational and that each dish had the flavor combination which he had not tasted before! For Chef Mehta it’s not only about the food it’s about an experience that he serves. That is what a chef should strive for. To offer an unforgettable experience because people tend to forget the taste of the food but the experience remains. The judges were aware of this trait and appreciated him for it but the ICs were blissfully ignorant and came with a bias against him. Anyway, I don’t care what the judges’ scorecard says, in my book Chef Mehta is a ten on ten!