Transcription of Iron Chef Japan Cup 2002

Aired on January 2, 2002

0:00:00

Caption - Memorial Service

Caption - Chairman of Funeral Committee, Kenji Fukui

Everyone, please stand

Please observe a moment of silence

Thank you. You may be seated

0:00:45

When I heard that Chairman Kaga passed on near the end of last year, I could not believe my ears. He died after eating puffy fish liver (poisonous). It was a fitting and honorable way to go for a real gourmet. However, we cannot dwell on this, and it is our duty to maintain the Kitchen Academy. Please welcome our new Chairman!

0:02:20

Oh well, I should've changed my cloth (whispering to myself)

Caption - New Chairman, Masahiro Motoki

I did not want my uncle's creation to disappear so I decided to accept this job. However, cooking is alive and it changes. I want to evolve the Kitchen Stadium in my own way. Applaud!

0:03:00

Let me bring up the great Chefs my uncle left me with.

0:04:30

I don't like "old" but there's a difference between "old" and "tradition". Please reappear for me "Meiyo Tetsujin"

0:06:00

Guest Judges - Akebono (Champion Sumo Wrestler, retired), Yuuko Asano

The special stage is set up in Tokyo Big Site

0:06:30

A new directive was given by the new Chairman, Motoki.

Japan Cup 2002. The entrants are limited to unknown nameless chefs.

The tourmanent has four entries. Chienese is represented by Chen. The other three (Italian, Japanese, and French) are selected by a preliminary round of competitions. 308 applications were received, and 30 were selected by photographs of their dishes.

0:08:00

Preliminary round. 45 minute cooking time. Theme ingradients were Prawns for Italian, Pork for French, and Kabu (Japanese radish) for Japanese. Judges were Hosoki, Michiba, and Hattori.

0:08:30

Judgement. Hattori announced "#3, Takeshi Tanabe" for French, only 29 years old. Hosoki announced "#6, Yuuichiro Ebisu" for Italian. Then, Michiba was to announce the Japanese, but

Caption - Michiba throws a surprise

0:09:15 Commercial (Internet fax; personal loan; life insurance)

0:11:15

Michiba said, "Nobody qualified. There was no dishes that utilized the theme ingradient. I want to ask you, all 'Have you ever tried so hard and frustrated to tears when you used kabu?'"

0:12:00

Semi-final, Match A, Italian vs Chinese

0:14:00

Today's theme ingradient. "30 year old crabs (Tarabagani)"

Commercial - Knorr soup, Plastic surgeon, car tires

0:16:00

Leonardo Da Vince of Italian cuisine, Yuuichiro Ebisu, 34 years old. His father was a professional chef and he learned to cook omelet at the age 8.

0:18:00

Special rule of 45 minute limit is used for Semi-Finals

Fukui - These are huge crabs.

Hattori - yes, these are 30 years old. About $60 a pop.

Akebono - it's as old as I am. (he's 32 years old)

0:18:40

Fukui reports from Chen side

0:19:00

Chairman Kimoto appears in the arena. The late Kaga never showed up during the battle. We wonder what he's up to..... Oh he's sneaking a bite!

0:19:35

Chen-san had a lot happen last year. His son, Kentaro, decided to be a chef and joined his restaurant.

0:20:00

Challenger - crab claws, olive oil, white wine

0:20:30

Chen's winning record, 82.9% for 82 battles, 68 wins

Akebono's record, 73.8 % for 886 matches, 654 wins

Akebono said "I played a lot more matches than Chen-san did"

0:21:00

Challenger - he added chicken broth, cream, shrimp broth

0:21:30

Chen - ginger, Chinese parsley?, red pepper, scallion

0:21:45

"Hattori Scope" (a new device for this show) Fukui - "What did you write?" Hattori, "Shouga (ginger)" Fukui - "We can't read it."

0:22:05

Chen in the bowl - "crab pieces, chicken powder, garlic, sesami oil, yellow and green pepper, black pepper, Shanghi soy sauce, chicken oil, corn starch, kani miso (crab innerds). Another bowl - red pepper slices

0:22:20

Challenger - grapefruits, fennell, crab legs, siblet? added olive oil

0:23:15

Chen - uses Kani Abura (Crab oil). Rare seasoning.

0:23:30

(reporter Tomoyo Abe for Challenger)

Challenger "I will present three dishes to show texture, lightness and flavor which Italian cuisine often lacks" "I want to dedicate one dish to my father"

0:24:00

Video clip from Challenger's father

0:24:50

Chen - putting the mixture in a bowl containing red pepper slices

Hattori - I think it will be steamed

0:25:30

Challenger - spinach boiled in clam soup

0:26:00

Kobe discusses what pasta will be made. Ravioli?

0:26:30

White liquid is water and rice powder, with crab oil.

Hattori uses "Hattori scope" and they still cannot read his writing. Fukui asks for Hirakana characters instead of Chinese characters.

0:27:15

Challenger strained the soup broth, and added egg white

0:28:00

Chen prepares some Korean ingradients (Kimchee, Korean seaweed), hoping to combine his Chinese recipe with other Asian cuisines

0:28:30

Challenger - Revioli of crab meat, abalone, and fennell

0:29:30

Mr Yamada (Ebisu's mentor) who won vs Chen in 1994

Mr Ochiai, another mentor of Ebisu.

0:30:00

15 minutes left

Commercial -Suzuki cars, detergent

0:33:00

Challenger - the sauce contains orange, melon, papaya, grapefruit, fennell, tomato, lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, mayonaise

0:33:40

Chen - crab, daikon (radish), ?, spicy something, ?, Kimchee, corn starch

Hattori - I wonder how we eat it

0:34:40

Challenger - spinach with clam soup, crab

0:35:20

Kentaro Chen, 22 years old. Chen-san's first son

0:36:15

Hattori scope - Ravioli is ready when it floats to the surface

0:38:00

Chen - Stir-fry of red chili pepper, Chinese moutain pepper?, garlic, ginger, wakegi?, Chinese cooking wine, crab, chili pepper powder. Chen said it will be hot

0:38:15

Challenger - Ravioli sauce contains garlic, olive oil, tomato, anchovie, basil, cream, crab, chili pepper. Green sauce on top is basil sauce. The spinach was added to the pudding/royale

0:39:50

One minute left. Challanger decided to make omelet.

0:40:50

Challenger - I just ran out of time to make omelet.

0:41:40

Chen - Oh I want to go to the Final

Commercial - Honda, Canon, KFC

0:43:20

Challanger - Salad of crab and grapefruit; Crab royale with spinach; crab ravioli with brasil sauce

Chen - Crab in rice crepe wrap (Vietnam style); steamed crab and red pepper; shan-rah-she; crab fried rice, Korean style (bibin-ba)

0:45:00

Judges are Ten-mei Kanoh, Yuuko Asano, Akebono, and Kazuko Hosoki, and Chairman Motoki will also cast a vote

Challenger, Dish#1

Asano - this is great. Eveything is there!

Akebono - fruity

Hosoki - the taste is sleepy and needs more twist. I hate to say this, but I don't think it's good.

Dish #2

Hosoki - what is this green? (Spinach). I don't smell any of it.

Akebono - better than Dish #1

Kanoh - there's no surprise in taste

Dish #3

Ebisu - I decided to go with tamato sauce at the last moment.

Asano - I think tomato sauce is a good choice

Hosoki - you took advantage of crab's sweetness. Nice presentation. Nice spice.

Asano - I enjoyed all three dishes

Commercial - JA Finance service/insurance, hair coloring, Kirin beer,

0:50:00

Chen

Dish #1

Asano - Very nice texture of rice wrap. I always like ginger

Hosoki - Unlike your usual, this is very stylish

Dish #2

Chen - red pepper is for our new Chairman

Kanoh - just the right amount of spiciness

Hosoki - no fishy smell of crab. great depth

Motoki - The spiciness is beautiful

Dish #3

Chen - crab is spicy outside and sweet inside

Asano - This is hot. Give me a while before I can speak

Akebono - This is spicy but not overdone.

Hosoki - This is Chen-san's spiciness

Dish #4

Akebono "Simple is best"

Hosoki - I agree. Impressed with Chen-san's originality

Asano - Simple but complex

Kanoh - superb fusion of so many taste

Akebono - Where can I go to eat more of this?

Asano - so many variation of spiciness

Commercial - Abtronics!, hopusing (Ichiro!), KFC

0:56:30

Judgement

My first tasting was a lot more difficult and exciting than I expected. I wish I can name both as winners, but the rule does not allow me. The winner is "Tetsujin Chen Ken-ichi"

0:57:45

So Chen wins, but who will be the Japanese Chef?

We held a second round of preliminary selection and selected four chefs. The theme ingradient was Daikon radish.

Michiba said "#4, Mr. Nonaga" from "Yukari" restaurant in Tokyo. 29 years old, so the Semi-Final Match B is for Takeshi Tanabe (French) vs "Kimio Nonaga". Chairman chose "Hon Maguro" (tuna), and after 45 minutes, they prepared

Tanabe (French)'s dishes include

Marinated tuna and apple, millefeille (sp?) with Onsen (hot spa) -boiled egg

Tuna and Fois Gras, Rossini-style

Nonaga (Japanese)'s dishes include

Shabu-Shabu of tuna and scallion

0:59:50

Judgement

Kimio Nonaga wins

Commercial - Boss coffee drink, Lord of the Ring, Lawson (convenience store), Currie, gas-powered heater

1:02:20

Japan Cup 2002 - Final

Guests - Nobuteru Ishihara (Minister of Government Reform?), Yuuko Asano, Masaru Hanada (former Suko Yokozuna Champion; presently a football player)

1:03:00

Caption - destined to the tradition of Emperor's Cuisine. Nonaga was the third in 67 year old restaurant "Yokari" which has been in charge of Emperor's Festival Dinners. He was destined to succeed the restaurant, but he left the place at age of 18 and apprenticed in Kyoto. (Note: In Japan, western (Osaka and Kyoto) cuisine is very different from eastern (Tokyo))

Caption - destined to pass the tradition to his children

1:04:50

Let me introduce two chefs who will build new legends

1:06:40

Today's theme ingradient is "Ingii Chicken" from Tanegashima.

Commercial - Ramen noodle, salt (Chen-san), Sony MD, supermarket (selling a packaged dinner), National (panasonic in US)

1:10:00

Ingii-Dori is from Tanegashima Island, south of Kyushu Island. Very very southern end of Japan. It is impossible to find in Mianland, $30 (4000 yens). English sailors brought them to Tanegashima in 17th century, and "English" became "Ingii". The yellow ball is an egg taken from inside of female.

1:10:25

Nonaga - opening up a carp

1:10:50

Hattori Scope - egg, liver, heart, gizzard

1:11:20

Nonaga - in the pressure pot, Ingii chicken, carp, sake, salt, ginger, large scallion (kujou negi). This is to celebrate Princess Masako's giving birth to Aiko.

1:11:40

Kandagawa-san says "Carp brings in fortune so it is a good material for New Year"

1:12:30

Nonaga - putting large and small clams (hamaguri and shijimi) inside the chicken

Nonaga's wife, Nonaga Shizuka

1:13:15

Chen - in the pot, he has fried chicken (sake, soy sauce), hakusai cabbage, scallion, dried abalone, ginger, chicken soup

1:13:40

Chen - shark fin

Nonaga said - I will make four dishes

Commercial - mens dress, UFJ Bank, vitamin tablet, tires, cold medicine, water purifier, TV Special

1:16:30

New Chairman acts funny!

1:17:00

Chen - in the bowl, chicken pieces, garlic, ginger, black pepper, dried scallop, chicken powder, tou-ban-jan? To this, Chen added "Go-ryou-Eki-Shu", a famous liquor from Shisen area of China (*)

1:17:40

Nonaga's knife was a gift from his mentor (Mr. Murata), and the sheath says "Muga Muchu (forget yourself, focus)".

1:18:05

Video clip of Mr. Murata

1:18:50

Mochi (rice cake), traditional must in New Year

1:19:20

Chen's late father and late mother's photographs

1:19:40

Nonaga - Broth of Ingii Chicken, carp, sake, ginger

1:20:00

Michiba said "I've never seen chicken/carp broth but I'm very curious"

Commercial - solar power, soft drink (Pocari Sweat), candy, safety seat, HD icecream

1:22:50

Chen - in the bowl, kikurage mushroom, liver, gizzard, heart, celery, cucumber, scallion, salt, sesami oil. My father used to serve this on New Years Day at home

1:23:00

Nonaga - Broth from chicken with clams

1:23:50

Chen - Golden Petan (fermented egg; golden variation is rare)

1:24:30

Nonaga - The white sheet is a thin slice of radish (Shogo-in kabura). Chicken, white miso, sake, and sugar is mixed and placed inside the wrap. Burdock is added, too. This is eaten on New Years Day by the Emperor, called Shichi Hanabira (Chief's comment - it is a graphic reproduction of female organ with a male organ in the center. No kidding)

1:25:10

Chen - From the pressure cooker, Ingii Chicken, Chinese soy sauce, Chinese sake, hakusai, scallion, ginger, dried abalone, chicken soup, shark fin, 50-year-old Chinese sake

1:26:10

Nonaga - added rice and soy milk to the chicken with clams

Michiba - "adding rice was to thicken the soup. It will be great"

1:217:50

Nonaga - chicken with yuzu (lime), ginger, scallion, pine seed, soy sauce, mirin (soy based liquid), sake

1:29:20

Chen - Pressure cooker contained chicken, garlic, ginger, blackpepper, dried scallop, chicken powder, tou-ban-jan, go-ryou-eki-shu, powdered sweet rice

1:29:50

Baked mochi in a soup bowl. In Kansai (west), we use unbaked round mochi. In Tokyo (east), we use baked square mochi. In Emperor's cuisine, round baked mochi is used. This will be "Zou-ni", traditional New Year's Day cuisine (mochi in soup)

1:30:20

Another interview with Ken-ichiro Chen

1:31:05

Zou-ni is made from Chicken/carp broth

1:32:00

Mrs Nonaga "Go for it, Young Master"

Fukui said "Nonaga-san is blushing"

1:33:40

Chen - in the bowl, Thai rice noodle, chicken soup; added to it, chicken cooked in howa-chao, pao-chao, scallion, ginger, chicken powder, salt

1:37:00

Nonaga - I'm exhausted. I was pressed for time, but I did my best

Chen - I forgot I was in Kitchen Stadium. I was preparing my own family recipes. (Asked to give a message to his son), "Give your best"

Commerical - black beans (very tasty), yogurt, train ticket (to visit temples and shrines), gas-heater, cosmetics,

1:40:00

Nonaga - Habutae (folded wing style) mochi of Chicken Miso flavor; Zouni of chicken and carp; chicken baked in nanban style with yuzu flavor; mixed soup of chicken and clam.

Chen - Appetizer of chicke innerds and golden petan; Steamed chicken with rice powder; stew of chicken, dried abalone and shark fin; Yu-Rin Chicken; Chicken with rice noodles

1:42:00

Judges are Nobuteru Ishihara, Yuuko Asano, Masaru Hanada, Asako Kishi.

Tasting - Nonaga

Dish #1

Hanada - great taste

Asano - I smell sake. Wonderful!

Dish #2

Ishihara - I don't detect any carp small. Wonderful.

Hanada - I never had anything like this

Dish #3

Asano - beyond expectation. Beautifully presented. Simple but deep.

Dish #4

Motoki - "Umai" (delicious)

Ishihara - this energuzes me

Kishi - I enjoy Ingii Dori

Commercial - kimono, Coffee, Opa-Club?, Asahi beer, safety seat, fast food sushi, thermal insulator, Shrek

1:49:00

Tasting - Chen

"Salute to your son" (Kan-pei)

Dish #1

Hanada - can't stop smiling

Ishihara - texture and flavor

Dish #2

Hanada - great flavor

Asano - I enjoy scallop.

Ishihara - I enjoy the flavor the special sake

Dish #3

Chen - This is our family dish.

Ishihara - Complex dish

Asano - makes me feel rich when I eat this.

Kishi - Where is sea cucumber? (Sea cucumber is another "must" ingradient in Chinese New Year recipe)

Chen - I forgot. Sorry.

Dish #4 #5 served together

Kishi - This comes from experience. Nobody can do this.

Judgement (This is a bad trend in Japanese TV) - they stop right before the climax and go to commercials.

Motoki - I think it will be my life work to expand the possibilities of this Kitchen Stadium.

Commercial - Keihan railroad, McDonald, ToyRUs, Enya, Sogo department store, Shrek, safety seat, TV show

Judgement

Motoki - Nonaga Kimio!