'Next Iron Chef' winner Jose Garces racks up victory
Chef Jose Garces proved once and for all that he's worthy of entering the pantheon of Iron Chefs in an ultimate showdown in Kitchen Stadium against Chef Jehangir Mehta. Both chefs had been strong competitors throughout the competition, and their various fortes and foibles came into focus on "The Next Iron Chef" finale Sunday -- Garces with his technical expertise and Mehta with his innovation. A look back at the savory competition:
Recipe:
Prep time: Checking cable provider for show time and mixing a martini.
Cooking time: 60 minutes, the duration of the show
Serves: Viewing audience
Ingredients:
1 Nimble chairman: Mark Dacascos
2 Rival chefs:
Chef Jose Garces
Chef Jehangir Mehta
2 Staffers:
Host Alton Brown
Stadium correspondent Kevin Brauch
6 Judges:
Donatella Arpaia
Anya Fernald
Jeffrey Steingarten
Iron Chef Bobby Flay
Iron Chef Morimoto
Iron Chef Michael Symon
Secret ingredient: Racks & ribs, specifically: pork baby back ribs, country ribs and spare ribs; buffalo rack and loin; beef short ribs
Amuse bouche
The competitors had to create five dishes with the racks and ribs that best exemplified the American melting pot while of course using imagination and delivering excellent food.
The secret ingredient was particularly challenging because usually the meat would require longer cooking times to break down the connective tissue. So naturally, the chefs bust out the pressure cookers!
The hour flies by. Garces doesn't have any major problems, but he's slower to get to plating than Mehta, who of course busts out the ice cream machine. Only hiccup is when the lid on one of Mehta's pressure cookers refuses to budge (temporarily).
Note: Just a wish, but wouldn't it kick ass to see "Top Chef" Hung Huynh speeding around Kitchen Stadium and breaking records for deboning a chicken?
First course
Mehta: Smothered shrimp dumpling with shredded braised buffalo rib on top. Apparently a balanced hit for all tasters, but Flay points out the rib is not the focus. Garces: Duo of buffalo tartare/kobe sirloin and buffalo rib steak au poivre. Perfectly cooked all around.
Second course
Mehta: All-American pork/bacon burger with chipotle mayo and beef short ribs with an apricot glaze. Umm, inconsistent temperatures mean that some of the french fries were still raw and more unforgiving -- so was the pork burger!
Garces: Mexican-style braised carnitas (pork spare ribs) taco with lime, onions, cilantro and cabbage. Good flavors, but perhaps needs a bit of heat?
Third course
Mehta: Indian style pork spare ribs with a yogurt curry. Not very tender and the curry did not penetrate into the pork.
Garces: "The German": Pork loin rubbed with thyme, grainy mustard and garlic, topped with chanterelle mustard sauce. Cooked fine, but overall somewhat monotonous
Fourth course
Mehta: Buffalo steak with chocolate Malbec sauce. A very pretty presentation, but perhaps too many things distracting?
Garces: Spanish-influenced pizza with beef short ribs and horseradish cream, manchego cheese and bacon marmalade. A good showcase for the main ingredient but perhaps needs punch?
Fifth course
Mehta: Buffalo rib eye tartare with avocado sorbet. Nailed it. Everyone loved this and one judge even called it the "best dish in the competition."
Garces: Soul food influence: Baby back ribs with spicy BBQ sauce, grits with bacon, mustard greens. Executed well, but perhaps safe.
Dessert (Tasting and judgment)The judges were torn since the competitors were opposites in what they offered: While very few could fault Garces on his overall approach and excellent cooking skills, many admitted they were bored and Steingarten even claimed he wouldn't pay money for the food. On the other hand, Mehta had exciting but uneven cuisine that didn't deliver on their promise, even fundamentals like french fries.
Final note:
- Check out our post-win interview with Jose Garces. He talks harsh judging and stinky tofu.
- Okay, I had been rooting for Mehta, purely on the strength of loving his tasting dish from the "Next Iron Chef" Food Network party during the summer TCAS. But hey, I will not argue with two excellent chefs and the way the final competition played out.
- I wish we got to see the judges' scores as usual. Would loved to have seen if the vote was close.
- Mehta's metaphor about how the staircase of life can lead downwards but also simultaneously upwards cracked me up. His personality will be missed.
- Beef short ribs and not one chef did a twist on Korean galbi?
- Check out Garces' first official recipe as an Iron Chef: Revuelto de langosta, aka lobster & asparagus soft-cooked eggs with oyster cava cream
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Related:
Interview with newest Iron Chef Jose Garces: Harsh judges & stinky tofu
TV Press Tour: 'The Next Iron Chef' tasting menu in pictures
'Top Chef: Las Vegas': Best. Restaurant Wars. Ever.
Photo credit: Food Network
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Hey Hahn, how could you root for A-hole Mehta- the guy came across as a cut throat spiteful and angry so and so. He was quoted several times as saying he would do anything to win. And in the next to last week's episode both Garces and Mullen (who should have been a finalist) had enough with mehta's games. Maybe you associate yourself with him because you may be the sort of soul-less hypocritical assimilated animal he is (as opposed to chef Garces who kept it real).
I found the final deliberations hilarious- this mediocre Donatella whatever (obviously she can't cook a lick and has made it as a "restaurateur" riding her rich daddy's coattails) and angry mediocre Jeffrey whatever the F his name is (boy just 'cause he went to Harvard and wrote some book about food don't mean a snit- the guy may be the biggest A-hole in the world) angrily advocating for Mediocre Mehta while the Iron Chefs obviously thought Chef Garces was better.
Well for once, truth won out and as for you-Nguyen go F yourself TWO TIMES OVER.
Mediocre!!!!!!
I'm glad Chef Garces won. He was the better of the two. But all along I thought the judging was odd. They seem to favor "crazy" over sound-technique. I would have love to see Garces verses Mullen. That would have been a good match.
I am very disappointed that Chef Mehta didn't win. Chef Garces can cook but he doesn't deliver foods that are inspiring and bold. He always play it save. Chef Mehta on the other hand delivers food that makes me want to cook and experiment with ingredients. The food he makes has variety and a boldness to them. He innovates all the time and he never gives up - ice cream maker episodes. His presence in the show made me watch all the episodes because I can't wait to see what he can come up with and what escapades he's gonna get into. That said, I think the 3 Iron Chefs that were judges chose Chef Garces because he is just like them -personality - wise and technique. They probably don't want a wild card like Chef Mehta in their precious club. Too bad. It would have made Iron Chef America fun to watch.
By merit, Chef Garces WON. Is Jeffrey Steingartes's like to play the devils advocate more than look at Merit. He seems to have a much different opinion than the other judges. He did not like the boston Plate that other judges seemed to like. Chef Garces had a good smile, polite, courteous, and since of hummer. Steingartes needs to be replaced as judge. May be his bias.
I am thrilled that Chef Garces won! I am a long time fan of Iron Chef and while Chef Mehta is a great chef, it is Chef Garces who will bring a refreshing new approach to the show. Chef Mehta's apparent disregard toward the other competitors didn't help his cause, but definitely isn't the reason he lost....he was outcooked tonight. Jeffrey Steingarten has become a real eye sore for this program, always complaining about this or that, no real culinary advice to the contestants, just sarcasm and argument provoking jabs at the contestants, Alton Brown and his co-judges. Who ever declared him an expert anyway? He definitely detracts from the Iron Chef show, when he "visits" and put a damper on the Next Iron Chef competition. Surely, there are many others who could easily do a better job than him.
The Iron Chef should exemplify style, character and technique. Chef Garces seems to embody these attributes. Chef Mehta was frequently unable to produce flavour variations especially subtle one. He was frequently chided by all the judges for tending to towards sweetness...a major fault. As visual stimulation is indeed a part of the process I would give Mehta marks here, but even then he was wont towards inconsistent excesses. The better man and the best chef won. Having the Iron Chefs on hand for the final judging was a nice touch.
I was very happy Chef Garces won, I've been rooting for him since day one. Mehta has proved himself to be a total jerk and who wants to work with that? His personality will definitely NOT be missed. Certainly not ICA material, regardless of his abilities. Now, if they could just get rid of Steingarten.
Finally, the judges saw beyond the smoke and mirrors. Chef Mehta relied on props to get to the finals. Chef Garces relied on actual preparation. Yea for Garces
What fun especially when it’s all just a matter of taste or smell or the way the food looks or the presentation or who smile best. Any way its heard to know which chef is best in till there is smell TV and taste TV...
Usually I'm so bored with FoodNetwork that I don't give it a second thought (except Alton Brown & Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives). However this year's Next Iron Chef had me riveted.
I'll admit, initially I was pulling for Mehta. I felt he was an underdog being from baking and pastry and being pitted against some serious cuisine type folks. But my love for him dwindled as I listened to him explain why he'd rather screw somebody from winning than compete fairly. And Chef Mehta, you do realize that by being an Iron Chef you should be an inspiration to younger culinarians. Watching the carnage you left behind week after week with and prepping on the floor, that's just NOT hero material. Bye Chef Mehta.
That being said, you were all awesome, and often awe-inspiring, chefs.
Congratulations, Chef Garces. Bon provecho et bon chance!