The BEST episodes of Iron Chef

#1 - Sakai vs Hidetoshi Ushimaru (Curry Powder)

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/19/1996

While the search continues for a new Iron Chef Japanese, Iron Chef French Sakai accepts the challenge of a rising French-trained chef making a name in hotel dining: head chef of the Terrace at the Westin Tokyo. Wanting to spice up the battle, Chairman Kaga presents them with a challenging theme: curry powder accompanied by five other spices for variety.

#2 - Ishinabe vs Oyama Eizo (Banana)

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/12/1993

Christmas time is approaching and Chairman Kaga is looking forward to all the special desserts. He holds the first dessert battle in Kitchen Stadium.

#3 - Hong Kong Special

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 3/31/1995

Two hour special featuring Michiba vs. Shu Chu in Battle Spiny Lobster and Chen vs Ron Waikei in Battle Pork

#4 - Sakai vs Yuji Wakiya (Sea Urchin)

Season 2 - Episode 23 - Aired 6/17/1994

Sea Urchin provides a young chef the chance to revolutionalize Chinese cooking. Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

#5 - Chen vs Katsuyo Kobayashi (Potato)

Season 2 - Episode 32 - Aired 8/19/1994

Chen faces the second female chef in kitchen stadium. She is a television icon to many Japanese housewives. Both chefs enjoy fame. One's an Iron Chef, the other hosts a popular cooking show. Spuds will fly in battle potato.

#6 - Michiba and Sakai vs The Cuomo Brothers (Tomato)

Season 3 - Episode 33 - Aired 8/18/1995

Tag Team Battle! Two Iron Chefs vs 2 Italian Brothers in the battle of the tomato. After growing up in Italy, these brothers started their own restaurant in Tokyo. It is so popular that you must make reservations up to 6 months in advance. Judges: Yasushi Akimoto (Songwriter), Hideki Saijo (Singer), Asako Kishi (Culinary Critic)

#7 - Chen vs Lee Myong Suk (Liver)

Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 5/5/1995

Chairman Kaga welcomes his first Korean challenger, bringing with her a distinctive form of cuisine rarely seen in Japan.

#8 - Chen vs Yukihiro Noda (Sardine)

Season 3 - Episode 25 - Aired 6/23/1995

Chairman Kaga is in a very bad mood. His Iron Chefs have lost their last two battles. Worse, the stress of the last loss has left the mighty Iron Chef Japanese Michiba in the hospital. And now, he has to answer a challenger representing the famed Italian restaurateur Don Sabatini. Can Chen avoid the fate of his fellow Iron Chefs and defend the honor of Kitchen Stadium?

#9 - Chen vs Tsuguo Fujiwara (Sea Cucumber)

Season 3 - Episode 38 - Aired 9/22/1995

Tsuguo Fujiwara is Managing Director of the Chinese Chefs' Association of Japan: the largest association of Chinese chefs in the country. Iron Chef Chinese Chen is placed in an uncomfortable position. As a lower member of the Association, he finds himself feeling like the challenger for once as he has to face his senior.

#10 - Nakamura vs Kiyoshi Suzuki (Foie Gras)

Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 3/1/1996

After two months, retired Iron Chef Michiba presents Chairman Kaga with his successor: Komei Nakamura, an imposing chef from a prestigious formal Japanese restaurant who both keeps a traditional base and fearlessly seeks out new ideas. For his inaugural battle, he faces two challenges: the owner of Auberge de Suzuki in Seijo, one of the chefs of Club des Trentes; and the theme of Foie Gras, the same ingredient Michiba faced in his debut match three years ago.

#11 - Michiba vs Masao Suzuki (Matsuba Crab)

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 2/10/1995

The challenger is the head chef at a restaurant that Iron Chef Michiba himself dines at frequently. Judges: Tamio Kagayama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Culinary Critic)

#12 - Sakai vs Ron Siegel (Lobster)

Season 6 - Episode 38 - Aired 10/9/1998

An American chef enters Kitchen Stadium for a lobster battle.

#13 - Sakai vs Tadamichi Ohta (Octopus)

Season 3 - Episode 48 - Aired 12/8/1995

Disappointed in the quality of the Japanese cuisine challengers this year (none of which have won to date), Chairman Kaga decides to call in a chef he'd been saving: Vice President of the Japan Chefs' Association and head chef of Nakanoboh-Zuien, a top-class ryokan in Arima Hot Springs.

#14 - King Of Iron Chef's Tournament Finals - Part 2

Season 7 - Episode 39 - Aired 9/24/1999

A Continuation of King Of Iron Chef's Tournament Finals Part 1. The winner of the Homard Battle between Chen Kenichi and Hiroyuki Sakai will be revealed

#15 - France Special Part I: Nakamura vs. Bernard Leprince (Salmon)

Season 4 - Episode 15 - Aired 4/5/1996

Chairman Takeshi Kaga travels to battle the great chefs of France - witness as Iron Chef French #2 (Hiroyuki Sakai) and Iron Chef Japanese #2 (Koumei Nakamura) battle to defend the honor of Iron Chef and the Gourmet Academy. For the first battle, Iron Chef Japanese Nakamura battles one of the great French on location at a French castle. For a twist, the chefs are not told of the theme ingredient immediately but must first travel to the castle's courtyard to retrieve it.

#16 - France Special Part II: Sakai vs. Pierre Gagnaire (Homard Lobster)

Season 4 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/12/1996

Chairman Takeshi Kaga travels to battle the great chefs of France - witness as Iron Chef French #2 (Hiroyuki Sakai) and Iron Chef Japanese #2 (Koumei Nakamura) battle to defend the honor of Iron Chef and the Gourmet Academy. For the second battle, Iron Chef French Sakai and famed French chef Pierre Gagnaire are given a unique challenge. They have 24 hours to obtain authentic French ingredients, then return to the French castle site to hold the actual battle.

#17 - Chen vs Gao Jinyi (Dried Abalone)

Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/12/1996

For the first battle of the year, Chairman Kaga accepts the challenge of the head chef of the famed Grand Hotel in Taiwan. It is an all-Chinese affair with Iron Chef Chen chosen in advance to answer the challenge, on his 40th birthday no less, and no expense is spared as they are given dried abalone: a luxurious ingredient well-suited to Chinese cuisine.

#18 - Chen vs Liang Shuqing (Pork Belly)

Season 6 - Episode 18 - Aired 5/22/1998

The younger sibling of the Liang brothers, rulers of Cantonese cuisine in Japan, faces Iron Chef Chinese.

#19 - Chen vs Liang Shuqing (Konnyaku) Overtime

Season 6 - Episode 19 - Aired 5/29/1998

The highly-anticipated Pork Belly Battle ends in a tie, forcing a 30-minute overtime battle: this time using Konnyaku (Arum Root).

#20 - 2000th Dish: French vs Chinese Part II

Season 6 - Episode 33 - Aired 9/4/1998

Part 2 of 2: The special battle to honor 2,000 dishes in Kitchen Stadium continues with Team All French (Sakai, Ishinabe, Joh) versus Team All Chinese (Chen, Wakiya, Miyamoto), each working to complete their special meals set on platters made for the occasion. The judgment provides a surprise ending. Judges: Mitsuko Ishii (Newscaster, one of the first judges), Shinichiro Kurimoto (Lower House Member, second-most-frequent judge), Asako Kishi (Culinary Critic, most-frequent judge), Kenji Fukui (The Show's Announcer)

#21 - Kobe vs. Kensuke Sakai (Pumpkin)

Season 6 - Episode 41 - Aired 10/30/1998

Iron Chef Italian Kobe is pitted against an unusual Italian cuisine chef who operates out of his own food cart.

#22 - Morimoto vs. Marco Molinari (Porcini)

Season 6 - Episode 45 - Aired 11/27/1998

By the age of 13, Molinari was already a chef at a 3-star restaurant. Now, cultures clash in this mushroom battle.

#23 - Chen vs. Dominique Corby Overtime (Asparagus)

Season 7 - Episode 31 - Aired 8/6/1999

When the 300th challenger entered kitchen stadium, everyone expected an epic battle. This tie breaker is part two of the massive battle.

#24 - Morimoto vs Shigematsu Ryozo (Sea Bass)

Season 7 - Episode 35 - Aired 9/3/1999

#25 - Sakai vs Philippe Aubron (Crayfish)

Season 3 - Episode 37 - Aired 9/15/1995

Chairman Kaga desires to have more experience with the cuisine of France's southern Provence region. He learns of a man from Provence who now serves authentic Provencal cuisine to Japanese diners near Lake Biwa. He invites the man to Kitchen Stadium and presents him with crayfish as the theme: an ingredient well-suited to his style of cooking.