The BEST episodes of Iron Chef

Every episode of Iron Chef ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Iron Chef!

Iron Chef is an innovative cooking competition from Japan. Originally produced by Fuji TV, Iron Chef combined the excitement of a one on one sports competition with gourmet cooking. The title Iron Chefcomes from the original Japanese title, Ironmen of Cooking. This innovative game show was always popular in its native Japan, but it found international success when the Food Network bought the series and began airing English dubbed episodes. It became a cult classic as viewers were treated to exotic ingredients and innovative cooking techniques. No expense was spared. Chefs seemed to have almost limitless supplies of the most exotic and expensive gourmet ingredients. The competition is hosted by Chairman Kaga, an over-the-top master of ceremonies. He introduced a "secret ingredient" that the challenger and the chosen Iron Chef had to incorporate into every dish. Originally, the program was 30 minutes long, but it was soon expanded to an hour format. Each chef presented his/her dishes to a panel of 3-4 judges who rated the dishes to crown a winner. All of the competitions occurred in a specially designed "kitchen stadium". The New York Times once described Iron Chef as "kamikaze cooking". Iron Chefs and their competitors became celebrities in their own right. Storylines developed between groups determined to defeat the Iron Chefs. The show was so successful in English speaking countries that several spin-offs, specials, and updated versions were produced.

Last Updated: 1/16/2024Network: Food NetworkStatus: Ended
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Hong Kong Special
star
10.00
1 votes

#1 - 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

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Ishinabe vs Oyama Eizo (Banana)
star
10.00
1 votes

#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.

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Sakai vs Yuji Wakiya (Sea Urchin)
star
9.72
32 votes

#3 - 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)

Chen vs Katsuyo Kobayashi (Potato)
star
9.00
26 votes

#4 - 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.

Sakai vs Hidetoshi Ushimaru (Curry Powder)
star
9.00
2 votes

#5 - 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.

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Chen vs Lee Myong Suk (Liver)
star
8.89
28 votes

#6 - 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.

Michiba and Sakai vs The Cuomo Brothers (Tomato)
star
8.67
3 votes

#7 - 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)

Sakai vs Mario Nakagawa (Lamb)
star
8.50
2 votes

#8 - Sakai vs Mario Nakagawa (Lamb)

Season 2 - Episode 15 - Aired 4/22/1994

Sakai must face a former apprentice. Which will prevail - Sakai's traditional methods or Nakagawa's nouveau "third wave" style? Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Critic)

The Final Kitchen Stadium Battle (Longgang Chicken)
star
8.50
2 votes

#9 - The Final Kitchen Stadium Battle (Longgang Chicken)

Season 7 - Episode 40 - Aired 9/24/1999

Alain Passard vs. Sakai, the winner of the King of the Iron Chef Tournament. The theme is Longgang Chicken. The challenger for this final Kitchen Stadium battle has been here before. He competed against Iron Chef Komei Nakamura in the 1997 Iron Chef World Cup. That battle ended in a tie. Chairman Kaga has invited him back to take care of this unfinished business. This chef is called the best in the world by some. He is a three star chef from France. He began cooking at 8 years old. This will a very tough challenge for the Iron Chef.

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Chen vs Tsuguo Fujiwara (Sea Cucumber)
star
8.33
3 votes

#10 - 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.

Sakai vs Ron Siegel (Lobster)
star
8.33
3 votes

#11 - Sakai vs Ron Siegel (Lobster)

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

An American chef enters Kitchen Stadium for a lobster battle.

Nakamura vs Kiyoshi Suzuki (Foie Gras)
star
8.33
3 votes

#12 - 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.

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Chen vs Yukihiro Noda (Sardine)
star
8.33
3 votes

#13 - 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?

Michiba vs Masao Suzuki (Matsuba Crab)
star
8.33
3 votes

#14 - 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)

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Michiba vs Yukio Hattori (Truffle)
star
8.33
3 votes

#15 - Michiba vs Yukio Hattori (Truffle)

Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/29/1994

Commentator Dr. Hattori issues a challenge to Michiba and is rewarded with an incredible secret ingredient. Judges: Joel Robuchon (Chef), Mai Kitajima (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

Nakamura vs Toyoaki Suganuma (Egg)
star
8.00
1 votes

#16 - Nakamura vs Toyoaki Suganuma (Egg)

Season 4 - Episode 17 - Aired 4/19/1996

Chen vs He Yewen (Lettuce)
star
8.00
1 votes

#17 - Chen vs He Yewen (Lettuce)

Season 4 - Episode 18 - Aired 4/26/1996

The new chef of Akasaka Rikyu demonstrates his distinctive Hong Kong cooking skills.

Nakamura vs Katsuko Nanao (Cod Roe)
star
8.00
1 votes

#18 - Nakamura vs Katsuko Nanao (Cod Roe)

Season 4 - Episode 19 - Aired 5/3/1996

Chairman Kaga welcomes a woman who opened a restaurant that specializes in home-style Japanese cuisine and presents for the battle a common, everyday ingredient that fits in her style.

Chen vs Shunji Morikawa (Pineapple)
star
8.00
1 votes

#19 - Chen vs Shunji Morikawa (Pineapple)

Season 4 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/10/1996

Morikawa's restaurant, Cay, is said to have pioneered Thai food in Japan. His patrons include Stephen Hawking and Yoko Ono. Can Chen beat him at his own game?

Sakai vs Tamotsu Takao (Abalone)
star
8.00
1 votes

#20 - Sakai vs Tamotsu Takao (Abalone)

Season 4 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/17/1996

Mikasa-kaikan is one of the oldest and most respected French restaurants in Japan. Today's challenger is head chef of its coastal Kuganuma branch and the last direct disciple of the restaurant's late founding Grand Chef.

Chen vs Gotoh Ichio (Cuttlefish)
star
8.00
1 votes

#21 - Chen vs Gotoh Ichio (Cuttlefish)

Season 4 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/31/1996

Today's challenger is French-influenced Italian chef of such renown that anywhere he cooks, you'll find lines running out the door.

Chen vs Liang Shuqing (Pork Belly)
star
8.00
3 votes

#22 - 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.

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Chen vs Liang Shuqing (Konnyaku) Overtime
star
8.00
3 votes

#23 - 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).

2000th Dish: French vs Chinese Part II
star
8.00
1 votes

#24 - 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)

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Kobe vs Kensuke Sakai (Pumpkin)
star
8.00
2 votes

#25 - 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.