The BEST episodes of Iron Chef season 2
Every episode of Iron Chef season 2, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Iron Chef season 2!
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.
#1 - 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)
#2 - 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.
#3 - 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)
#4 - 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)
#5 - Michiba and Chen vs Joël Bruant and Masafumi Furutaka (Sea Bass)
Season 2 - Episode 28 - Aired 7/22/1994
Paul Bocuse sends two trusted apprentices to take not one, but two, iron chefs. This is the first time two Iron Chefs have been in Kitchen Stadium at the same time. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Politician), Kazuko Katoh (Actress), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano
#6 - Chen vs Koji Kobayashi (Pumpkin)
Season 2 - Episode 42 - Aired 10/28/1994
The challenger, a great Italian talent, was thought to have disappeared in disgust over the poor quality of Italian restaurants in Japan, earning the moniker "Mad Kobayashi". He makes his return in a surprise kitchen stadium appearance.
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#7 - Michiba vs Tatsuo Umemiya (Horse Mackerel)
Season 2 - Episode 45 - Aired 11/18/1994
An actor known for his cooking skills wants a chance to see what it is like to battle in Kitchen Stadium. Two months ago, he appeared as a judge. Now, he steps in as a challenger. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Lower House Member), Hisoko Monda (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)
#8 - Sakai vs Masayo Waki (Strawberry)
Season 2 - Episode 49 - Aired 12/16/1994
Christmas day brings a strawberry battle and a female competitor. Sakai has a poor track record against women competitors. Will victory be his Christmas present?
#9 - Sakai vs Masatoshi Kimura (Duck)
Season 2 - Episode 19 - Aired 5/20/1994
Hot-flame Chinese cuisine is the challenger's specialty. Judges: Yasushi Akimoto (Music Producer), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)
#10 - Michiba vs Hiroshi Furusho (Turkey)
Season 2 - Episode 48 - Aired 12/9/1994
The challenger is a favorite of the manager of the Yakult Swallows baseball team. He is the chef at the hotel where they stay when they come to Osaka to play the Hanshin Tigers. He was once the head chef at the Japanese embassy to Morocco. He is skilled at preparing Cajun food. Many members of the Yakult Swallows are present to watch the battle. Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Critic)
#11 - Michiba vs Takashi Mera (Tuna)
Season 2 - Episode 26 - Aired 7/8/1994
Knife skills will be put to the test in battle tuna. The challenger carries one of the longest knives in Japan. Despite his father being against it, the challenger began to apprentice at age 17. He is well versed in Tea Ceremony dining. He is now head chef at a restaurant visited by many Japanese Prime Ministers. He has chosen to battle Michiba because he does not like the way the Iron Chef uses non-traditional ingredients in Japanese dishes. The theme ingredient cost approximately $10,000. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Politician), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Critic)
#12 - Sakai vs Masamitsu Takahashi (Matsutake Mushrooms)
Season 2 - Episode 39 - Aired 10/7/1994
Sakai attempts to use a traditional "Japanese" ingredient in his French cuisine
#13 - Sakai vs Seiya Kawasaki (Quail)
Season 2 - Episode 46 - Aired 11/25/1994
Quail is the perfect secret ingredient...for the challenger. Can Sakai compete against this master of wild game cooking?
#14 - Chen vs Masahiko Miyamoto (Milk)
Season 2 - Episode 24 - Aired 6/24/1994
The challenger has been trained by two of France's most renowned chefs and now heads the kitchen at the chic Club NYX. Chairman Kaga decides on something different in presenting his first liquid theme ingredient. Judges: Kazuyoshi Okuyama (Director), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)
#15 - Michiba vs Kuniyuki Ishikawa (Natto)
Season 2 - Episode 21 - Aired 6/3/1994
Fermented soy beans are the featured ingredient in this battle between two master chefs. The challenger is a certified Maestro of the the Japanese Cuisine Seminar Group, a Japanese chefs organization that has over 20,000 members. Michiba is also a certified Maestro and the leader of the group. Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Ristuko Tanaka (Actress), Masaaki Hirono (Rosanjin Scholar)
#16 - Sakai vs Tadaaki Shimizu (Homard (Lobster))
Season 2 - Episode 27 - Aired 7/15/1994
Shimizu is a sous chef at the world famous Tour D'Argent. Both chefs appreciate the quality of these expensive lobsters. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto, Shyoko Tamura, Masaaki Hirano
#17 - Michiba vs Yasuhiko Yoshida (Eel)
Season 2 - Episode 30 - Aired 8/5/1994
Kandagawa sends another apprentice to take down the Iron Chef in this slippery battle eel, and this chef has talent; he is trained to use knives with both hands. If this challenger does not defeat Michiba, Kandagawa himself will come to Kitchen Stadium to challenge the Iron Chef. Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)
#18 - Sakai vs Hirohisa Koyama (Pike Eel)
Season 2 - Episode 31 - Aired 8/12/1994
Still smarting from his challenger's defeat in Sea Urchin Battle, leading gourmet writer Masuhiro Yamamoto sends another contender - Koyama, who is so popular he is a recurring character in a cooking-themed manga.
#19 - Chen vs Hideki Ohsako (Mushroom)
Season 2 - Episode 34 - Aired 9/2/1994
Aguri Suzuki (Race car driver) and Ukyo Katayama (Race car Driver) recommend the hybrid French-Italian challenger. Osako is a heavyweight contender out to challenge Iron Chef Chinese in this mushroom battle.
#20 - Michiba vs Artur J. Rütter (Bell Pepper)
Season 2 - Episode 35 - Aired 9/9/1994
The challenger is a German-born French cuisine specialist. The challenger has traveled through numerous countries collecting recipes and cooking for VIPs. Will his deficiency in the Japanese language hinder his cooking? Judges: Shigesato Itoi (Copy Writer), Kazuko Katoh (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)
#21 - Michiba vs Xu Peirong (Shark Fin)
Season 2 - Episode 40 - Aired 10/14/1994
The 50th battle in Kitchen Stadium. The challenger is the best in Hong Kong and considered one of the top three chefs in all of China. He says he has never lost in a competition he has entered. Can he keep his winning streak going in Kitchen Stadium? Judges: Shigesato Itoi (Copy Writer), Ryuichi Sakamoto (Composer), Asako Kishi (Culinary Critic)
#22 - Michiba vs Yasuo Kawada (Anglerfish)
Season 2 - Episode 43 - Aired 11/4/1994
Michiba attacks a rising young apprentice from his hometown who critics have nicknamed "Little Michiba", in this angler assault. He uses the borderless cooking approach that made Iron Chef Michiba successful. Because of the time required to filet the theme fish, this battle is 15 minutes longer than usual. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Lower House Member), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Culinary Critic)
#23 - Chen vs Toshikatsu Nakagawa (Noodle)
Season 2 - Episode 47 - Aired 12/2/1994
This challenger is the right hand man of famous chef Zhou Tomitoku. He won the bronze medal at the All China Cooking Skills Contest, beating out 300 other chefs. Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Culinary Critic) Because of the delicate nature of the theme involved, a special Noodle Rule is invoked for this and all future noodle/udon battles. The Iron Chef must retire from the kitchen after 50 minutes as the challenger completes his dishes and presents to the judges first. As that occurs, the Iron Chef returns to complete his final ten minutes of preparation just before presenting to the judges.
#24 - Michiba vs Tsutomu Hiroi (Pacific Saury)
Season 2 - Episode 36 - Aired 9/16/1994
Hiroi is a Nouvelle French Chef set to battle cutting edge Japanese master Michiba.
#25 - Chen vs Koichi Tabata (Eggplant)
Season 2 - Episode 25 - Aired 7/1/1994
The challenger is a nomad. He's worked in 200 plus restaurants, so cooking in the new environment of Kitchen Stadium is no challenge. Judges: Toshio Yamaguchi (Politician), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)