The BEST episodes of Iron Chef season 7

#1 - 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.

#2 - Morimoto vs Tetsuji Iio (King Crab)

Season 7 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/5/1999

The Royal Park Hotel's Grand Chef Mitsuo Shimamura's last two proteges defeated the Iron Chefs. Iio is Shimamura's right hand man, and his strongest yet to enter Kitchen Stadium.

#3 - 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.

#4 - Morimoto vs Shigematsu Ryozo (Sea Bass)

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

#5 - King of Iron Chefs 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

#6 - Chen vs Xie Huaxian (Lobster)

Season 7 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/8/1999

Opening battle of the New Year features the Grand Chef of Hei Chin Rou. After two of his men lost to Chen, the Grand Master decides that he will be the next opponent to Chen so he can regain the pride of Hei Chin Rou. Theme Ingredient: Spiny Lobster Judges: Tenmeh Kanoh (Photographer), Hisako Manda (Actress), Kazuhiro Sasaki (YBPitcher), Kazuko Hosoki (FT)

#7 - Kobe vs Tsujiguchi Hironobu (Banana)

Season 7 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/12/1999

See who slips in the battle of banana, Iron Chef Kobe or Hironobu Tsujiguchi.

#8 - Chen vs Cui Yufen (Chinese Cabbage)

Season 7 - Episode 13 - Aired 4/2/1999

Specializing in Chinese imperial cuisine, Tsui Yu Fun challenges Iron Chef Chen's Szechuan-style cooking in the battle of Chinese cabbage.

#9 - Chen vs Spano Stelvio (Suckling Pig)

Season 7 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/21/1999

The Iron Chefs have been on a 3-6 slump that has left Chairman Kaga too upset to host today's challenger: an Italian chef endorsed by Masaki Kanda. Dr. Yukio Hattori has to step in as acting chairman as the challenger chooses Iron Chef Chen who has lost his last two matches and is under incredible pressure to stop both his skid and that of the Iron Chefs in general.

#10 - King Of Iron Chef's Tournament Round Two

Season 7 - Episode 37 - Aired 9/17/1999

Steamed Bell Pepper custard and Bell Pepper Royale with Pike Eel feature in this match between Morimoto and Sakai.

#11 - Morimoto vs Watanabe Akira (Cuttlefish)

Season 7 - Episode 33 - Aired 8/20/1999

Morimoto faces a like-minded challenger who like he frequents the United States and has a unique, unbounded approach to cooking. Watanabe is the head chef of Tableaux, top of the Global Dining Group of trendy themed nightspots popular with the younger generation.

#12 - Sakai vs Yoshihide Koga (Stingray)

Season 7 - Episode 34 - Aired 8/27/1999

Today's challenger is the protege of Noboru Inoue, one of the pioneers of traditional French cuisine in Japan. They believe French chefs in Japan today are straying too far from its roots and want to challenge Iron Chef French Sakai to set the record straight. The sea ray rules the ocean, who will rule the kitchen?

#13 - Sakai vs Koji Hosogai (Oxtail)

Season 7 - Episode 11 - Aired 3/19/1999

Today's challenger is endorsed by Tenmei Kanoh: photographer and frequent Iron Chef judge. A native of Niigata prefecture, this French-trained chef takes the route of using local ingredients in his dishes as is done in regional French restaurants.

#14 - Chen vs Asao Ryozo (Sturgeon)

Season 7 - Episode 8 - Aired 2/26/1999

Chen takes on Ryozo Asao, the heir to a French restaurant dynasty, with sturgeon, a kind of fish known for its caviar.

#15 - Morimoto vs Masahara Seiya (Anglerfish)

Season 7 - Episode 12 - Aired 3/26/1999

Newcomer Seiya Masahara takes on Iron Chef Morimoto over anglerfish, a deep-sea delicacy.

#16 - Sakai vs Tohru Komori (Udon)

Season 7 - Episode 14 - Aired 4/9/1999

While Japanese cuisine tends to tradition-bound. This challenger refuses to be bound by old rules. He respects the basics, but is always looking for new ways to expand. He entered cooking at the age of 18. He joined a group with a 178-year tradition in Edo-style cooking. Because of the theme involved, the Noodle Rule is invoked for this battle. 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.

#17 - Morimoto vs Tanigawa Yoshimi (Pike Eel)

Season 7 - Episode 28 - Aired 7/16/1999

Kyoto's Gion festival inspires the Chairman to find a Kyoto cuisine expert. The combatants must create dishes focused on the flavor of the pike conger.

#18 - Chen vs Dominique Corby (Foie Gras)

Season 7 - Episode 30 - Aired 7/30/1999

In this special episode, the 300th competitor enters kitchen stadium. The chairman has Chen face a French challenger with an ingredient that does not lend itself to his cooking style.

#19 - King Of Iron Chef's Tournament Round One

Season 7 - Episode 36 - Aired 9/10/1999

Two Iron Chefs will enter kitchen stadium, but only one can advance. Chen versus Kobe in a pork battle for the ages.

#20 - Morimoto vs Hiroyuki Hakogi (Yellowtail)

Season 7 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/29/1999

Toshiro Kandagawa is not happy with the results from the Ohta Faction challengers so far. Two have tried to defeat Morimoto, and two have failed. Ohta responds by choosing a challenger that is skilled at using salt. This challenger first met Ohta when he was only 15. Eight years later, he was one of Ohta's favorite cooks. He feels that salt is essential for drawing out the natural flavors of the ingredients. Will the third time be the charm for the Ohta Faction.

#21 - King of Iron Chefs Tournament Finals Part 1

Season 7 - Episode 38 - Aired 9/24/1999

Chen versus Sakai in what is supposed to be the grand finale of the tournament. Both Iron Chefs go all out with dishes like a classic lobster bisque and a cutting edge egg mousse and gratin au chili lobster. As the tournament nears its end, Sakai has been crowned King of Iron Chefs. Or has he? The chairman has another battle up his sleeve.

#22 - Kobe vs Sakai Hiroki (Eel)

Season 7 - Episode 32 - Aired 8/13/1999

The challenger is an Italian chef who has impressed some of the biggest names in Kubuki-za theater. Will he impress the judges in Kitchen Stadium?

#23 - Kobe vs Shoji Yamaoka (Jumbo Mushroom)

Season 7 - Episode 29 - Aired 7/23/1999

The two chefs battle it out over jumbo mushrooms. The challenger is a mushroom expert, so Kobe has his work cut out for him.

#24 - Chen vs Okubo Takeshi (Bean Sprout)

Season 7 - Episode 18 - Aired 5/7/1999

The Kihachi sends its third challenger into Kitchen Stadium. So far the Iron Chefs have been successful against these well trained chefs. Can Chen continue the winning streak against Takeshi Okubo?

#25 - Kobe vs Franco Canzoniere (Tomato)

Season 7 - Episode 15 - Aired 4/16/1999

A master of Roman cuisine devotes himself to proving that his Italian cuisine is better than the Iron Chef's.