The Iron Chef
Author: Kadence Buchanan

Do you remember that old television series about cooking called
"Iron Chef" which ran from 1993 to 2002? Since over 300 episodes
of that show have been aired (and are still actually in
syndication today), I'm pretty sure that anyone remotely
interested in the culinary arts will remember that show. So,
who was your favorite chef on that landmark cooking program?
Chances are, you will select Chen Kenichi, better known as Iron
Chef Chinese. Kenichi was the only Iron Chef to be on the show
from start to finish. In addition, Chen won the Iron Chef
competition 67 times and is now widely regarded as one of the
great chefs of the world.

Born on January 5, 1956, Chen is actually the son of another
great chef, Chen Kenmin, who is known in Japan as the father of
Sichuan cuisine.

You can tell his father's influence on Chen by his choice of
his special dish, "Prawns in Chili Sauce," which was inspired
by a similar dish introduced by his father in Japan. Naturally,
where several generations of excellence are involved in the same
area of endeavor, comparisons between father and son are
inevitable. The same applied to the Chen father-and-son combo
as well. But the spectacular success of the younger Chen on the
Iron Chef series has established in many minds that he is the
superior chef between the two.

Since leaving the show, Chen has continued to be a successful
chef. He currently runs the restaurant chain Shisen Hanten in
Japan, which is a huge commercial success, with outlets in
Akasaka, Ikebukuro, Roppongi, Tokushima, Kure (Hiroshima
Prefecture), Matsuyama and Hakata

Ironically, it was the success of Chen's restaurant chain that
almost prompted him to leave the show. Ironically, and this is
a little known story, it was Chen's rival on the show, the
so-called Iron Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai, who prevailed up
Chen to stay, smartly pointing out that the show would not be
the same without Chen aboard, which was probably true. The two
rivals shook hands and agreed as gentlemen that if either one
of them left the show, so would the other. Both great chefs
honored the gentleman's agreement until the very last episode
of the show's decade-long run.


About The Author: Kadence Buchanan writes articles for
http://wonderfulworldoffood.com/ - In addition, Kadence also
writes articles for http://homeimprovementstation.com/ and
http://theoutdoorslifestyle.com/