The new season of “Iron Chef”, called “Iron Chef: In Search of the Iron Legend”, not only sounds like an anime – it is aimed there by force: the dramas, faces, bombastic announcements before the action, fucking Mark Dexcus as the how-not-translators-chairman -In Hebrew. Everything screams anime at a level you would almost expect to see a random four-minute opening song at the beginning of each episode. This is not a coincidence – Netflix itself realized where the world was going and began to stream more and more anime to the West. And in that sense, “Iron Chef” is a real pioneer in the field.
From the early days of mid-eighties Japan this was clear, but the American reboot from the 2000s (and also the Israeli version of “Battle of the Knives”) was much more reminiscent of series like Food Wars (not to be missed) than “Master Chef”. So, it would seem like the most innovative thing on screen, and the format is so tight and strong that when done right, it works even 30 years later. But is Netflix doing it right? First of all, yes. But that’s not the story here – because the story behind this current and almost unrelated innovation is in what Netflix did not actually do.
If you make a list of the best food shows on Netflix, you probably will not find too many names that have come up in the last three years. Most prominent of all is probably the great “On the Full Hog” (High on the Hog), but most of the channel’s food content was mainly directed at creating cheap, white, quirky and niche food reality. The food is secondary, at best, and the atmosphere occupies most of the volume. Content like “Chef’s Table” rotted, wasted and dropped from the streaming service, and much of the content that really talks about, like, food, came mostly from other channels such as “Flavorful Origins” or “The Mind of a Chef” (which unfortunately has already dropped Mentflix).
Precisely because of this, the new season of “Iron Chef” does not feel like recycling, but like something exciting: a rhythmic, interesting food reality, devoid of social pretensions and political statements, which deals mainly with chefs and their abilities in the kitchen. It may be reheating, but reheating familiar home-cooked food Mom specially prepared, with the rest of the fridge filled with old Walt cardboard packaging.
So the format is the same format: two chefs compete head to head with the help of a small, quality team for the title of “Iron Chef”. One, a formidable chef with impressive experience, recognition and abilities. The second, even more. Three judges taste a meal of several dishes, and determine whether the contender for the crown wins, or whether the Iron Chef. Yes, even here there is the familiar plot line from so many anime series of “the cheeky and talented young man who vowed to take the legendary veteran off the throne.”
Ostensibly, one can glide here into theatrical and generic stripes. But the big advantage of “Iron Chef” over the competition is in emphasizing the culinary aspect. Chefs are truly some of the best in the world, including names like the legendary Dominic Keren, and the contestants claiming the crown in front of them are also not suckers, and usually easily hold a Michelin star or two.
Even in the lead role, the “first of all, foodies” line is maintained, with Elton Brown – the man who if he had been born two decades later being the ticking sensation – leading the lead alongside Kristen Kirsch, who herself injured herself in one of “Top Chef” seasons and immediately stood out thanks to abilities , And also thanks to the charisma. In short, there are no SNL refugees or facilitators here whose job it is primarily to shout, but professionals and competitors who are much more than light-hearted curiosities.
And in the end, how about the dish? Oh wait – “Get ready !!!!!! for the review stage !!!!!” * Karate movement * * Dramatic eyebrow raising *. Walla? Nice. I mean, not something to frantically follow and connect with characters, and you will not discover a new and exciting story here about a chef who with his own hands cuts the wheat into flour in a restaurant, but there is a cute and short binge here (both episode length and season) that requires minimum spectator involvement. It’s not a lot, but at Netflix’s current standard it’s enough. It may be a heated meal, but at least it’s nutritious.
“Iron Chef: In Search of the Iron Legend,” now on Netflix