It is with a heavy heart that I report the results of the
Bobby Flay/
Masaharu Morimoto rematch.
I was so sure all along that Flay would have an even worse time of it with Japanese judges. As I watched him preparing the food, I kept feeling impressed with his choice of ingredients, then watching him add more and thinking he ruined it. I mean, lobster and pomegranate? It sounded amazing! Then he threw in mango and a bunch of Southwest spices. Surely he would lose again?
Alas, it was not to be. Six judges, and five of them chose him over the Iron Chef. For that matter, the only judge that gave either of them above an 18 was the Sumo wrestler, who loved all of it.
He stood on the counter again at the end of the battle, this time tossing the cutting board away before he did so. Of course, to Morimoto that wasn't any better, because he still stood in the place that he'd cut food.
But I realize what must have happened:
Flay had complained so much about how he was treated during the last battle, constantly whining to anyone who would listen that "It wasn't fair!" and "They gave me inferior equipment!" So this time Chairman Kaga gave him every possible advantage short of actually handing him the victory. Choosing lobster as the secret ingredient, however, was the last straw. I'm not sure about Morimoto's record with lobster, but in general the Iron Chefs haven't had the best of luck with it. Hiroyuki Sakai (French) lost three lobster battles in a row, and the third was even to an American, Ron Siegel.
On the plus side, Flay will shut up and stop badmouthing Iron Chef. On the minus side, Morimoto's young fan Tommy Mothershead flew all the way to Tokyo to see the rematch and was disappointed.
But those who live in or near New Jersey can go find out for themselves which chef was better, at Morimoto's restaurant in Philadelphia and Flay's in New York City.