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Iron Chef: Is it time for Food Network to bring the show back?

By D. Goodman

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 14: Geoffrey Zakarian, Michael Symon, Alex Guarnaschelli and Jose Garces pose with fans at the Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Coca-Cola - Rooftop Iron Chef Showdown: Battle Autumn Bounty hosted by Alton Brown at Pier 92 on October 14, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for NYCWFF)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 14: Geoffrey Zakarian, Michael Symon, Alex Guarnaschelli and Jose Garces pose with fans at the Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Coca-Cola - Rooftop Iron Chef Showdown: Battle Autumn Bounty hosted by Alton Brown at Pier 92 on October 14, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for NYCWFF) /
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When it comes to food competition television and everything foodies love about it, there are few that inspire more great memories than Iron Chef and Iron Chef America. Just the mention of Kitchen Stadium is enough to make some fans head to YouTube for a deep dive into the greatness that was the show.

The original Iron Chef made its debut in Japan in 1993 and was an instant hit, turning the chefs into celebrities in their own country. The show was dubbed in English and then began a run in the United States on the then fledgling Food Network and became a cult sensation with the chefs becoming food icons all over again.

In 2004, Food Network reimagined the show as Iron Chef America, keeping the storyline and the format the same. Over the years various versions aired adding new chefs to the franchise, including The Next Iron Chef and Iron Chef Gauntlet.

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However, the last time anyone saw Kitchen Stadium was in 2017 during Iron Chef Showdown. Since then there have been no new challengers called to do glorious battle.

And it’s time for that to change.

A rebooted Iron Chef could reach new heights of popularity.

If you need any more indication that a revived Iron Chef would be a success look no further then Tournament of Champions. Guy Fieri has created a tournament-style cooking competition that engulfed the foodie world last year and it looks like the same will happen when Season 2 arrives, with people already talking about seeding and brackets.

Iron Chef is the granddaddy of cooking competitions and while some of the chefs have moved on, most notable Bobby Flay, and won’t be available, the American version excelled at finding new cooks to answer the Chairman’s challenge. And honestly, who would turn down the chance to take down an Iron Chef?

Bringing the series back for a another run seems like a no-brainer. Everyone, not just foodies, love to watch these shows and introducing a new generation to the concept seems like it would be a win/win for everyone. It’s time.

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What do you think Guilty Eaters? Would you want to see a new edition of the classic series? Leave a comment below and let us know or join the conversation on our Twitter page.

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