Episode: 35
Japan Original Airdate: 7/1/94
The Challenger: Koichi Tabata, so far the oldest challenger to appear in Kitchen Stadium at the age of 70. He has been cooking since the age of 13--at the time of this episode, over half a century--57 years, to be exact. He survived WWII, having been sent to Saipan in 1941, and resumed his training at the age of 21. He has worked at over 500 restaurants all over Japan, having worked freelance his whole life. Kaga's opening monologue calls him "The Gypsy Chef." His challenge comes on his 70th birthday. He hasn't even seen or heard from his son in over 23 years.
The Iron Chef: Iron Chef Chinese, Chen Kenichi, the youngest of all the Iron Chefs. Tabata has said he's not going to let some young whippersnapper get the best of him...will the Iron Chef have something to say about that, and pull off the hat trick?
The Battle:
Joining Fukui and Hattori in the announcer's booth, yet again, is actress Mayuko Takata, who is three times younger than the challenger, according to Fukui.
"Over time, food can go bad," Kaga says, "but chefs never do." With a blood pressure of 132/94 (perfectly normal), striding confidently into Kitchen Stadium is indeed challenger Koichi Tabata. And his son actually is in the flesh here in Kitchen Stadium--the first time the both of them have met in 23 years!
And as the Iron Chefs ascend into the ethereal atmosphere of Kitchen Stadium, challenger Tabata calls out the youngest of the Iron Chefs, Chen Kenichi! His father would be just five years older than Tabata, if he were still alive, says Fukui.
"70 years old," Kaga begins. "When I first heard his age, I thought he could be out of touch. But when I met him, I realized I was wrong. He was in shape and shining. That gave me an idea; a vegetable that is shaped nicely and shining."
And to the surprise of absolutely no one (ha ha, yeah right), Kaga unveils...EGGPLANTS!
32 years of difference between today's competitors...all that thrown out the window today as Kaga booms forth, ALLEZ CUISINE!
And with a deep, respectful bow to Tabata, Chen is the first to the ingredient stand. Hattori mentions that the key to today's battle will be the use of oil with today's eggplants. He's interested to see, noting that Tabata has enjoyed eggplants in season for 70 years, how this "research program" pans out.
Looks like both regular eggplants and "kamo" eggplants on the stand today. Kamo is more round, and doesn't lose its shape.
As one of Tabata's assistants shaves bonito flakes, he adamantly states to Ohta that the way Michiba does it (taking a bunch of 'em from the plastic bag and throwing them into the pot) isn't the way to do it. He insists that shaving them himself is the proper way.
Speaking of Ohta, his voiceover's a little different today. I *thought* something sounded off.
Chen, meanwhile, is making some decorative incisions into his eggplants, and Fukui jokes that he might make "mapo-eggplants" (a play on mapo-dofu, the extra-spicy tofu dish).
The challenger is stewing eggplants in red (and white) wine, and he's frying others in oil. Hattori notes that it's a primarily French technique.
Chen also has a ton of pots full of eggplant on his side, while Tabata has broken out filet of beef. Hattori thinks he'll stuff that beef into the kamo eggplants he was hollowing out earlier.
Chen has thrown eggplants cut various ways into the steamer, to make them softer...but we're not sure what he's going to do with them yet. And Hattori was spot on with the challenger's beef--that indeed has gone into the hollowed-out eggplants.
15 minutes gone, and Chen has ramen noodles on his side...Hattori and Takata wonder why, but Takata speculates it might be chilled later. And to Tabata's beef and hollowed eggplants, the challenger is adding pine nuts and a miso sauce. Hattori says he might broil it further from there.
Diced eggplant being deep-fried over on Chen's side. And according to Ohta's report, Chen might actually attempt a mapo-eggplant, or something close to it.
Tabata's wine-boiled eggplants are out of the pot and onto skewers, and we get another plot point about his son in the Royal Box. Chen, meanwhile, has his wok fired up...
Eggs yolks have appeared on Tabata's side, in the frying pan...wonder where that one's going. And his miso-beef-stuffed eggplants have gone under the salamander oven. Takata, meanwhile, called Chen's move with the noodles right on the nose.
Eggplants and honey on the Iron Chef's side, while Tabata is working with a hollowed-out lemon...poking holes in the rind (like an ocarina, Fukui notes). But Hattori thinks he'll use the parts he punched out instead, not the actual shell.
Man, the challenger's miso/beef-stuffed eggplant is looking really good...and the ocarina lemons might serve as a boat, Takata speculates.
Meanwhile, the Iron Chef has some Chinese soup spoons on his side, with eggplants in them ("Make no mistake, these are eggplants!" Ohta reports, to which Fukui says something to the effect of "Thank you, Captain Obvious").
Back on the challenger's side, the wine-soaked eggplants get a treatment of gelatin and bonito broth (not white wine, as the commentators originally thought). Fukui is still curious about that lemon-peel ocarina...
...while the chicken that went into Chen's food processor is out--well and truly processed. That mixture goes over the eggplants in the spoons from earlier, and Hattori says this will be steamed, seeing it through his crystal ball. Kamaboko (fish cakes) also join that spoon. And Hattori and Takata are throwing down...a bet over what Chen will do with it? Hmm.
Tabata is plating his miso/beef-stuffed eggplants into glass boats, while Ohta misreports Chen's swallow's nest as "sparrow's nest." That goes on top of the spoons that Hattori and Takata are *still* arguing over.
Bamboo bowls appear on Tabata's side, with a broth being poured into it (the same bonito/gelatin broth from earlier, I think).
20 minutes to go now, and something went into Chen's steamer...and his wok is in action yet again.
Tabata's lemon ocarinas are going down as a lid over his fried egg yolks and...some kind of eggplant. And Chen is taking the eggplants in the spoons...out of the spoons. They look a bit like goldfish, as has been bandied about by the commentators.
10 minutes left, and Chen appears shocked at that. Challenger Tabata appears done, and chases off Ohta after the latter asks him if he's getting tired.
Chen is plating his mapo-eggplant over some plain noodles, while Tabata is preparing for a fourth dish after all (he had previously mentioned he would only make 3). But he's doing it with just 5 minutes to go...
Chen's eggplant goldfish gets an extra sauce, while Tabata is frying more eggplant pieces in oil. Fukui wails, "What about the lemon?" Will he do anything more to that lemon, or is it decoration only?
Chen has a dessert on his side that he's now plating...either a raspberry or blackberry sauce going over honey-glazed eggplants. And Tabata's fourth dish is coming together, but Hattori notes that it's a very simple dish...dried bonito flakes top that one. And he did that in just four minutes!
Less than a minute to go now, and finishing touches are happening on both sides of the stadium...Tabata is well and truly done with about 20 seconds to go, and it's all cruise control to the end as the final seconds tick down...
"And THAT'S IT! The cooking's done, the Eggplant Battle is OVAH!"
There's a part of me, though, that just wishes they got an interview with Tabata's son during the battle. They talked about him so much, you'd think they would've gotten a word from him eventually. But nevertheless...
Challenger Tabata is offering four dishes:
- Wine-stewed Eggplants
- Fried Eggplant in Broth
- Mikasa-style Eggplant
- Stuffed Eggplant
- Szechuan Fried Eggplant
- Steamed Eggplant with Sweet Sauce
- Cold Noodles with Hot & Spicy Sauce
- Chilled Eggplant with Raspberry Sauce
- Former Lower House Member Toshio Yamaguchi
- Actress Mayuko Takata
- Rosanjin Scholar Masaaki Hirano
Nothing notable is said about his second dish (aside from the fact that it was good)...but Yamaguchi notes on Tabata's third dish that it doesn't really taste like eggplant. Takata says something about something a bit strong for the dish, while Hirano says the seasoning needs some work. The sweetness is a bit strong, he says.
As for his last dish, Takata likes the pine nuts, but Hirano doesn't like the beef--he says the quality is to be questioned. Hmm. Nevertheless, it was a bit tough for him, and think it would've been better if the beef were in smaller pieces.
And douche comment of the day from Hirano: "In the future, you may want to consider how to make it a little easier for the people tasting the dishes to eat."
Okay, Jerkface Hirano, let's see you try and do the same.
Nevertheless, Chen's now up. Let's see whether Hirano says anything similar along the way.
Chen's Szechuan Fried Eggplant is generally well-received by the tasters; the spiciness is the key. Hirano says Chen hit them with his A-game out of the gate.
The goldfish eggplant receives accolades for the presentation, of course.
The cold noodles get praise for the spiciness and subtlety within.
"Can't tell it's eggplant until you're told," Kaga says of Chen's dessert. Takata also thinks the same way. And Hirano ends on some poetic comment that we don't care about.
But in the end, it's judgement time...will it be the 70-year-old veteran challenger or the whippersnapper Iron Chef?
(Sidenote...Takata appears to have disappeared from the judges' lineup joining Kaga at the dais. Hmm.)
"Tetsujin, Chen Kenichi!"
Wow. Definitely not the way the script would have ended it, but Chen definitely takes the day, and cements his place as a legend in the culinary world in his own right! And that's a hat trick for him...can he extend the win streak longer?
My thoughts: Ultimately, it came down to creativity. While I think both were very much on par with taste and presentation (Tabata's one misstep notwithstanding), it really came down to how original each dish was. And that's where the Iron Chef pulled ahead; the challenger made primarily traditional dishes, and really didn't do a whole lot to expand upon tradition. The counterpoint to that, of course, is that Chen's dishes just tasted better. Tabata may have been good, but Chen was just a little bit better.
Watch this battle at the Iron Chef Collection here.
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