Iron Chef Gauntlet


Iron Chef Gauntlet is a television series on Food Network that began airing on April 16, 2017. The series is a reboot of the Iron Chef and Iron Chef America series that gained popularity on Food Network and is hosted by Alton Brown, who also takes over as the series' Chairman. Seven chefs from around the country battle each other in an elimination contest, with the last chef remaining then facing a "gauntlet" challenge of defeating three other Iron Chefs in order to earn the title of Iron Chef. In the first season, the Iron Chefs forming the Gauntlet were Bobby Flay, Masaharu Morimoto, and Michael Symon. The second season of Iron Chef Gauntlet began airing April 4, 2018 and was scheduled for six episodes. The Gauntlet Iron Chefs for the second season were Alex Guarnaschelli, Gauntlet season one winner Stephanie Izard, and Michael Symon.

Overview

Each regular episode consists of two challenges. The first is the Chairman's Challenge, with Brown announcing a theme in which all chefs must cook a dish for him to judge. The loser of this round is entered into the second round; the winner is safe from elimination for the week and may nominate one other chef to compete in the second round.
The second round is the Secret Ingredient Showdown, in which the two chefs have one hour to prepare three dishes featuring a mystery ingredient. The dishes are evaluated by a panel of two judges, who can each award up to 20 points. The chef with the lower total is eliminated, while the winner advances to the next episode.
During the next-to-last episode of the season, which features three chefs, the loser of the Chairman's Challenge is automatically eliminated and the remaining two chefs compete in the Secret Ingredient Showdown.
In the season finale, the last remaining chef competes in three Secret Ingredient Showdowns, one against each of the three Iron Chefs. If the chef's overall score is higher than the combined total of the three, he/she is awarded the title of Iron Chef. If the chef's overall score falls short, no new Iron Chef is named for the season.

Season 1: 2017

Contestants

Results

Episode 1: Into the Wild

  • Chairman's Challenge: The chefs are given 30 minutes to prepare a dish using various wild game meats and earthy vegetables and mushrooms.
  • Secret Ingredient Showdown: Lobster is the secret ingredient.
  • First aired: April 16, 2017

    Episode 2: Nose to Tail

  • Chairman's Challenge: The chefs draw cards to select a cut of a suckling pig and must prepare a dish with their cut.
  • Secret Ingredient Showdown: Bananas and plantains are the secret ingredients.
  • First aired: April 23, 2017

    Episode 3: Sweet and Savory

  • Chairman's Challenge: The chefs are presented with a selection of sweet and savory items, but can only pick one item and must make both a sweet and a savory dish with it.
  • Secret Ingredient Showdown: Octopus is the secret ingredient.
  • First aired: April 30, 2017

    Episode 4: Classic Combos

  • Chairman's Challenge: The chefs are assigned a classic combination of flavors and must construct a dish around them.
  • Secret Ingredient Showdown: Chicken is the secret ingredient.
  • First aired: May 7, 2017

    Episode 5: Five Ingredients

  • Chairman's Challenge: The chefs are only allowed to use five ingredients to make their dish, but they may use as much of the ingredients as they choose. In addition, the chef who loses this challenge will be automatically eliminated.
  • Secret Ingredient Showdown: Eggs are the secret ingredient.
  • First aired: May 14, 2017

    Episode 6: The Gauntlet

  • Stephanie Izard must now compete against Iron Chefs Flay, Morimoto, and Symon in three separate Secret Ingredient Showdowns, in an order of her choosing.
  • Secret Ingredient Showdown 1: Peppers are the secret ingredient, and Izard chooses to battle Flay.
  • Secret Ingredient Showdown 2: Cheese is the secret ingredient, and Izard chooses to battle Symon.
  • Secret Ingredient Showdown 3: Tilefish is the secret ingredient, and by process of elimination, Izard battles Morimoto.
  • RESULTS: With a final total score of 90-87, Izard defeats the Iron Chefs and earns the title of Iron Chef.
  • First aired: May 21, 2017

    Season 2: 2018

Contestants

  • Timon Balloo ; Executive Chef/Partner, SUGARCANE raw bar grill. Balloo lost to Iron Chef Guarnaschelli in Battle Bar Food on Iron Chef Showdown.
  • Nicole Gomes ; Executive Chef/Owner, Nicole Gourmet Catering.
  • David LeFevre ; Executive Chef/Owner, Manhattan Beach Post.
  • Dale MacKay ; Executive Chef/Owner, Grassroots.
  • Jeanie Roland ; Executive Chef/Owner, The Perfect Caper and Ella's Fine Food.
  • Hong Thaimee ; Executive Chef/Owner, Thaimee Box, Thaimee Table and Thaimee Magic. Thaimee lost to Iron Chef Flay in Battle Tamarind on Iron Chef America.
  • Kevin Tien ; Executive Chef/Owner, Himitsu.

    Judges

  • Episode 1: Geoffrey Zakarian and Ching-He Huang
  • Episode 2: Marc Forgione and Judy Joo
  • Episode 3: Jose Garces and Anne Burrell
  • Episode 4: Alex Guarnaschelli and Simon Majumdar
  • Episode 5: Cat Cora and Rocco DiSpirito
  • Episode 6: Donatella Arpaia, Marcus Samuelsson and Alton Brown
Alton Brown was added as a third judge only for the third battle of the Gauntlet

Contestant progress

Results

Episode 1: Resourcefulness

  • Chairman's Challenge: The chefs are given 45 minutes to prepare a dish using as many preparations and parts of the various proteins they obtain from the altar.
  • Secret Ingredient Showdown: Spanish mackerel is the secret ingredient.
  • First aired: April 4, 2018

    Episode 2: Innovation

  • Chairman's Challenge: The chefs must present an innovative sandwich in 30 minutes.
  • Secret Ingredient Showdown: Beets are the secret ingredient.
  • First aired: April 11, 2018

    Episode 3: Versatility

  • Chairman's Challenge: The chefs are given 30 minutes to prepare dishes with ingredients based on their assigned regional cuisine.
  • Secret Ingredient Showdown: Wild boar is the secret ingredient.
  • First aired: April 18, 2018

    Episode 4: Ingenuity

  • Chairman's Challenge: The final four chefs must prepare an inventive breakfast dish in 30 minutes.
  • Secret Ingredient Showdown: Scallops are the secret ingredient.
  • First aired: April 25, 2018

    Episode 5: Adaptabiliity

  • Chairman's Challenge: Each chef selected two ingredients that are difficult to pair, then assigned them to another chef. The chef who loses this challenge will be automatically eliminated.
  • Secret Ingredient Showdown: Chops are the secret ingredient.
  • First aired: May 2, 2018

    Episode 6: The Gauntlet Finale

  • David LeFevre must now compete against Iron Chefs Izard, Symon, and Guarnaschelli in three separate Secret Ingredient Showdowns. In each round, LeFevre must decide between two ingredients, with significance to his opponent, to use as the secret ingredient they both must use. The chefs will only prepare one dish in each showdown.
  • Secret Ingredient Showdown 1: Stephanie Izard
Goat and chocolate are the options, and LeFevre chooses goat.
  • Secret Ingredient Showdown 2: Michael Symon
Bacon and sturgeon are the options, and LeFevre chooses sturgeon.
  • Secret Ingredient Showdown 3: Alex Guarnaschelli
Eggplant and sea urchin are the options, and LeFevre chooses sea urchin. In addition, Alton Brown is added as a judge for this third battle.
  • RESULTS: With a final total score of 115-113, the Iron Chefs emerge as the victors, and LeFevre fails to become an Iron Chef.
  • First aired: May 9, 2018

    Companion shows

The Legend of Iron Chef

The series was preceded by the special episode "The Legend of Iron Chef", an overview of Iron Chef, Iron Chef America and The Next Iron Chef on Food Network, with Alton Brown reviewing key aspects and highlights from the shows. It also previewed Iron Chef Gauntlet and Alton Brown's new role in the new show.

''Iron Chef Eats''

A companion series, Iron Chef Eats, has been produced to go along with Iron Chef Gauntlet. In the show, various restaurants and foods are profiled which are places where Iron Chefs and Iron Chef competitors go to eat.