Iron Chef – Season 6, Episode 15 – Battle Tomato – Full Episode

Tonight’s battle is a fierce tag-team event between the Cuomo brothers and Iron Chefs Sakai and Michiba. Who will come out as the champions in the Italian-inspired dual?

“Iron Chef” is an innovative cooking competition from Japan combining the excitement of a one-on-one sports competition with gourmet cooking.

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[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC] KENJI FUKUI: Nearly a decade ago, a man’s fantasy became reality in a form never seen before– Kitchen Stadium, a giant cooking arena. The motivation for spending his fortune to create Kitchen Stadium was to encounter new original cuisines, which could be called true artistic creations. KENJI FUKUI: To realize his dream,

He started choosing the top chefs of various styles of cooking, and he named his men the Iron Chefs, the invincible men of culinary skills. Iron Chef Japanese is Rokusaburo Michiba. Iron Chef French is Hiroyuki Sakai. Iron Chef Chinese is Chen Kenichi. And Masahiko Kobe is Iron Chef Italian.

Kitchen Stadium is the arena where Iron chefs await the challenges of master chefs from all over the world. Both the Iron Chef and challenger have one hour to tackle the theme ingredient of the day. Using all their senses, skills, creativity, they’re to prepare artistic dishes never tasted before.

And if ever a challenger wins over the Iron Chef, he or she will gain the people’s ovation and fame forever. Every battle, reputations are on the line in Kitchen Stadium, where master chefs pit their artistic creations against each other. What inspiration will today’s challenger bring? And how will the Iron Chef fight back?

The heat will be on. TAKESHI KAGA: If memory serves me right, in 1995, Japan’s Meteorological Agency forecasted a rather cooler summer than usual. Their forecast was terribly wrong. Temperatures rose above 100 degrees for days on end, and the heat was unbearable. As heat rises, appetites tend to subside.

So to tantalize our taste buds, I bring you the annual summer Team-Tam Battle. The first Tag-Team Battle was in ’94 with Michiba and Chen. However, the Iron Chef duo lost to the heavyweights of French. I regret the upset and would not enjoy watching another.

But I do love the intense competition, and to that end, I have found yet another pair of chefs who I am certain will raise the bar of excellence. These Italian brothers have recently earned quite a bit of fame. Allow me to introduce to you the rising stars of Italian cuisine

In Japan, Salvatore Cuomo and his younger brother, Raffaele Cuomo. Born in Naples, Italy, they started cooking as early as grade school and soon absorbed the basics of Southern Italian cooking. In 1988, they moved to Northern Italy, working in top restaurants, consequently breathing in new winds of Italian cuisine.

Being brothers as well as partners for more than 10 years, they are inseparable both in and out of the kitchen. SALVATORE CUOMO: In the kitchen, we TWO work as one team. We feel we’re part of each other. RAFFAELE CUOMO: Salvatore and I together, we make great food. Great food.

TAKESHI KAGA: The Cuomo brothers first came to Japan in 1990 to help their father open one of his restaurant branches. In 1995, they left their father’s side and opened their own establishment. The two older brothers cook in the kitchen, while the youngest brother, Louis, handles the management.

Their popularity is such that at times, reservations must be made as far as six months in advance. The Cuomo brothers’ dishes are praised by many a gourmet in Naples as genuine Southern Italian cuisine, but with the added nuances to allow for variation and evolution.

Steaming with the intent to burn the reigning Iron Chefs, we accept the challenge with Michiba back in force. So now, Cuomo brothers, show us the bond and teamwork of brotherhood. Let us forget the summer heat while basking in the infernal heat of battle.

RAFFAELE CUOMO: I want to make good food and have fun cooking. SALVATORE CUOMO: Iron Chefs are not a team. We are one strong team. We’ll win. [THEME MUSIC] KENJI FUKUI: Trying to beat the heat with two chefs doing the cooking for each side today.

And with us to witness the battle, a big fan of Iron Chef, singer Hideki Saijo. Welcome to the show. HIDEKI SAIJO: It’s great to be here. KENJI FUKUI: Sajio-san, I understand you are very much into cooking. And with the curry commercial, making a lot of that at home?

HIDEKI SAIJO: Well, I’m a curry guy, inside and out. KENJI FUKUI: Sponsors will love hearing that. HIDEKI SAIJO: Oh, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: OK, and you’ll be seeing some great cooking today, so enjoy. And our commentator, Dr. Yukio Hattori. Doc. YUKIO HATTORI: Always a pleasure. KENJI FUKUI: OK, let’s bring on Chairman Kaga.

KENJI FUKUI: All right. Entering the stadium, the three Cuomo brothers– the two chefs, plus youngest bro, Louis, who manages their place, which has become the talk of the town. Salvatore and Raffaele are looking to put a charge into Kitchen Stadium. SALVATORE CUOMO: Yes, I am. BOTH: Him?

SALVATORE CUOMO: Probably him, but we’re all feminists. All of us, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: Ascending in the Kitchen Stadium, the nation’s culinary leaders, your Iron Chefs. Iron Chef Chinese, Chen Kenichi. Iron Chef French, Hiroyuki Sakai. And Iron Chef Japanese, Rokusaburo Michiba. Here they stand, the invincible men of culinary skills. SALVATORE CUOMO: Hm. Yeah.

Sakai. Michiba. KENJI FUKUI: OK. Sakai, one, and Michiba, two. A dynamic duo, and the team the Cuomo brothers will be up against in our second ever doubles match. Michiba, the master, the maestro, who leads Japanese cuisine, and Sakai, the Dell’Acqua of French cuisine, today paired up against two Italian chefs, brothers

Who say they cook as one. Iron Chefs under the gun. [INTENSE MUSIC] KENJI FUKUI: All right, what’s becoming a summer tradition in Kitchen Stadium, a doubles match. Iron Chef Sakai and Michiba, who’ve never cooked together before against the Cuomo brothers, who cook together every day. The stage is set, let’s get it on.

Bang a gong, we are on. Our second doubles match. Just a little over a year ago, Iron Chefs Chen and Michiba involved in the first one, losing, and Michiba with an opportunity to make amends today. And Saijo-san, today’s theme tomatoes, not apples, from the punch line in your honey and apple curry commercial.

But how about tomatoes? What kind of dishes spring to mind? HIDEKI SAIJO: Well, tomato sauce for spaghetti is the first thing I think of. KENJI FUKUI: Spaghetti, right. And with the brothers, they were all pumped up after the theme was unveiled. Tomatoes. HIDEKI SAIJO: I noticed that, yeah. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san?

KENJI FUKUI: From the floor, Shinchiro Ohta, go. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Yeah, I have a comment from the challenger side about the theme ingredient. Older brother Salvatore says, hey, when I was a baby, my mother used to put tomato juice in my bottle instead of milk. What more can I say?

What more could you ask for? KENJI FUKUI: Maybe he’s got tomato juice coursing through his veins, older bro, Salvatore. YUKIO HATTORI: Well, you know when you think of tomatoes, you think of Italy, right? Especially the Southern part of Italy. Tomatoes are so important in their everyday diet.

KENJI FUKUI: And look, already kneading a dough of some sort. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, it looks like a pizza dough. KENJI FUKUI: Pizza dough, that one. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, I’d have to say. KENJI FUKUI: All right, quickly out of the gate getting the dough for pizza together.

And look at the brothers– so in sync they are. Not the boys band but a young man’s cooking team, and they know exactly what they’re supposed to be doing. Now the Iron Chef side. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh they’ve got [INAUDIBLE],, tilefish. KENJI FUKUI: OK, very high end fish there.

Michiba with the honor, slicing the skin off that one, and while Iron Chef Sakai looks like he’s got the KP duty with the tomatoes. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, he’s got them in hot water. That helps peel the skin. KENJI FUKUI: All right. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, it’s very easy doing this.

Just try it one time, you’ll be surprised. KENJI FUKUI: Hard to tell, though, if the two are working on things together or if they’re going their own separate ways, if Michiba has taken the lead and Sakai is assisting. Don’t know on that, though. HIDEKI SAIJO: Right, it’s hard to figure out.

KENJI FUKUI: OK, and also, chefs competing here are assigned two assistants, but today, with two chefs, each side will have just one assistant. YUKIO HATTORI: Right, and if you notice now that the brothers here, they’re crushing the tomatoes. KENJI FUKUI: Just grab it and squeeze.

YUKIO HATTORI: So I’m guessing from this puree or something, for a sauce later on. KENJI FUKUI: OK, go. SHINICHIRO OHTA: More comments from the Cuomo brothers. Quote, “It’s great to be a part of this tag team battle, but our main agenda today is to show everyone what

We young chefs can do, and to urge the older veterans to retire as soon as possible.” These comments coming from the older brother, wearing Armani slacks. KENJI FUKUI: Armani. He’s got those well protected. These guys, 22 and 23, added up to 45.

On the other side, Michiba plus Sakai, their ages come to 117. HIDEKI SAIJO: Quit talking about my age, OK? KENJI FUKUI: All right, just numbers. OK, how about the more experienced and seasoned Michiba and Sakai? And now Michiba with the tile fish fillets. HIDEKI SAIJO: Right, cured on Kombu seaweed.

KENJI FUKUI: I often see this for steaming. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, steaming or– yeah, you’re right, steaming probably. KENJI FUKUI: So into the steamer eventually, in all likelihood. And now, the youngest bro, Louis. What’s he doing in the kitchen there? Is he their assistant? I don’t think so.

At the restaurant, he’s the man in charge of taking care of the customers. All three Cuomo brothers working together. You know, if these guys hadn’t chosen the restaurant business, they might have had a future in the film business. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, I was going to say.

KENJI FUKUI: Yeah. Boy is dressing sharp, too. KENJI FUKUI: Good-looking guy. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes? SHINICHIRO OHTA: Let me give you the ingredients in this large pot on the challenger side. This contains olives, garlic, tomatoes, and red chili. KENJI FUKUI: Italian through and through. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, definitely, yep.

KENJI FUKUI: Olive, garlic, tomatoes. Great trio there. YUKIO HATTORI: A very Southern way of using tomatoes. KENJI FUKUI: It is? HIDEKI SAIJO: Mm, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: OK, Southern Italian cooking. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes? SHINICHIRO OHTA: I asked Iron Chef Sakai who’s doing what

On their side, and he told us, well, I’m responsible for a sliced tomato dish, one of the sauces, and the dessert. KENJI FUKUI: Sounds pretty light. The dessert to be handled by Sakai, and a sliced tomato dish in a sauce. I would take that to mean that Sakai

Is acting more in a supplementary role, with Michiba leading the way. Iron Chef Sakai here at the blender overflowing there. I don’t know if that is for a sauce or a dessert. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, if we can get a shot the challenger now. They’ve added lobster in here. HIDEKI SAIJO: Oh, lobster.

YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, still alive. KENJI FUKUI: Wow, look at that. Not moving from the bubbling action there. YUKIO HATTORI: No, it’s moving on its own. KENJI FUKUI: Man alive, feeling the heat for the last time. YUKIO HATTORI: No, I’m pretty sure this will be a soup,

Or Zuppa as they say– soup in Italian. KENJI FUKUI: OK. Now back with Iron Chef Sakai. YUKIO HATTORI: And Iron Chef has added honey. KENJI FUKUI: All right, honey. And there’s your honey. HIDEKI SAIJO: Hey, there you go. KENJI FUKUI: Honey being mixed in with the tomatoes he’s blended.

Right there, and a close-up on that, nature’s finest. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes? SHINICHIRO OHTA: Yeah, this mixture you’re talking about is tomatoes and honey, so far. KENJI FUKUI: OK, thanks. Just those two in it so far. HIDEKI SAIJO: Dessert, I’d say. YUKIO HATTORI: Mean– yeah, like a sorbet.

KENJI FUKUI: Tomato sorbet? YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah. KENJI FUKUI: I could go for a spoonful of that right now. YUKIO HATTORI: That would be pretty good, wouldn’t it? KENJI FUKUI: Even more so after it’s chilled. ANNOUNCER: 15 minutes. KENJI FUKUI: All right, 15 minutes gone. Michiba having a go at it, at this chicken,

Slicing off some skin there. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes? SHINICHIRO OHTA: Trying to get more details about that tomato and honey puree that he was working on. I spoke with Sakai-san again, and he told me that he added honey to try and score points during the tasting from Saijo-san.

That also means that he could be adding apples later on. KENJI FUKUI: Well, won’t end up being your brand of curry. YUKIO HATTORI: Well, you know, tomatoes are called apples of love, if you take the French translation directly, right? KENJI FUKUI: Oh, really? YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah. Yeah, that’s what they say.

KENJI FUKUI: You’ve got honey and the apples. YUKIO HATTORI: It’s starting to sound like your commercial, actually. HIDEKI SAIJO: Perfect. I love it. SHINICHIRO OHTA: And Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes. SHINICHIRO OHTA: This information just in– the Iron Chefs are shooting for five dishes today. KENJI FUKUI: All right, thanks.

Iron Chefs have five in mind. Sakai has already told us he’s making the dessert, and a sliced tomato dish, and the sauce for one of the three other dishes, we can deduce, that Michiba should be making. And here, still on the Iron Chef side, in the blender there? YUKIO HATTORI: Asparagus, I believe.

KENJI FUKUI: That’s asparagus? OK, he’s going to blend that with something. And now– Hey, some excitement upstairs there. HIDEKI SAIJO: Having a good time. KENJI FUKUI: Over there, Mama making some noise in the royal box on that side. Challenger’s entourage, folks from the brothers restaurant, Salvatore, named after the oldest of the brothers.

Couldn’t make out exactly what the cheer was, though. HIDEKI SAIJO: Having a great time here. KENJI FUKUI: Yeah, the brothers are having a good time, too, in here. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes? SHINICHIRO OHTA: The challengers say they’re making four dishes, quote, “Four perfect dishes, special dishes

At the Cuomo family.” Back to you. KENJI FUKUI: All right. Home-style cooking, courtesy of the Cuomo brothers, a quartet of dishes on the way. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, you can see the Iron Chefs have the pressure cooker out now. KENJI FUKUI: OK, see what we can make out in it.

HIDEKI SAIJO: Shark’s fin, I think. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, shark’s fin, chicken, and onions. HIDEKI SAIJO: And onions? KENJI FUKUI: And shark’s fins. Taking a page from Iron Chef Chen’s playbook. YUKIO HATTORI: And obviously, of course, tomatoes will be added. KENJI FUKUI: OK. YUKIO HATTORI: So a chicken and tomato stew? KENJI FUKUI: OK.

Now back with the brothers side. Have no idea what this one is. HIDEKI SAIJO: What is that? HIDEKI SAIJO: It– well, I could be wrong. KENJI FUKUI: What do you think? YUKIO HATTORI: I’m thinking a gelato, maybe? KENJI FUKUI: Italian gelato. YUKIO HATTORI: Is that crazy? I don’t know.

KENJI FUKUI: Maybe you mean ice cream. You could say that. YUKIO HATTORI: Ice cream, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: Makings of an ice cream here, then. YUKIO HATTORI: It could very well be. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes. SHINICHIRO OHTA: The contents of this bowl include fresh cream, sugar, ricotta cheese, tomatoes,

Lemon juice, and orange juice. KENJI FUKUI: All right. And I’ll tell you what, I hope they do make this into an ice cream. HIDEKI SAIJO: Yeah, me too. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, you got a bit of a sweet tooth. KENJI FUKUI: Now back with the Iron Chefs.

Michiba, slicing up tomatoes, adding them to the pressure cooker there. And, of course, once cooked in there, they’ll be obliterated, those slices that he has tossed in– you know, bringing all that heat to bear on that. YUKIO HATTORI: Right, right. And you know, you really don’t need any other seasoning

To get a flavor out of this. Just a little bit of salt would be all you’d need. KENJI FUKUI: OK. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes? SHINICHIRO OHTA: I have the list of ingredients for this. YUKIO HATTORI: Rice is going in. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Yes. Chicken, onion, shark’s fin, garlic, and peeled tomatoes.

And as you just mentioned, rice in there as well. KENJI FUKUI: OK, got it. Turning out to be quite intriguing, this one. YUKIO HATTORI: Very much so. KENJI FUKUI: Rice soup, perhaps. HIDEKI SAIJO: Personally, I like this one already. YUKIO HATTORI: You haven’t even tasted it yet.

HIDEKI SAIJO: But it sounds great, the combination. KENJI FUKUI: OK, and now there they are at the ice cream machine. It’s going in. Yes, ice cream on the way, an Italian gelato. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, well. OK, guys, a little bit of ice cream history 101, all right? The original form invented in China,

And then later another form popped up in Italy. KENJI FUKUI: Gee, almost like pasta. YUKIO HATTORI: There you go, yeah. HIDEKI SAIJO: I didn’t know that. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, and from there, it spread all around the world, as you know. And some started to call it ice cream. In French, it’s glacé.

KENJI FUKUI: And what do you know? YUKIO HATTORI: That’s how it all came about. KENJI FUKUI: OK, and this one will be a gelato with an essence of tomato. HIDEKI SAIJO: Right, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: Tomato gelato. YUKIO HATTORI: There you go. KENJI FUKUI: OK, and now Michiba here. HIDEKI SAIJO: Oh.

I see uni is on Iron Chef side. KENJI FUKUI: Sea urchin roe. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, OK. Well, it’s possible that these will be added to the tomato cups, right? I’m not ready to call it that yet. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes? SHINICHIRO OHTA: And concerning the peeled tomatoes and the sea

Urchin roe that you’re talking about, I’ve been told that the sea urchin has been steamed. KENJI FUKUI: OK, make note of that. The sea urchins been steamed. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, OK, that’s interesting. KENJI FUKUI: Perhaps steamed sea urchin roe to be stuffed into the tomatoes, could be a possibility.

YUKIO HATTORI: I think you’re right, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: You think so? YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, definitely. Definitely, that’s going to be– KENJI FUKUI: You’re not egging me on to make that call, are you? YUKIO HATTORI: No, no, it’ll happen, It’ll happen, just watch.

KENJI FUKUI: You don’t want me to go out on a limb, right? YUKIO HATTORI: You’re starting to sound a little defensive here. You OK? KENJI FUKUI: All right, back to the Cuomo brothers side. Lobster and squid’s been added to that one. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, that’s the soup.

KENJI FUKUI: A great looking soup, it is. YUKIO HATTORI: Great seafood broth. KENJI FUKUI: Mouth-watering, just looking at that. And I think we can easily imagine the taste of this one, right? YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah. HIDEKI SAIJO: Yeah, and a familiar approach. KENJI FUKUI: Nice. Look at that.

And now back here, Michiba stuffing this– oops, not the sea urchin roe under the tomatoes. YUKIO HATTORI: That was eggs and broccoli. KENJI FUKUI: OK, kind of a salad-like item there. And there they go again. Cuomo brother’s entourage, letting loose, on their feet upstairs.

And they’re enjoying what you might call a home kitchen advantage today, at least as far as fan support goes, making for a hostile environment for the Iron Chefs, Sakai and Michiba. They could use some support about now. And how is it proceeding with the stuffed tomato? SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes?

SHINICHIRO OHTA: And just to confirm the ingredients in these cups– boiled eggs, broccoli, and lobster. KENJI FUKUI: Lobster in there, too. Wow. OK. 30 minutes gone, 30 to go. Entering the second half of this doubles battle. HIDEKI SAIJO: Scampi prawns, look. KENJI FUKUI: OK.

Summer’s here, the time is right for a doubles fight. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, well, scampi in there. It looks great, doesn’t it? KENJI FUKUI: And how about the volume of olive oil in there? HIDEKI SAIJO: There isn’t much meat to these prawns, is there? KENJI FUKUI: Garlic slices floating there.

YUKIO HATTORI: No, you take all that meat, it would make one bite full. KENJI FUKUI: Just one bite and you’re done. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes. SHINICHIRO OHTA: In this pot on the Iron Chef side, the ingredients are broth, consommé gelatin, tomatoes, zucchini, and let’s see– oh, what do you know?

More honey. KENJI FUKUI: Honey again. They’re really appealing to you. HIDEKI SAIJO: Yeah, better watch out. KENJI FUKUI: This one here has more elements to it. You have a French-flavored soup in Japanese. YUKIO HATTORI: That’s kind of what seems like. KENJI FUKUI: Or at least a Western flavor, if not French.

YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, check this out. There they go. KENJI FUKUI: Iron Chef side. YUKIO HATTORI: So it’s definitely a sorbet on the way. KENJI FUKUI: Sorbet on the way. YUKIO HATTORI: And the difference between ice cream and sorbet is the use of milk, whether they have it in or not.

So there you go. KENJI FUKUI: All right. The brothers side, they’ve got milk in there, so it’s an ice cream. YUKIO HATTORI: Right, or a gelato. it’s already done. Look at this. KENJI FUKUI: Oh, yeah. I could go for a scoop of that right now. YUKIO HATTORI: It does look good, doesn’t it?

KENJI FUKUI: Even a spoonful would do. The color is so appealing. YUKIO HATTORI: I was going to say, that’s great color. KENJI FUKUI: More than any other time here, I feel like getting up from this seat, going over there, and getting a lick off that spoon of that ice cream. Whoa!

YUKIO HATTORI: Stand back! SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes, go ahead. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Thank you. The Cuomo brothers gave us a few tips on how to get good results out of our tomato dishes. Sounding very philosophical, the younger brother said, you need to stew them and you need to understand them better.

KENJI FUKUI: All right. Know your ingredient, and know when to put out the fire right here. I’ll tell you what, not just the pan, also the crowd upstairs getting fired up seeing that. YUKIO HATTORI: So I’m thinking a sauce, a pomodoro. KENJI FUKUI: Fairly conventional. YUKIO HATTORI: Pomodoro means golden apple, right?

KENJI FUKUI: OK, a little taste test of that one. HIDEKI SAIJO: They also added tomato sauce to the scampi dish as well. YUKIO HATTORI: Right, yeah. Yeah. HIDEKI SAIJO: Probably adds a lot of body. YUKIO HATTORI: Right, and I think they’ll add even more a little bit later on.

We’ll have to wait and see if that actually– KENJI FUKUI: OK, check this out. Back with the Iron Chefs, Michiba and a tomato cocktail, perhaps. 15 minutes left. YUKIO HATTORI: That’s what I think. KENJI FUKUI: I wonder if they’ve been dressed up in any way, or if they’re just plain for right now.

YUKIO HATTORI: I’d say more honey again, could be. HIDEKI SAIJO: Too much. Too much. KENJI FUKUI: It’d be like stuffing the ballot box, don’t you think? YUKIO HATTORI: So you guys don’t think I’m think? SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes? SHINICHIRO OHTA: Yeah, these tomatoes on the Iron Chef side are dressed with–

Let’s see if I can pronounce this right– chidoris and more honey. KENJI FUKUI: Honey again. YUKIO HATTORI: I told you. KENJI FUKUI: It’s not today’s theme, right fellas? YUKIO HATTORI: I know. But you know. KENJI FUKUI: All right. Now the broccoli and egg salad, stuffed. It’s going to be stuffed in the tomatoes,

And these have been steamed, I believe. YUKIO HATTORI: So I think what we’ve got here is the pizza. KENJI FUKUI: Salvatore. No doubt– pizza dough being stretched out, taking care of business. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, and that’s how you do it. You stretch it out just a little bit at a time.

You know, some guys throw it up in the air. KENJI FUKUI: Right, we’ve seen that here, but he’s not going to do that. YUKIO HATTORI: Well, that’s more for entertainment purposes than the actual– KENJI FUKUI: Yeah, just for show. HIDEKI SAIJO: I’m curious to see how thin they’ll make it.

You know, the various kinds of crusts, and recently thin crusts, are more popular in Japan. So I would think that they might try to go in that direction. YUKIO HATTORI: Right. Well, there are thick ones, too, especially in the US or North America. They have the thicker crust, right?

KENJI FUKUI: Whichever you like. YUKIO HATTORI: Right, but I know they really would like to do this in a stone oven. You know, they have to use the regular oven here. HIDEKI SAIJO: Oh, changing players. KENJI FUKUI: Hey! Hey, now there is some tag team action there. Raffaele taking over what Salvatore started.

SHINICHIRO OHTA: Now is that the crowd telling him to throw it up in the air? KENJI FUKUI: The brothers playing into the crowd. Feels like we’re having a party today. And we’re going to have some fantastic fare to enjoy after all the cooking is done in this one.

Going from pizza dough now, and fish on the Iron Chef side. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, now these are the ones that were kelp-cured and then steamed? KENJI FUKUI: The tilefish, right? YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, a kind of snapper, I think. KENJI FUKUI: OK. And at the ready there, beside the stuffed tomatoes.

And now Sakai, a creamy concoction. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes? SHINICHIRO OHTA: This syrup– well, actually, it’s more of a sauce, an asparagus sauce it’s Sakai-san is spooning onto these he made just moments ago. YUKIO HATTORI: Asparagus, OK. HIDEKI SAIJO: Yeah, that looks good. KENJI FUKUI: I like asparagus sauce.

YUKIO HATTORI: Let’s go back to the challenges here, if we can. Don’t miss this this. Everybody knows it, right? Margherita pizza. KENJI FUKUI: I’d like to have one with no salt. YUKIO HATTORI: No, sprinkle some mozzarella cheese over this and then just bake it, right? KENJI FUKUI: Basil leaves on top.

Not chopped up too much. Just a basic approach here. YUKIO HATTORI: Exactly. KENJI FUKUI: Nothing else on it. YUKIO HATTORI: No, this is the simple and the real deal. KENJI FUKUI: No other toppings there. YUKIO HATTORI: No, what you’re looking at here is the original form of pizza.

That’s– you know, nowadays you see all sorts of things on top, but those are the modern version of pizzas. KENJI FUKUI: Yeah, know what you mean. All right, now back on the Iron Chef side. Sakai working the sorbet into a, like, a mini frying pan. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, that is a frying pan.

KENJI FUKUI: Never know what they’re going to pull. YUKIO HATTORI: It’s a little silver-colored thing. KENJI FUKUI: I guess that’s how it’ll be served. Should amuse the tasters. A little over 10 minutes left, and so they’ll probably be taking that one back to the fridge, freezer,

Keep them chilled as you get some real close-up look at that. Apparently, the sea urchin now has gone into this one. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, OK. KENJI FUKUI: This is the pot which had the steamed tilefish, and now a few other things as well, including the sea urchin roe.

And could be a done deal. YUKIO HATTORI: Could very well be, yeah. It’s already in the bowl. KENJI FUKUI: Serve it from that to the tasters. Any flavoring agents? YUKIO HATTORI: I don’t think they’ve used any seasoning yet. HIDEKI SAIJO: Maybe a separate sauce, I think. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, OK.

In this one, you mean? KENJI FUKUI: The tomato and zucchini in a broth here. HIDEKI SAIJO: Could be. KENJI FUKUI: Just pour it on. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, OK. Yeah, looks like what they’re going to do. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: 10 minutes left. Go. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Yeah, we’re about to see

An interesting twist to this battle. Iron Chef French Sakai has volunteered to write the menu today, and he says he’ll be ready to do that in just a few minutes. KENJI FUKUI: Whoa, Sakai to write the menu, Michiba too busy. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, I think if we can swing to–

KENJI FUKUI: Brothers side now. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah. I think you the pizza’s in the oven, there it goes. KENJI FUKUI: Both are in there. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah. Normally it’s done in a stone oven, like we mentioned. And temperature-wise, it should be around 650 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit, right?

But this one, you can see, is about 300 Celsius. So still below 600. KENJI FUKUI: Way below. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah. So in a stone oven, only takes about one minute. KENJI FUKUI: OK, we’ll see how long it takes here. HIDEKI SAIJO: Hey, spaghetti. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: OK, spaghetti in hand,

Ready to drop that into the boiling water. Pizza and pasta, and check out this move. YUKIO HATTORI: This is way you do it. KENJI FUKUI: A little trick of the trade. Sure flattened out in a hurry there. Saijo-san, you want to try that one at home? HIDEKI SAIJO: No way. That’s magic.

KENJI FUKUI: OK, pretty slick move. Swinging back to the other side now, look looking in on this one that Michiba was working on. I believe this is the pressure cooker, has tomato slices in it. YUKIO HATTORI: With the chicken, right? KENJI FUKUI: OK, and from the looks of it,

The tomatoes were obliterated pretty good. Just in liquid form now. YUKIO HATTORI: You can see that. KENJI FUKUI: And shifted to another formation. Contents dumped into a smaller pot. And how about Sakai doing the menu? YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, with red ink. KENJI FUKUI: His first time to ever see his calligraphy work.

YUKIO HATTORI: A full course tomato dinner. KENJI FUKUI: Making a meal out of tomatoes, and we’ll see what dishes are coming. And how about Sakai doing the menu? YUKIO HATTORI: With red ink. KENJI FUKUI: The first time to see his calligraphy work. YUKIO HATTORI: See a full-course tomato dinner.

KENJI FUKUI: Making a meal out of tomatoes. We’ll see what dishes are coming. I got to say, though, nice writing. I mean, seriously, Sakai’s calligraphy work is excellent. Got to be impressed with that. YUKIO HATTORI: So you’re saying you didn’t think he could write. KENJI FUKUI: OK, he can paint and write, OK?

Sakai taking over the task. That’s become standard for Michiba. YUKIO HATTORI: And now, Michiba– it looks like he’s calling one of his dishes samgye-tang. KENJI FUKUI: Oh, OK, the Korean-style stew. YUKIO HATTORI: That would be the pot with the chicken meat, right? HIDEKI SAIJO: Oh, wow, OK.

YUKIO HATTORI: And come to think of it, you know, Michiba-san often prepares different varieties of that soup, or his own versions. KENJI FUKUI: That’s why he used rice in it. YUKIO HATTORI: Right, right, so you usually put rice in the stew, right? KENJI FUKUI: Right, right, but you normally stuff

It in the chicken in that dish. YUKIO HATTORI: Good job, exactly. Right, right, right. So you stuff it with the glutinous rice. KENJI FUKUI: OK, and so this time, Michiba only throwing it in the pressure cooker. YUKIO HATTORI: Right, with a little– what is that, ginseng on top?

KENJI FUKUI: OK, now, on Cuomo brothers side, big bro Salvatore here. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, and that’s seafood soup, Italian-style there. KENJI FUKUI: Looking good. Isn’t that? Wow. Mediterranean-style definitely, from the looks of that one. YUKIO HATTORI: Looks so good, doesn’t it? KENJI FUKUI: Now Sakai, on top of the sorbet,

He’s adding something there to that. Spooning that one on, layering. HIDEKI SAIJO: Interesting. KENJI FUKUI: Yeah, what is that? SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes? SHINICHIRO OHTA: Yeah, the Iron Chef’s creamy sauce is sabayon sauce. KENJI FUKUI: Oh, OK. What’s in that again now? YUKIO HATTORI: It’s a sauce using egg yolk, right?

KENJI FUKUI: OK, and because it is for dessert, probably it’s been sweetened in some fashion. YUKIO HATTORI: And I’m saying he’ll bake this. KENJI FUKUI: What? Come on, it’s got sorbet underneath there. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, I say he’ll bake it. KENJI FUKUI: I can’t go with you on that one.

YUKIO HATTORI: No, you don’t think so? Just watch and see. KENJI FUKUI: Whatever it is, common sense tells me he can’t bake it. But let’s see. YUKIO HATTORI: OK. See this? KENJI FUKUI: Yeah, the sorbet is going to melt. YUKIO HATTORI: Well, if you add a thick layer of sabayon sauce

And you pull it out quickly enough, it’ll be OK. KENJI FUKUI: I don’t get it. Does it go to the fridge after this? Seems like a strange move. I’d have bet you a couple of thousand, no way it goes in the oven. One thing you can predict about the Iron Chefs, they’re unpredictable.

And now upstairs, they’re going wild. YUKIO HATTORI: And notice Michiba-san is now covering this up with persiatto, a breadcrumb and basil mix. KENJI FUKUI: All right, the stew there. And three minutes left. Sounds and looks Italian. HIDEKI SAIJO: I was going to say, this is it, yeah.

YUKIO HATTORI: This will also go into the oven. KENJI FUKUI: This one here? OK, less than three minutes left, though. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, well just need to lightly grill the surface is all. KENJI FUKUI: They’ll have enough time? YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, sure, no problem. HIDEKI SAIJO: Yeah, just to brown the surface, right?

KENJI FUKUI: OK, under three minutes, coming down the pike to the finish here. Cuomo brothers side and going to the well on this one here. YUKIO HATTORI: So it’s a tomato soup or a juice or something? KENJI FUKUI: Soup? YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, that’s what it looks like.

KENJI FUKUI: OK, an ice cream in the front there. Think they might be planning to add the ice cream in here? YUKIO HATTORI: I think you’re right. I think he called– KENJI FUKUI: OK, now the spaghetti has come off the pot into the pan. This one we should all be familiar with.

YUKIO HATTORI: Right. KENJI FUKUI: Flip and flopping, and trying to find favor with the flavor of this one, pomodoro sauce. And with pasta and pizza, the boys looking to score points in the paint, offering two of the most popular items in Italian cooking– pizza and spaghetti. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah.

KENJI FUKUI: And now, let’s see. Checking this one out. A minute to go. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, the Iron Chefs have added shiso flowers on the soup, too. KENJI FUKUI: Final 60 seconds of a doubles match with tomatoes. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, he’s going to char the surface here. KENJI FUKUI: OK, skip the oven.

HIDEKI SAIJO: Using the torch. KENJI FUKUI: In the last minute, not enough time to get the job done in the oven, so they resort to the handheld torch. And the assistant over that one, finishing it up. Salvatore here, struggling a bit, it looks like, to get the ice cream out.

The tomato gelato, struggling to get it off the spoon. YUKIO HATTORI: And Sakai has also got the torch out here. He couldn’t wait for the oven, I guess. KENJI FUKUI: Man alive. YUKIO HATTORI: He’s going to have to make sure to do this quickly to keep the bottom layer frozen. KENJI FUKUI: Incredible.

Less than 30 seconds to go. And now the scampi prawns and the lobster, one of the five dishes of Cuomo family recipes the brothers have promised. They’ve worked as one today, while the Iron Chef’s, not used to working as a team, used to going at it solo.

Not easy to change gears in that regard. Now Sakai, sorbet on top, sorbet, it’s out of the oven. And they are done with the torching on that one. Iron Chef’s trying not to get torched for a second time. In a double battle, final seconds tick down. And that’s it, the cooking is done.

The tomato battle is over. [APPLAUSE] So how did the hour go for you? Well, the time, you know, for us two was a bit short for us. To cook things right, you need time. You need time. And how about your dishes? Quality of the dishes, OK, I think.

Good. Probably. So you’re confident that you’ll win today? Oh, I can’t say for sure. Not sure. Depends on? Depends on your taste buds. The tasters. How was that hour? Yeah, well, today with Sakai-san,

I got to tell you, I felt like I was on a championship team. Today, I can give our dishes 100. Perfect score? Sakai-san, do you agree? Yeah. This was the first time we worked together. I just followed Michiba-san completely. I acted as his assistant today.

Tomatoes are something we use every day, so in that sense, it was very, very easy to handle. Michiba-san said 100, but I give 105 points. Even higher? Wow. KENJI FUKUI: Challengers, the Cuomo brothers, are offering– five dishes. First, Capri-style salad– the powerful and earthy basil sauce raises to wondrous heights, the time-tested

Harmony of mozzarella cheese and tomatoes in their starter. Prawn and fresh tomato linguine– the sweetness of fresh tomatoes goes great with the scampi prawns. The al dente finish of the pasta, cooked by native Italian chefs, rings authentic. Third, pizza margherita– basic in approach, plain appearance,

But a profound dish that will allow the tasters to appreciate what tomatoes are all about. Bouillabaisse for summer in Naples– a perfect dish for satisfying one’s appetite during the summer. The sweetness of tomatoes gently harnesses the hot red chili pepper and the aroma of garlic. Last is tomato gelato.

The natural and refreshing sourness of tomatoes and the sweetness of ice cream are skillfully blended in this dessert offering, while the tomato skin provides an accent in texture. The Iron Chefs are also offering five dishes. First, tomato salad with white asparagus sauce. The asparagus sauce dresses up freshly chopped tomatoes.

Truffles, added to the salad, bring a noble aroma to the Iron Chefs’ opening dish. Stewed tomato, oriental flavor, made by Michiba. Lobster, matsutake mushrooms and okra flowers used in a rather straightforward approach. The taste is accentuated by the slight sourness of tomatoes. Third, tilefish and tomato in consommé jelly– a great collaborative effort.

Sakai, handling the tomatoes and vegetable soup, poured onto the tilefish pieces cooked by Michiba. Forth, Iron Chefs’ chicken and tomato gratin. It uses eight whole tomatoes. The inspiration for this one with Michiba at the helm comes from Korean-style herbal chicken soup. Last is tomato glacé a sorbet with charred sabayon sauce on top.

The sweetness of the sorbet combined with a hint of Tabasco makes it a truly unique dessert. KENJI FUKUI: A family affair– the Cuomo brothers. The elder two run the kitchen at their Tokyo restaurant. Customers have to book up to half a year in advance. Today’s challengers, Salvatore and Raffaele Cuomo.

It’s summer, in time for another doubles match. The challengers choose Iron Chef French, Hiroyuki Sakai, and Iron Chef Japanese, Rokusaburo Michiba. Chairman Kaga unveils the theme. Undoubtedly an Italian cuisine-friendly one, tomatoes. Two chefs cooking as one, the brothers finish with a sumptuous set of five. Iron Chefs– Michiba taking the lead, Sakai assisting,

Come in with a dandy quintet of their own. And now, the moment of truth– tasting and judgment. On the panel today for the tomato battle are songwriter Yasushi Akimoto, singer Hideki Saijo, and culinary critic Asako Kishi. First, the dishes of challengers Salvatore and Raffaele Cuomo.

I feel the great harmony among ingredients in my mouth. It’s also soothing while maintaining the natural flavor of the tomatoes. Very simple, yet very nicely done, I think. The starting out with something as standard as this, you can really feel their confidence in the dishes to follow.

KENJI FUKUI: And servings of the linguine dish, now being prepared by Raffaele. The tomatoes and prawns are well-balanced. The prawns are very sweet, and tomatoes at a tartness. It’s very good. I like it al dente, just like this. Well, personally speaking, the pasta is a little too al dente

For me, just a little bit. Yeah. Well, this sauce on top– it has such a profound flavor. Each time I chew, I confirm the harmony with the cheese. There’s just more and more depth in flavor. The crust is so thin, yet the flavor has such depth.

And the tomato comes in to help the crust. To me, the crust is the best part of this pizza. Yeah, the tomatoes’ natural flavor helps make this soup refreshing by offsetting the spiciness of the other elements in this. The spiciness is the key in this dish.

You know, tomatoes and seafood in a soup like this– it’s, well, it’s quite commonly seen. But I don’t think I’ve tried one that’s quite as spicy as this one. I really love this dish. I never thought the rendezvous of tomatoes and ice cream would be so romantic.

But you should leave out the skin next time you do this. Hideki loves it, like I said in the commercial. This is just great. KENJI FUKUI: And now up, the dishes of Iron Chefs Michiba and Sakai. Well, I can’t tell what this is, but it’s good.

You guys looked like a couple of old comedians on stage. You really looked like you were having a lot of fun making this here today. Well, you used a lot of tomatoes and made the sauce from asparagus to support the dish. I like this.

I don’t really sense the flavor of the tomatoes too much. But– how do you say? To me, this is a mysterious flavor. Yeah. Well, the appearance of this is that of a stuffed and steamed Japanese dishes, with sweet and sour sauce over it. It’s a very good–

It’s a novel approach, actually. And when eaten with the stuffed ingredients, it’s, well, not bad at all. KENJI FUKUI: Michiba now dishing out the third one, tilefish, and tomato, and consommé jelly. I didn’t know tomatoes and tilefish could be harmonized like this. It’s very subtle, but in my mouth,

I feel the sweetness coming out. The texture is, how do you say, of the vegetables are pleasantly dancing around in my mouth. Very nice. It’s like a salad. A salad in the form of a cold, chunky vegetable soup. KENJI FUKUI: And now the Iron Chefs’ special of the day,

Chicken and tomato gratin. Well, I’d say great. This is good, really. Thank you, sir. You know, I was waiting for your “tastes great” sign. I thought we’d never get it. Right. Well, the rice, for sure, is really the key element in this dish. It’s very delicious.

This is even greater, I’d say. You shaved the ice so fine. It’s– well, it’s like a sorbet with tomato flavors. And eating this, I feel so, so completely refreshed. This could be hard to take for anyone who’s not crazy about tomatoes, but you have made tomato sorbet with sabayon topping.

A very interesting combination. KENJI FUKUI: Tomatoes tangled up in red. We’ll find out who ends up seeing red. [APPLAUSE] KENJI FUKUI: Today, Italian, French, and Japanese cuisines all coming together, igniting culinary fireworks for the summer. Challengers, the Cuomo brothers doubling up, cooking marvelous Southern Italian-style dishes.

Iron Chefs Michiba and Sakai paired up for the first time. Was it a success? Who takes it? Whose cuisine reigned supreme? KENJI FUKUI: It’s the Iron Chefs! They win it! Michiba and Sakai. Despite the tough format, putting a tomato pasting, if you will, on the Cuomo brothers. Both sides cooking up a storm.

And congratulations, handshakes all around. The Cuomos, a superb effort, but you not serve today, game and match, to the more experienced and seasoned team of Iron Chefs, Hiroyuki Sakai and Rokusaburo Michiba. [INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]