Iron Chef Episode Rating Graph

Sea Urchin provides a young chef the chance to revolutionalize Chinese cooking. Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

Alain Passard vs. Sakai, the winner of the King of the Iron Chef Tournament. The theme is Longgang Chicken. The challenger for this final Kitchen Stadium battle has been here before. He competed against Iron Chef Komei Nakamura in the 1997 Iron Chef World Cup. That battle ended in a tie. Chairman Kaga has invited him back to take care of this unfinished business. This chef is called the best in the world by some. He is a three star chef from France. He began cooking at 8 years old. This will a very tough challenge for the Iron Chef.

An American chef enters Kitchen Stadium for a lobster battle.

Sakai must face a former apprentice. Which will prevail - Sakai's traditional methods or Nakagawa's nouveau "third wave" style? Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Critic)

In Nakamura's inaugural battle as Iron Chef Japanese II, he faces the head chef of Auberge de Suzuki in Seijo.

The challenger is the head chef at a restaurant that Iron Chef Michiba himself dines at frequently. Judges: Tamio Kagayama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Culinary Critic)

Commentator Dr. Hattori issues a challenge to Michiba and is rewarded with an incredible secret ingredient. Judges: Joel Robuchon (Chef), Mai Kitajima (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

The younger sibling of the Liang brothers, rulers of Cantonese cuisine in Japan, faces Iron Chef Chinese.

When the 300th challenger entered kitchen stadium, everyone expected an epic battle. This tie breaker is part two of the massive battle.

The Royal Park Hotel's Grand Chef Mitsuo Shimamura's last two proteges defeated the Iron Chefs. Iio is Shimamura's right hand man, and his strongest yet to enter Kitchen Stadium.

By the age of 13, Molinari was already a chef at a 3-star restaurant. Now, cultures clash in this mushroom battle.

Sakai vs. Chen. Each have a special partner chef assigned by Kaga in a French vs. Chinese showdown.

The challenger is the chief instructor of culinary skills at Hattori Nutrition College and was recommended by Dr. Hattori to be the new Iron Chef Japanese after Michiba retired.

Morikawa's restaurant, Cay, is said to have pioneered Thai food in Japan. His patrons include Stephen Hawking and Yoko Ono. Can Chen beat him at his own game?

The new chef of Akasaka Rikyu demonstrates his distinctive Hong Kong cooking skills.

Chairman Takeshi Kaga travels to battle the great chefs of France - witness as Iron Chef French #2 (Hiroyuki Sakai) and Iron Chef Japanese #2 (Koumei Nakamura) battle to defend the honor of Iron Chef and the Gourmet Academy

The challenger is one of the best in Japan at Fujian-style cooking. He opened the first Fujian-style restaurant in Japan. He is also a sixth-degree black belt in karate. Judges: Nagisa Ohshima (Director), Yoshiko Ishii (Singer), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Critic)

The challenger is the head chef in Kyoto. He has mastered the style of Ikama-school of culinary arts. To separate his restaurant from the other more traditional restaurants in the area, he began creating new dishes with local ingredients. He is among the top young chefs in Kyoto. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Politician), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Critic)

The challenger is the top apprentice of the Mother of Chinese cooking in Japan. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Fmr Lower House Member), Chizuru Azuma (Actress), Asako Kishi (Culinary Critic)

How will the challenger (the king of sauces) deal with broccoli? Doc Hattori says his sauces are amazing. He even says he wishes he could take on all three Iron Chefs at once. Can he defeat one? Judges: Mayuko Takata (Actress), Toshiki Kaifu (Fmr PM-Japan), Sachiyo Kaifu (Wife), Yasushi Akimoto

Christmas day brings a strawberry battle and a female competitor. Sakai has a poor track record against women competitors. Will victory be his Christmas present?

An actor known for his cooking skills wants a chance to see what it is like to battle in Kitchen Stadium. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Lower House Member), Hisoko Monda (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

The challenger, a great Italian talent, was thought to have disappeared. He makes his return in a surprise kitchen stadium appearance.

Paul Bocuse sends two trusted apprentices to take not one, but two, iron chefs. This is the first time two Iron Chefs have been in Kitchen Stadium at the same time. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Politician), Kazuko Katoh (Actress), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano

Tasaki is a world champion sommelier who always dreamed of becoming a famed chef. Chairman Kaga decides to grant him his wish.

Battle Arum Root.

Chen must face a man who was his father's trusted apprentice. When they both prepare his father's signature dish, who will win?

Steamed Bell Pepper custard and Bell Pepper Royale with Pike Eel feature in this match between Morimoto and Sakai.

The Iron Chefs have been on a losing streak. The Chairman brings in an up and coming chef who could prove to be very dangerous indeed.

Sakai battles the "conjurer of garlic".

Rematch battle for chef Lin Kunbi.

Shigeo Yuasa uses shocking cooking techniques. His use of test tubes and litmus paper make him seem like a scientist, not a chef. Can Sakai prevail in this new age battle?

Italian chef Hiromi was a legend. After beset by personal tragedy and financial ruin, he seeks redemption in Kitchen Stadium. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Politician), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

The sea ray rules the ocean, who will rule the kitchen?

Battle cuttlefish becomes a test of the chefs' seafood knowledge.

The challenger is the first to come from Kyoto. Kyoto-style cuisine has a 1,200 year tradition. The challenger was picked by the chairman of the Kyoto Chefs Association. He decided to become a chef way back in elementary school after receiving a knife from his grandfather. Takahashi, "Kyoto style cuisine is basically mild. It is light in flavor. So I have confidence in controlling flavors at a very fine level." Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

Kitchen stadium becomes a temple of food as for the first time a Buddhist Priest enters for Battle: Yam

St. Valentine's Day chocolate-and-pear dessert battle

As the Chairman seeks out a new Iron Chef Japanese, Toshiro Kandagawa boasts he can offer a challenger that could replace Iron Chef French.

The challenger is a sushi chef from Yokohama who is a favorite of famous athletes and entertainers. He entered the sushi world at age the age of 16. Chairman Kaga calls him a sushi artisan. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto, Kayoko Kishimoto, Ichiro Zaitsu, Asako Kishi

The Cod Roe battle ended in a tie, leading the chefs to battle with green onions (scallions).

The Iron Chef must face an authentic French chef who is endorsed by some of the top culinary experts of the day. The battle mimics the Sopexa, the most famous French culinary battle in Japan.

Michiba returns to Kitchen Stadium, this time with his assistant as the competitor he's sponsoring. Yuji Tateno enters Kitchen Stadium prepared to battle an Iron Chef and to change the minds of the world-famous Zagats, culinary experts. What dish will exemplify sea urchin the best?

Kandagawa brings his apprentice to kitchen stadium for a sweetfish battle.

The challenger is the head chef at a members only Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles. He watches the Iron Chef episodes that air on TV in California. (Pre-Food Network IC days.) He was born in Los Angeles, but he went to Japan to live with his grandparents when he was 6 months old. He was part of a comedy duo in his teens, but he had to give that up. And while he is an American, he wishes he could be a chef in Japan. The theme ingredients cost about $4,000. Judges: Junichi Ishida (Actor), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Critic)

Morimoto faces the newest challenger from the Ohta faction, who want to prove that the Iron Chef and his innovative cooking methods are too bizarre. The challenger relies on saki to add traditional flavors.

The secret ingredient isn't an ingredient at all, but actually a style. The chairman, however, gives the chefs five themes to focus their sushi: tuna, kohada, anago, eggs, and kanpyo.

A special battle for Christmas. The challenger is a winner of the prestigious MOF award in France. The Iron Chef is the first Iron Chef French, Yutaka Ishinabe. This is the only Ishinabe episode, and the only episode from the first year broadcast on Food Network. Judges: Yasuo Tanaka (Novelist), Mai Kitajima (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

The challenger is a nomad. He's worked in 200 plus restaurants, so cooking in the new environment of Kitchen Stadium is no challenge. Judges: Toshio Yamaguchi (Politician), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

Considered the bad boy of French cooking, Keiji takes on Michiba in a battle of culinary rebels. The challenger earned the nickname Hound Dog after a 2 hour argument with Joel Robuchon about his food. He has over 10,000 recipes written down in French. He writes in French, thinks in French, and even says he dreams in French. Judges: Yasushi Akimoto (Song Writer), Julie Dreyfus (Actress),Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

Hiroi is a Nouvelle French Chef set to battle cutting edge Japanese master Michiba.

Acclaimed chef Toshiro Kandagawa sends the only female chef he has ever taught into Kitchen Stadium.

It's a rematch from the World Chinese Cooking contest. Kiyoshi won 3rd, but Chen won 2nd. This time it's war. Judges: Yasushi Akimoto (Songwriter/Producer), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Critic)

Morimoto’s debut as an Iron Chef brings a difficult challenger—Yukio Hirayama.

Sakai faces the first sushi master in a fish battle for the ages. Judges: Daijiro Hashimoto (Governor of Kochi), Mai Kitajima (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

Fermented soy beans are the featured ingredient in this battle between two master chefs. The challenger is a certified Maestro of the the Japanese Cuisine Seminar Group, a Japanese chefs organization that has over 20,000 members. Michiba is also a certified Maestro and the leader of the group. Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Ristuko Tanaka (Actress), Masaaki Hirono (Rosanjin Scholar)

Shimizu is a sous chef at the world famous Tour D'Argent. Both chefs appreciate the quality of these expensive lobsters. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto, Shyoko Tamura, Masaaki Hirano

Kandagawa sends another apprentice to take down the Iron Chef in this slippery battle eel. If this challenger does not defeat Michiba, Kandagawa himself will come to Kitchen Stadium to challenge the Iron Chef. Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

Still smarting from his challenger's defeat in Sea Urchin Battle, leading gourmet writer Masuhiro Yamamoto sends another contender - Koyama, who is so popular he is a recurring character in a cooking-themed manga.

Aguri Suzuki (Race car driver) and Ukyo Katayama (Race car Driver) recommend the hybrid French-Italian challenger. Osako is a heavyweight contender out to challenge Iron Chef Chinese in this mushroom battle.

The challenger is a German-born French cuisine specialist. The challenger has traveled through numerous countries collecting recipes and cooking for VIPs. Will his deficiency in the Japanese language hinder his cooking? Judges: Shigesato Itoi (Copy Writer), Kazuko Katoh (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

The 50th battle in Kitchen Stadium. The challenger is the best in Hong Kong and considered one of the top three chefs in all of China. He says he has never lost in a competition he has entered. Can he keep his winning streak going in Kitchen Stadium? Judges: Shigesato Itoi (Copy Writer), Ryuichi Sakamoto (Composer), Asako Kishi (Culinary Critic)

Michiba attacks a rising young apprentice from his hometown who critics have nicknamed "Little Michiba", in this angler assault. He uses the borderless cooking approach that made Iron Chef Michiba successful. Because of the time required to filet the theme fish, this battle is 15 minutes longer than usual. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Lower House Member), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Culinary Critic)

This challenger is the right hand man of famous chef Zhou Tomitoku. He won the bronze medal at the All China Cooking Skills Contest, beating out 300 other chefs. Noodle Battle Special Rule: Challenger will cook for 60 minutes, then tasting. Iron Chef will cook for 50 minutes, then cook for his final 10 minutes after challenger tasting is completed. Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Culinary Critic)

Yamada left Tokyo University to train as a chef under honourary Iron Chef Ishinabe. Sakai has his mentor in the audience. Diverse factors influence this beet battle.

Sakai faces a challenger known as "Mr. Gourmet." Komine is a world-class vegetable chef, who feels right at home with the secret ingredient.

The challenger is the first pizza expert to enter kitchen stadium. What pizzas can he create from squid?

The Kobe earthquake could not shake this talented female chef, and now she will fight an Iron Chef.

Former challenger Kandagawa sends Keisuke to do his bidding. Egos, reputations, and the championship are all on the line. This challenger is the 6th one sent to Kitchen Stadium by Kandagawa. Kandagawa is angry at Michiba for some comments the Iron Chef made about him. The challenger is the head chef of one of the Kandagawa restaurants. He has watched 6 battles from the royal box in Kitchen Stadium, so he is very familiar with what it takes to win. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Politician), Chizuru Azuma (Actress), Asako Kishi (Culinary Critic)

Bruant returns to Kitchen Stadium to give the Chairman an ultimatum - if he wins, he must replace Sakai as Iron Chef French.