History Awesome / IronChef

** In the 300th Challenger episode, Dominique Corby (a French chef working for Le Tour d'Argent, an old French restaurant in Paris of the highest reputation[[note]]Its claim to have been founded in the 16th century--which ''Iron Chef'' repeated uncritically--is probably false, but it's definitely been a go-to spot for fine cuisine since at least the Bourbon Restoration. Its quality has also declined since the show aired, although it's only gone from a three-star restaurant (i.e. "this restaurant is so good that if you take a trip to Paris from anywhere in the world just to eat here, it will be worth every penny") to a one-star ("look, if you're in Paris, the food is so good you just have to eat here.")[[/note]]) challenges Chen and the theme ingredient seems heavily stacked against Chen: [[ForeignQueasine foie gras.]] No known Chinese dish uses foie gras, and (according to Hattori) nor is there any ingredient in Chinese cuisine that Chen could easily use foie gras as a substitute for. One would think Corby would win the battle handily, while Chen would produce good but ultimately inferior dishes. But despite the massive handicap, [[HandicappedBadass Chen surprisingly makes five superb dishes]] that wowed the judges and possibly opened up new opportunities for the use of foie gras in Chinese cooking. When the results are tallied, [[UnpredictableResults the results lead to a TIE,]] surprising everyone. Going into the overtime battle, Chairman Kaga reveals the backup ingredient: asparagus--this one, an ingredient both the French and Chinese chef were very familiar with. Again, both chefs manage to make the results result in an [[TwistEnding unbelievable second tie.]] With everyone probably already exhausted from two back-to-back battles (the chefs from cooking, the judges from eating too much, and everyone fatigued from the amount of time it took, period), Chairman Kaga [[TakeaThirdOption declares both are winners.]]

* Using the cursed ice cream machine to make ''Trout Ice Cream'' and [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome having it taste good]] (even though he didn't win the battle), is one for Sakai.

** The theme ingredients were chosen by an archer on horseback shooting at three targets, each partitioned into four sections: meat, vegetable, and fish.

** In the 300th Challenger episode, Dominique Corby (a French chef working for Le Tour d'Argent, an old French restaurant in Paris of the highest reputation[[note]]Its claim to have been founded in the 16th century--which ''Iron Chef'' repeated uncritically--is probably false, but it's definitely been a go-to spot for fine cuisine since at least the Bourbon Restoration[[/note]]) challenges Chen and the theme ingredient seems heavily stacked against Chen: [[ForeignQueasine foie gras.]] No known Chinese dish uses foie gras, and (according to Hattori) nor is there any ingredient in Chinese cuisine that Chen could easily use foie gras as a substitute for. One would think Corby would win the battle handily, while Chen would produce good but ultimately inferior dishes. But despite the massive handicap, [[HandicappedBadass Chen surprisingly makes five superb dishes]] that wowed the judges and possibly opened up new opportunities for the use of foie gras in Chinese cooking. When the results are tallied, [[UnpredictableResults the results lead to a TIE,]] surprising everyone. Going into the overtime battle, Chairman Kaga reveals the backup ingredient: asparagus--this one, an ingredient both the French and Chinese chef were very familiar with. Again, both chefs manage to make the results result in an [[TwistEnding unbelievable second tie.]] With everyone probably already exhausted from two back-to-back battles (the chefs from cooking, the judges from eating too much, and everyone fatigued from the amount of time it took, period), Chairman Kaga [[TakeaThirdOption declares both are winners.]]

** In the 300th Challenger episode, Domonique Corby (a French Chef working for a 400+ Year old French Restaurant) challenges Chen and the theme ingredient seems heavily stacked against Chen: [[ForeignQueasine Foie Gras.]] Completely unheard of being used in Chinese Cuisine (and according to Hattori, there is no expy equivalent in Chinese Cuisine), one would think Corby would win the battle single-handily. Despite the massive handicap, [[HandicappedBadass Chen surprisingly makes 5 superb dishes]] that wows the judges and possibly opens up new opportunities for the use of Foie Gras in Chinese Cuisine. When the results are tallied, [[UnpredictableResults the results lead to a TIE,]] surprising everyone. Going into the 6th Overtime battle, Chairman Kaga reveals the backup ingredient; Asparagus. Again, both chefs manage to make the results result in an [[TwistEnding unbelievable second tie.]] With everyone probably already exhausted from two back-to-back battles (The chefs from cooking, the judges from eating too much, and everyone fatigued from the amount of time it took period), Chairman Kaga [[TakeaThirdOption declares both are winners.]]

---> '''Judges:''' We were dreading this combination, actually, but you did something ''amazing'' with it.

** In the 300th Challenger episode, Domonique Corby (a French Chef working for a 400+ Year old French Restaurant) challenges Chen and the theme ingredient seems heavily stacked against Chen: Foie Gras. Completely unheard of being used in Chinese Cuisine (and according to Hattori, there is no expy equivalent in Chinese Cuisine), one would think Corby would win the battle single-handily. Despite the massive handicap, [[HandicappedBadass Chen surprisingly makes 5 superb dishes]] that wows the judges and possibly opens up new opportunities for the use of Foie Gras in Chinese Cuisine. When the results are tallied, [[UnpredictableResults the results lead to a TIE,]] surprising everyone. Going into the 6th Overtime battle, Chairman Kaga reveals the backup ingredient; Asparagus. Again, both chefs manage to make the results result in an [[TwistEnding unbelievable second tie.]] With everyone probably already exhausted from two back-to-back battles (The chefs from cooking, the judges from eating too much, and everyone fatigued from the amount of time it took period), Chairman Kaga [[TakeaThirdOption declares both are winners.]]

** In the 300th Challenger episode, Domonique Corby (a French Chef working for a 400+ Year old French Restaurant) challenges Chen and the theme ingredient seems heavily stacked against Chen: Foie Gras. Completely unheard of being used in Chinese Cuisine (and according to Hattori, there is no expy equivalent in Chinese Cuisine), one would think Corby would win the battle single-handily. Despite the massive handicap, [[HandicappedBadass Chen surprisingly makes 5 superb dishes]] that wows the judges and possibly opens up new opportunities for the use of Foie Gras in Chinese Cuisine. When the results are tallied, [[UnpredictableResults the results lead to a TIE,]] surprising everyone. Going into the 6th Overtime battle, Chairman Kaga reveals the backup ingredient; Asparagus. Again, both chefs manage to make the results result in an [[TwistEnding unbelievable second tie.]] With everyone probably already exhausted from two back-to-back battles (The chefs from cooking, the judges from eating too much, and everyone fatigued from the amount of time it took period), Chairman Kaga declares both are winners.

** In the 300th Challenger episode, Domonique Corby (a French Chef working for a 400+ Year old French Restaurant) challenges Chen and the theme ingredient seems heavily stacked against Chen: Foie Gras. Completely unheard of being used in Chinese Cuisine (and according to Hattori, there is no expy equivalent in Chinese Cuisine), one would think Corby would win the battle single-handily. Despite the massive handicap, [[HandicappedBadass Chen surprisingly makes 5 superb dishes]] that wows the judges and possibly opens up new opportunities for the use of Foie Gras in Chinese Cuisine. When the results are tallied, [[UnpredictableResults the results lead to a TIE,]] surprising everyone. Going into the 6th Overtime battle, Chairman Kaga reveals the backup ingredient; Asparagus. Again, both chefs manage to make the results result in an unbelievable second tie. With everyone probably already exhausted from two back-to-back battles (The chefs from cooking, the judges from eating too much, and everyone fatigued from the amount of time it took period), Chairman Kaga declares both are winners.

* Chen won the yogurt battle against a French-Italian-Japanese chef, despite the fact that yogurt is hardly (if ever) used in Chinese cuisine and being under huge pressure the entire battle while his opponent was pretty relaxed. The look on his face when he won reflects just how surprised he was to beat such odds.

* Any time a chef sends a dish up in a dramatic blaze (using alcohol, generally).

* The Ota Faction: Led by Tadamichi Ota (who, himself, defeated Sakai), a league of traditional Japanese chefs who hate Morimoto with an intense passion and it might not just be kayfabe; they wish nothing less than to see Morimoto destroyed due to Morimoto's... unique interpretation in everything he cooks. This league's chefs, internationally renowned, have repeatedly challenged Morimoto specifically to try to prove to him that traditional cuisine trumps new dishes invented on the spot -- Morimoto winning ''4 out of 5'' of the duels.

* Immediately preceding the final battle (and sadly cut from the Food Network broadcast), all the challengers on Iron Chef (over ''three hundred'') entered Kitchen Stadium one last time.

* ''{{Chopped}}'' Grand Champion Madison Cowan teams up with Lance Nitahara and judge Amanda Freitag to take on Jose Garces on Battle Kale was plain awesome on many levels.

* The "Fusion" episode of ''The Next Iron Chef: Redemption'' forced the chefs to create dishes pairing unlikely foods. Chef Freitag got calamari and marshmallows, a pair that disgusted all the other chefs, too. And then she [[ImpossiblyDeliciousFood pulled it off]].

** Finally, the result. [[spoiler: Madison [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomps]] Garces in both taste and originality, effectively giving Madison the win!]]

* The first US Challenger, Ron Siegel, challenging Sakai in a "lobster battle" and winning. (In a book on Iron Chef that sold in the US, some of the recipes Ron used are published in it.)

** Finally, the result. [[spoiler: Madison beats him by five points!]]

* The first US Challenger, Ron Siegel, challenging Sakai in a "lobster battle" and winning. (In a book on Iron Chef that sold in the US, some of the recipes Ron used are published in it.)

* Using the cursed ice cream machine to make ''[[BeyondTheImpossible Trout Ice Cream]]'' and [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome having it taste good]] (even though he didn't win the battle), is one for Sakai.

** And then Iron Chef Symon goes BeyondtheImpossible and finishes early enough to have champagne with the judges. And yes, he did win that one.

* Chen won the yogurt battle against a French-Italian chef, despite the fact that yogurt is hardly (if ever) used in Chinese cuisine and being under huge pressure the entire battle while his opponent was pretty relaxed. The look on his face when he won reflects just how surprised he was to beat such odds.

* Chen won the yogurt battle against a French-Italian chef, despite yogurt hardly (if ever) used in Chinese cuisine and being under huge pressure the entire battle while his opponent was pretty relaxed. The look on his face when he won reflects just how surprised he was to beat such odds.

* The Ota Faction: Led by Tadamichi Ota (who, himself, defeated Sakai), a league of traditional Japanese chefs who hate Morimoto with an intense passion and it might not just be kayfabe; they wish nothing less than to see Morimoto destroyed due to Morimoto's... unique interpretation in everything he cooks. This league's chefs, internationally renowned, have repeatedly challenged Morimoto specifically to try to prove to him that traditional cuisine trumps new dishes invented on the spot -- Morimoto winning ''4 out of 5'' of the duels.

* There is apparently a league of traditional Japanese chefs who hate Morimoto with an intense passion; they wish nothing less than to see Morimoto destroyed and ruined due to Morimoto's...unique interpretation in everything he cooks. This league's chefs, internationally renowned, have repeatedly challenged Morimoto specifically to try to prove to him that traditional cuisine trumps new dishes invented on the spot--and Morimoto won 7 out of 8 such duels, the one he lost not even being the last one.

* Chen won the yogurt battle against a French-Italian chef, despite yogurt hardly (if ever) used in Chinese cuisine and being under huge pressure the entire battle while his opponent was pretty relaxed. The look on his face when he won reflects just how surprised he was to beat such odds.

*** Sakai started with sous chefs, and only kicked them out after commentary kept making reference to it. Watabe even said Sakai didn't have to do it, and afterward Sakai said he didn't want to do it again.