New York Chef Tony Liu challenges Mario Batali to a culinary showdown in Kitchen Stadium. Will Chef Liu's inspirational food beat out Batali's originality?
Judges
Maureen Petrosky
Mo Rocca
Martin Yan
Challenger stats: Chef Liu
From: Honolulu
Restaurants: August Restaurant
Cuisine: Pan-European
Interests: Eating, travel, surfing
Ideal secret ingredient: Truffles
Culinary inspirations: Daniel Boulud, Mario Batali
Ideal judge: Jeffery Steingarten, Calvin Trillin, Bill Cosby
Culinary secret weapon: Sugar
Favorite restaurant: Too many to mention
Favorite food: Peaches, goat roti, oxtails
Food you won't go near: Spleen sandwiches, tried it but couldn't get it down
Weirdest thing you've ever eaten: Pajata, intestine of veal or lamb with ingested mother's milk and tossed with pasta. It was good!
Favorite food destination: Barcelona, San Sebastian (Spain) Rome (Italy) Honolulu, the South for BBQ (US)
Alternative dream job: Marine Biologist, landscaper, book stocker at Kitchen Arts and Letters (cookbook store)
