Iron Chef America

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)