Chef Ben Ford, owner of Ford's Filling Station, comes to Kitchen Stadium to challenge Iron Chef Flay. Will Ford's finesse win over the judges, or will Iron Chef Flay's flare burn the competition?
Judges
Cady Huffman
Andrew Knowlton
Jeffrey Steingarten
Challenger stats: Chef Ford
From: Los Angeles
Restaurants: Ford's Filling Station
Cuisine: Traditionally, it has been Iberian mixed with the influences of my home state of Calif. Ford's Filling Station is American Regional with some French feathered in.
Interests: Forging for almost anything is always good. But I love a fresh idea, architecture, design, golf, fine art and wine and good love.
Ideal secret ingredient: Bacon
Culinary inspirations: Paul Bertolli, Bradley Ogden, Paula Wolfert and the many people I have had the pleasure of working with.
Ideal judge: Jim Harrison, Meatloaf
Culinary secret weapon: My many types of vinegar.
Favorite restaurant: Azak in San Sebastian Spain, Babbo in N.Y. and The Joe Dirfuss Store in a swamp somewhere between Shreveport and New Orleans.
Favorite food: A great steak cooked over a good wood fire.
Food you won't go near: Raspberry vinegar
Weirdest thing you've ever eaten: A tie between a hot sauce made with termites produced by the Pimones Indians in Venezuela. Also, smoked scorpion.
Favorite food destination: San Sebastian, Spain and Japan
Alternative dream job: Architect
Chef Mary Dumont enters Kitchen Stadium to challenge Iron Chef Cora to a culinary showdown. Can Chef Dumont impress the judges with her cuisine, or will Iron Chef Cora triumph?
Originally from New Hampshire, Dumont is the first Iron Chef challenger from the state. She is now executive chef at Harvest in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Mass.
Judges Ted Allen Dana Cowin Julie White
Challenger stats: Chef Dumont Restaurants: Harvest in Harvard Square
Cuisine: Contemporary New England
Interests: Surfing and anything on the beach, big dinners with friends and family, collecting sauce spoons
Ideal secret ingredient: Fennel and smoked bacon
Culinary inspirations: Laurent Manrique, Alain Ducasse, Paula Wolfert and mostly, my family who is all in the restaurant business and taught me that I could do anything I put my heart into
Ideal judge: James Haller from the Blue Stawbery
Culinary secret weapon: Desire, belief, practice and sharp Misono knives
Favorite restaurant: Oliveto in Oakland, Calif.
Favorite food: Thai and sushi
Food you won't go near: Brains...they should stay in your head!
Weirdest thing you've ever eaten: Live uni out of the shell at Rungis Market in Paris at 4 am
Favorite food destination: Lunch among the grapes in Sonoma County with friends and German street food
Alternative dream job: Surfing photographer and traveling writer