The Next Iron Chef: Redemption, Flashbacks From Chefs' Last Battles

After disappointing finishes in the past, 10 rival chefs are returning to battle in Kitchen Stadium on Food Network's The Next Iron Chef: Redemption for the chance to claim the ultimate culinary title. Relive the early battles that sent them home.

Photo By: Leanna Creel ©Leanna Creel Inc.

Finale Shortcomings

Although Chef Elizabeth Falkner survived seven weeks of eliminations to compete against Chef Geoffrey Zakarian in the The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs finale, she was ultimately named the runner-up of the competition on account of too-pungent black garlic served with her fried fish dish.

Indian Feast Fiasco

During The Next Iron Chef Season 2, Chef Nate Appleman and his fellow rivals were tasked to create a five-course Indian-style feast in just two hours. Although the judges appreciated the flavor of his dosa, they felt that his fish was too greasy. In a double elimination, both Chefs Appleman and Treviñ were eliminated.

Fairground Flop

At the San Diego County Fair during The Next Iron Chef Season 3, Chef Estes was sent home on account of undercooked dough in her deep-fried pie and what judge Donatella Arapaia called a "clunky" Grilled Calamari Salad Pita.

Shoreline Letdown

Chef Alex Guarnaschelli traveled to Montauk, N.Y., with only three other remaining rival chefs during The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs. Her trio of seafood offerings proved to be passion on a plate, but she was ultimately eliminated just one week short of the finale.

Early Exit

After falling to Chef Marcus Samuelsson in the first round of the competition, Chef Spike Mendelsohn was sent home from The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs. Looking back on the showdown, he said, "One of the most important things to me is that I leave in this competition with the respect of all the other chefs, and I think I earned that respect."

Second-Place Finish

Chefs Jehangir Mehta and Jose Garces went head-to-head in Battle Buffalo during the finale of The Next Iron Chef Season 2. In the end it was Chef Garces who was crowed The Next Iron Chef, after several judges noted that some of Chef Mehta's plates were too busy with unnecessary flavors and ingredients.

Five Tastes in Tokyo

While in Japan competing on The Next Iron Chef Season 2, Chef Amanda Freitag was challenged to create a rice-focused bento box that illustrated the five tastes: sour, sweet, salty, bitter and umami. Her sweet black-rice pudding received rave reviews from the judges, but Donatella Arapaia noted that a shiitake mushroom in her umami offering was raw, and Chef Freitag was eliminated thereafter.

Extreme Eating

In a test of fearlessness during The Next Iron Chef Season 2, Chef Eric Greenspan served a duo of grasshoppers that underwhelmed the judges, and his time in the competition ended after just one round.