Cultural Arrogance & the Iron Chef

I am a big fan of the Iron Chef TV series. When it was first aired in the 90s in Japan, my mother used to videotape every episode and send it to me in America. I learned a lot from the show, especially how to use different ingredients that I had never seen in the kitchen where I worked. The show helped me become a better chef.

The most infamous moment of the show, however, was when Bobby Flay stood on top of the cutting board and challenged Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. When I saw him do that, my heart stopped. I could not believe it. I was disgusted, insulted, even angry. Anything we put food on, including a cutting board, is considered sacred. Standing on it was the ultimate sign of disrespect in a professional Japanese kitchen.

As Japanese chefs watched in horror, the fired-up American audience, including some guy in a military uniform, was on its feet, whooping it up as if it were a football game. The crowd even chanted “USA! USA!” and waved flags. It gave me shudders.

I was watching an episode of Iron Chef America recently and all those memories came flooding back. It was the battle between Iron Chef Mario Batali and Jamie Oliver. Oliver’s souf chef wiped the sweat off his forehead with his knife. He threw a sheet pan on the floor. He yelled and shouted the whole time.

I was bothered by this man. If anyone behaved that way in my kitchen, he would be fired that night. I hope culinary arts students see this guy as bad example, not somebody to emulate. I had almost the same sort of feeling as when Bobby Flay stood on his cutting board. But there was a slight difference this time because Mario and his team seemed bothered by the guy too. Sure, Mario was laughing, but you could tell it was far from heartfelt.

When Bobby Flay stood on the cutting board and the American audience cheered, it was another bad example of Americans coming to a foreign country and offending the entire nation without having a clue that they did anything wrong.

But this time, when a member of Jamie Oliver’s crew behaved badly, it was the American, Mario Batali, a student of traditional Italian cuisine, who showed respect for his workplace.

Watching Mario in this episode was like breathing fresh air. It reminded me that not all Americans are insensitive like Bobby Flay and his fans. I want to thank Mario for reminding me of this. I always thought his orange boots were goofy, but now they seem just right.