This Year’s Extravaganza Is Set to Surpass All Previous Years with Iron Chef French, Hiroyuki Sakai And Iron Chef Chinese, Chen Kenichi Entering Battle With Galileo’s New Resident, Michelin-Star Chef, Masahiko Yomoda And The Restaurant’s Former Chef, Haru Inukai.

I was very fortunate to attend this year’s Iron Chef dinner, after missing out the previous two events (the last one I went to was in 2005?). The evening was beautifully organised, as per usual, with live screens that cross over to the action in the kitchen, with Tomo, the presenter who translated and spoke with the Chefs throughout the night, so that we were all ‘part of the action’. Two lucky diners got to enter the kitchen and learn how to prepare dishes from Chef Sakai and Chef Chen. To be honest, since it was the last night of a three night affair, I’m quite sure all the chefs were drunk and really just enjoying themselves!

The highlight of the night for me would’ve been the shark’s fin, which Chef Kenichi brought with him from Japan to serve on our plates along with a boneless braised chicken wing. It was a different style to the chinese soup that I am used to, and it was one full piece of baby fin, rather than slivers of “noodles”. The flavours were robust against the delicate textures. His tan-tan noodles however, was a little disappointing if you had ever eaten a proper one in China – still very very good, but probably not something I would serve at the end of an eight course degustation.

I also quite liked the Madiera paired with Chef Sakai’s dumplings (apparently the lamb takes two days to prepare) - it’s a little different but it works well. His steamed snapper wrapped in cabbage was very pleasant but lacked the complexity from the amount of different flavours he used.

Galileo’s new executive chef Yomada did a beautifully presented crab meat with avocado, very similar to a dish I once loved at the now closed restaurant Ampersand. The tarte tatin as the dessert had a great combination of textures (the crispness of the pastry, the caramelized mint ’shell’, pached fruits, ice cream), but again – nothing mindblowing.

Perhaps I’m being too critical, but at $595 a head, I would rather dine at Per Se again. However, the quality of all the ingredients used, and the professionalism(especially back of house) was commendable.

Welcome Cocktail
Guavatini

Canapes



(the egg is sliced off with a very sharp knife!)
1996 Duval-Leroy Brut, Vertus, Champagne, France

Seasonal Crab Meat With Avocado, Tomato Coulis
By Galileo’s Chef Yomoda

2007 Franz Kunstler ‘Estate’ Riesling, Rheingau, Germany

Consomme Of Lamb & Chinese Dumplings
By French Iron Chef Sakai

10 Year Old Madeira, Henriques & Henriques, Madeira, Portugal

Steamed Snapper And Lentil Puree, Shellfish Butter Sauce
By French Iron Chef Sakai

2006 Howard Park Chardonnay, Great Southern, Western Australia

Mouka Shark’s Fin With Soya Sauce Gravy
By Chinese Iron Chef Chen

2007 Kiltynane Estate ‘Prellminaire’ Blanc De Noir, Yarra Valley, Victoria

Roasted Tajima Wagyu Beef Ala Blancharu
By Chef Haru (sorry I started eating it before I took a photo! Marble score 9+)

2006 Aimsfield Pinot Noir, Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand

Szechwan Tan Tan Noodles
By Chinese Iron Chef Chen

‘Mystery Wine’

Apple Tarte Tatin With Mango Sauce
By Galileo’s Chef Yomoda

2006 Nigl Gruner Veltliner Eiswein, Kamptal, Austria

The tables next to us: Tony Bilson, Tetsuya Wakuda

Kenichi and I
Photo source: Visual Eyes

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