Iron Chef Showdown Season 1 Episode 2 Battle Symon Says

In season 1 episode 2 of Iron Chef Showdown, titled Battle Symon Says, two new chefs are pitted against each other for a culinary showdown. The first chef is Chef Angela Dimayuga, the executive chef of the popular New York City restaurant Mission Chinese Food. She is known for her delicious and unique take on Asian-American cuisine.

The second chef is Chef Michael Symon, an Iron Chef veteran and chef-owner of numerous restaurants, including Lola and Mabel's BBQ. Chef Symon is known for his skill with meat and his ability to create bold and flavorful dishes.

The competition begins with the chefs entering the kitchen stadium to discover the secret ingredient for the challenge – the flavorful and versatile tomato. Both chefs quickly get to work, devising their strategies and creating their dishes. Chef Dimayuga chooses to focus on the bright acidity of the tomato, creating a tomato and yuzu kosho salad and a spicy tomato soup with grilled shrimp. Chef Symon, on the other hand, decides to create a variety of tomato dishes, including a slow-cooked tomato risotto and a roasted tomato flatbread.

The judges, including Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian, begin tasting the dishes, evaluating the chefs on their creativity, technique, and flavor. The judges are impressed with Chef Dimayuga's use of acid to balance the sweetness of the tomato, but also appreciate Chef Symon's ability to showcase the tomato in different ways.

In the second round of the competition, the chefs are given a surprise twist – they must incorporate a mystery ingredient into their dishes. The ingredient is revealed to be the popular Japanese seasoning, furikake. Chef Dimayuga chooses to use it to flavor her roasted eggplant dish, while Chef Symon incorporates it into his tomato and cucumber salad.

The judges continue to be impressed with both chefs, but ultimately only one can be declared the winner. The chefs are given a final challenge – to create a dessert using the tomato as the main ingredient. Chef Dimayuga creates a tomato sorbet with a yuzu granita and a cherry tomato confit, while Chef Symon makes a tomato and lemon pie with a rosemary crust.

The judges deliberate and ultimately make their decision, declaring one chef as the winner of the competition. The losing chef is gracious in defeat and the audience applauds both chefs for their skill and creativity in the kitchen.

Overall, Battle Symon Says is an exciting and suspenseful episode of Iron Chef Showdown, showcasing two talented chefs and their ability to create unique and flavorful dishes with the humble tomato as their main ingredient.