Rating: 
Summary: Yummy!
Review: If one buys this book expecting a cookbook, one might be disappointed, but this book had everything a fan could want while providing an adequate explanation for the hypothetical non-viewer who wanted to know what it was all about. Certainly a better-than-average TV show tell-all tome. [And O that cover photo of Kaga, about to bite the yellow pepper and nodding coyly to the camera!] My big nitpick was with the recipe translations, which had some odd wordings. Not errors precisely, just French words where English ones would have made more sense in an English-language edition. For instance, "Homard" instead of "Lobster." Was that in the dubbed show? I don't think so, If memory serves, they called it "Battle Lobster."Next book: we want more recipes, inasmuch as they can be re-constructed from the flurry of cuisine creativity; and more costume pictures. A fashion plate of Kaga's glittering wardrobe would just complete the catalog of Iron-Chefenalia!
Rating:
Summary: Nice to have for those of us who are Iron Chef fans
Review: Iron Chef is one of those things that you either get or you don't. My brother first told me about the show and I watched it and couldn't really follow what it was about. I kept wondering, "what the heck is an Iron Chef?" But the show had me and I kept me coming back. Slowly I became hooked and started planning my Friday nights to see the show! Even though I know the new shows in the fall will be shows OLDER than the ones we have already seen, we fans will be glued to them throughout the year. This book is a nice backgrounder for the show. It is carefully done to NOT give too much away. After all, they want us to watch the show. And there could be more on each chef to my taste, and there are a couple of errors here and there. But finding them is half the fun! If you are or would like to be an Iron Chef fan (cult member? nut?) this is a good book to feed that appetite.
Rating: 
Summary: IRON CHEF NEEDS IRON EDITOR
Review: It was with great anticipation that I opened the box containing IRON CHEF, the Official Book. Unfortunately, in the hour it took to get through the book, I became more and more disappointed. The writing style left much to be desired, but I didn't expect a lterary marvel; the recipes left much to be desired, but I didn't expect a cook book. What I did expect was some semblance of accuracy - even in the made up world of "Chairman" Kaga's Gourmet Academy. For example, if memory serves me correctly, I viewed the four programs with the Ota faction versus Morimoto. In the last Ota faction versus Morimoto battle, the faction FINALLY wins. Unfortunately, in the book we are told just the opposite. In another example, there was a section devoted to Yukio Hattori. The section was highly informative, but Hattori-san's photos were to be found in the section devoted to Asako Kishi. The book is somewhat like "Chairman" Kaga - bright colors but little substance.
Rating: 
Summary: Iron Chef Excitement
Review: My husband has been waiting for this book to come out, and we just got a copy. It's great, lots of photos and recipes. Our favorite part was the behind-the-scenes stuff. I never realized the pressure that is on each Iron Chef, and their challengers. It's funny to us, but to them, it is their reputations on the line each and every show. What fun!
Rating:
Summary: Too much fun!!
Review: Never thought I'd be in a cult, but I'm proud to be a part of the Iron Chef movement! And like most good cultists, I've done my part to bring others into the fold. My only surprise with this book is that it is small! On the TV ads, it looks like a coffee table book and instead it is more the size of a TV Guide. I didn't expect anymore than was here, and what was included was indeed fun. I learned many tid-bits that are great to throw into conversations when we're watching the chefs throw a live eel around!!
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Iron Chefs
Review: Received the book for Mother's Day. Have read it and ready to do so again, WHEN my husband finishes it. Have always loved the show and look forward to them each weekend. Found many facts and information that I did not know. I always feel so sorry if an Iron Chef doesn't win. Am really looking forward to the challenge with Bobby Flay in Japan. Anyone who watches Iron Chefs, likes receips has to own this book. Haven't tried the recipes yet but found 3 to try over the weekend. Enjoy a wonderful book.
Rating: 
Summary: A must for Iron Chef fans - all others can pass...
Review: The "Official Book" of "The Iron Chef" attempts to explain the attraction of fans to the show. However, while properly capturing the thrill of the cooking battle, the authors omit the amusing cross-cultural aspects of the program. Apart from the occasional GODZILLA film, I'm not a fan of dubbed dialogue but the corny English commentary of "The Iron Chef" adds the proper amount of distance from the original material while highlighting the oddity of such an ornate competition. This tome feels like it was written around the time of Iron Chef
Morimoto's initial battle with whiny baby Bobby Flay whose kitchen antics sully the culinary arts. There is little looking forward (most due to the tenuous existence of "The Iron Chef" as both a viable show as well as its foothold in the zeitgeist) and even the retrospective chapters feel rather thin. It's a pleasure to read the reminiscences of Iron Chef's past such as Koumei Nakamura and Yutaka Ishinabe. Yet, there needs to be more of all of the Iron Chef as well as frequent judges and guests of the show. The fact that the editors can't decide to treat Chairman Kaga as a genuine character or as Takeshi Kaga, the actor who plays him, helps to undermine the overall tone. A must for every "Iron Chef" fan, the Official Book gives a Gordon Elliot eye's view to this show that must be seen and not necessarily read about. (ISBN: 0425180883)
Rating:
Summary: Love Love Love the TV show... the book was not all that!
Review: The book was was very enlightening in explaining how things got started, giving you a chronological view of all the battles (albeit they neglected to say who won each battle) and a few (very few) insights into some of the key players. Each chef gets a few pages to talk about their stint on the show and if one of them had not mentioned the idea of hints we would never know that about the show. They are given 5 hints as to what the secret ingredient will be about a week before taping. That gives them time to come up with possible menus. This kind of irked me. Why did we find out a valuable piece of info like this through Iron Chef Chinese and it's not fully explained who comes up with the hints nor any examples of the hints. I would have liked a little more insight into this aspect of the show. What I did enjoy was hearing about it from everyone's perspective from the announcers, chefs, directors, producers, etc. I also think that a little more explanation of Japanese culture regarding losing vs. winning might have helped to explain some of the reactions of the chefs to losing a battle. All in all it was enjoyable to read the behind the scenes info regarding the show but it certainly left a true fan wanting more.
Rating:
Summary: A visual competition translated into book form
Review: This 'official book' of the celebrated Japanese chef's marathon cooking show Iron Chef will be best appreciated by prior fans of the lively and creative television production. For newcomers the Iron Chef show presents weekly 'cook-off battles' between famous chefs who are given nearly impossible 'must use' ingredients at last minute with which to drum up a creative innovation for a panel of judges. So how can such a visual competition translate into book form? Iron Chef: The Official Book chooses the visual approach itself, with a healthy and liberal dose of color photos from the show supplementing a blend of show history, documentation of 'battles' airing in both Japan and the U.S., and a selection of recipes.
Rating:
Summary: If Memory Serves Me Right
Review: This book has it all... behind-the-scenes interviews, some of the recipes (we knew no one could write down ALL the ingredients as the went!)and a detailed history of all the chefs... this is the kind of information that I've been looking for! The photos are vibrant and give a real feel of artistry to the dishes and presentation of the characters we have all come to know and love on the show. I can't wait to try and recreate some of these recipes at home!
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