Iron Chef Tom

How can we put this?

Seattlest is a sucker for cheesy television, especially cooking shows that aren't actually cooking shows. We like Iron Chef especially, since it's more related to food porn, and there's a special place in our heart for those masters of their domains, the chefs who participate.

Not familiar with Iron Chef? It's a Food Network televion show that pits a famous chef against an über-famous chef. They are given three ingredients (2 before the show starts and one at the beginning of the show) and have to come up with several dishes. These dishes then must impress a panel of food snobs and they, in turn, declare one chef the winner.

*blissful sigh* Seattlest loves manufactured conflict.

Part of it is due to the fact that this show allows us to root for our favorite hometown boy, Mario Batali. Yes, he's from Seattle. He grew up in the Seattle area and his father runs the ever delectable Salumi.

But now we have another reason to watch: This past weekend, Seattle's restaurant king Tom Douglas has announced on his radio show that he will be a contender for The Iron Chef America title. Who will he go against?

Morimoto, the super-star chef who was reigned supreme in the initial Japanese version of the show.

It sounds like a battle for the ages. In order to prep ourselves, Seattlest plans on visiting several of Tom's many restaurants. That way we can provide color commentary while watching.

So get out your popcorn, liberally topped with truffle oil. The contest will tape and air late April/early May.