| Do you remember that old television series about | | | | the Chen father-and-son combo as well. But the |
| cooking called "Iron Chef" which ran from 1993 to | | | | spectacular success of the younger Chen on the |
| 2002? Since over 300 episodes of that show | | | | Iron Chef series has established in many minds |
| have been aired (and are still actually in syndication | | | | that he is the superior chef between the two. |
| today), I'm pretty sure that anyone remotely | | | | Since leaving the show, Chen has continued to be |
| interested in the culinary arts will remember that | | | | a successful chef. He currently runs the |
| show. So, who was your favorite chef on that | | | | restaurant chain Shisen Hanten in Japan, which is a |
| landmark cooking program? Chances are, you will | | | | huge commercial success, with outlets in Akasaka, |
| select Chen Kenichi, better known as Iron Chef | | | | Ikebukuro, Roppongi, Tokushima, Kure (Hiroshima |
| Chinese. Kenichi was the only Iron Chef to be on | | | | Prefecture), Matsuyama and Hakata |
| the show from start to finish. In addition, Chen | | | | Ironically, it was the success of Chen's restaurant |
| won the Iron Chef competition 67 times and is | | | | chain that almost prompted him to leave the |
| now widely regarded as one of the great chefs | | | | show. Ironically, and this is a little known story, it |
| of the world. | | | | was Chen's rival on the show, the so-called Iron |
| Born on January 5, 1956, Chen is actually the son | | | | Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai, who prevailed up |
| of another great chef, Chen Kenmin, who is | | | | Chen to stay, smartly pointing out that the show |
| known in Japan as the father of Sichuan cuisine. | | | | would not be the same without Chen aboard, |
| You can tell his father's influence on Chen by his | | | | which was probably true. The two rivals shook |
| choice of his special dish, "Prawns in Chili Sauce," | | | | hands and agreed as gentlemen that if either one |
| which was inspired by a similar dish introduced by | | | | of them left the show, so would the other. Both |
| his father in Japan. Naturally, where several | | | | great chefs honored the gentleman's agreement |
| generations of excellence are involved in the | | | | until the very last episode of the show's |
| same area of endeavor, comparisons between | | | | decade-long run. |
| father and son are inevitable. The same applied to | | | | |