Iron Chef America Goes To The White House Garden

Food Network stars Mario Batali, Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse travel to the White House to take part in an unprecedented culinary competition in Super Chef Battle, a special two-hour episode of Iron Chef America. Greeted by First Lady Michelle Obama, the chefs are joined by White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford and receive their challenge: create a meal for America using The White House Kitchen Garden’s produce as their secret ingredients. The special episode premieres Sunday, January 3rd at 8pm ET/PT.

Iron Chef America commentator Alton Brown explains that the Chairman has sent the three Food Network chefs to Washington, D.C. for a very special battle and introduces Chef Cristeta Comerford, who will also take part in the competition. The group is then greeted by the First Lady, who explains that the chefs will be allowed to use anything found in The White House Kitchen Garden to help them create their meals. After receiving their challenge, the chefs are split into two teams: Flay and Comerford versus Batali and Lagasse. The chefs immediately head to the garden where they are tasked with harvesting their ingredients. Then it’s off to Kitchen Stadium where the battle begins. Each team must produce five dishes that showcase the ingredients they selected from the garden and that represent the ultimate American meal. The judges include: chef and best-selling cookbook author Nigella Lawson; Olympic gold medalist Natalie Coughlin; and actress, author and designer Jane Seymour. Ted Allen (Chopped) assists as a guest floor reporter. Iron Chef America is produced by Triage Entertainment.

Installed in the spring of 2009 under the Obama Administration, The White House Kitchen Garden measures approximately 1100 square feet and is located on the west side of the South Lawn. The four-season herb, fruit and vegetable garden features 75 varieties of seeds planted in slightly raised beds using succession planting methods. Cultivated by White House staff and volunteers, produce from the garden and honey from the adjacent beehives are available to the White House Chefs for preparing meals for the First Family and for official functions, and all extra food is donated to Miriam’s Kitchen, a soup kitchen near the White House.

Emeril Lagasse kicks it up a notch as Top Chef goes to New Orleans

The final chef’testants will need to “kick it up a notch” to impress famed chef and restaurateur Emeril Lagasse in the eclectic city of New Orleans on Bravo’s “Top Chef,” with a supersized episode and a shocking twist that changes the face of game as the field is narrowed from four to three on Wednesday, February 18 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The three finalists face an extra special challenge and the winner will be revealed on Wednesday, February 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, on the season finale of “Top Chef: New York.”

Lagasse, chef/proprietor of Emeril’s Restaurant, NOLA, and Emeril’s Delmonico in New Orleans said about his experience on “Top Chef”: “In Louisiana, we have an amazing selection of local ingredients: andouille sausage, frog legs, turtle, catfish and rabbit. I was interested in seeing if the chefs would venture out and really try to explore our local flavors and culture. The challenge for some was finding a balance between the bold spices we love and their own personal style. All I can say is that you’ll definitely want to go back for seconds for some of their final dishes!”