My most favorite reality TV show
Iron Chef - in Japanese.
A host who is certifiably insane, combined with sharp knives, snappy sous chefs, fire, impossible surprise ingredients and total evisceration by the judges.
No place else will you see how many dishes can be made out of broccoli, pork belly, or this week's escargot - all cooked in under an hour - including dessert. (Yum, pork belly dessert. Ok that sounds gross, but still it's very creative).
The American version (Iron Chef America) is obviously rigged which has taken much of the fun out of it. Everyone knows what they are going to cook in advance and the only challenge comes from not screwing it up. The American chefs are especially pompous, like Bobby Flay. Even my 8 year old daughter calls him "Barb-b-que boy.”
