Photo: Patrick Wymore/Netflix
There are lots of familiar faces onIron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend!
In the new Netflix reboot of the popular Food Network show (based on the Japanese original), five Iron Chefs will battle it out against Challenger Chefs — and PEOPLE is first to reveal the culinary stars who will be competing in the iconic Kitchen Stadium.
And their competition is fierce. From restaurateurs to award-winning chefs and formerTop Chefcontestants, the Challenger Chefs include Mason Hereford, Curtis Duffy, Claudette Zepeda, Esther Choi,Gregory Gourdet, Mei Lin and Yia Vang.
Throughout the eight 45-minute episodes, the most successful Challenger will emerge and will “return to battle in a grand finale for the chance to be named the first ever ‘Iron Legend,'“reads the show’s synopsis.
Stone tells PEOPLE he’s “super competitive,” which is the perfect reason to come back into the ring.
“Becoming an Iron Chef and following in the footsteps of chefs that inspired me to cook was the opportunity of a lifetime, pushing me and my cooking to new heights,” says Stone. “Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legendhas everything you always loved about the classicIron Chef, including familiar faces like Alton [Brown] and The Chairman, but we’ve got an awesome new group of chefs and a bunch of surprises in store.”
Adam Rose/Netflix
Dominique Crenn, the first woman in the U.S. to receive three Michelin Stars, is known amongIron Cheffans as beating Iron Chef Michael Symon in “Battle Yogurt.” She tells PEOPLE she’s looking forward to elevating the meaning of food and cooking in the reboot.
“Food is language and a connector and being a part ofIron Chefallows me to continue the journey of sharing and inspiring others,” she says. “This new show has brought more authenticity and more meaning to the craftsmanship of cooking. It is an honor to be one of the 5 Iron Chefs and show the world that cooking is an art, it’s storytelling and essential to the well being of this planet.”
Chef Gabriela Camara also sees the new spin on the classic competition show as a way to redefine the narrative when it comes to the art of cooking.
“Being an Iron Chef requires creativity and precision under stressful conditions, which is in many ways like being in a regular kitchen, except there’s always an element of surprise!” she says. “This makes it a fun challenge and a fundamental test of a chef’s abilities.Iron Chefshows the hard work and artistry that’s usually behind kitchen doors.
Camara adds that the return ofIron Chefushers in a “new era for the world of food.”
The competing chefs aren’t the only fan favorites appearing on the show. On May 2, Netflix announced Mark Dacascos will be back as The Chairman andAlton Brownis returning as host, but this time alongside Season 10Top Chefwinner Kristen Kish.
The ultimate arbiters of the Iron Legend’s fate are permanent judgesAndrew Zimmernand Nilou Motamed. Guest judges includeWolfgang Puck,Masaharu Morimoto, Nancy Silverton, Francis Lam, Justin Willman and Lorena Garcia. Aside from culinary legends, comedians and actors will also take the judges’ table, fromLoni LovetoDanny Trejo.
Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legendstreams June 15 on Netflix.
source: people.com
