Morimoto's Cookbook Can Be Yours This Weekend

Required Eating

Posted by Ed Levine, September 15, 2007 at 9:50 AM

There are certain cookbooks that are as much coffee table books as much as anything else. The French Laundry Cookbook comes to mind immediately as one of those cookbooks rarely used but fun to look through.

Food porn is the term often thrown around about books like this. Well, we've got a first-class piece of food porn to give away this weekend, seven copies of Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking, courtesy of the good folks at DK.

Its author, Masaharu Morimoto, will be recognizable to fans of Iron Chef America, on which he appears.

The photos are stunning, and recipes like the Caramelized Sweet Potato and Angry Chicken seem quick, simple and eminently doable. To win this elegant tome, just tell us who your favorite Iron Chef is. The books will be closed on this baby at 8:00 a.m. Monday morning.

Comments are Closed. | Tags: books, contests, cookbooks, Morimoto, Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking

Comments are closed: 143 Comments:

Hi. I'm new. Where am I supposed to enter the contest for dear Morimoto's book? Here?

My favorite Iron Chef is Morimoto. But he's hardly ever there. So second would be Mario.

VictoiseCooks at 10:49AM on 09/15/07

Easy - Mario Batali.

ceforrester at 10:49AM on 09/15/07

If it's both sides of the sea then its, Second French Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai. I love how he always tried harder after a loss. The whole reason he came became a chef is great.

Mario Batali for America.

Pezdro at 10:50AM on 09/15/07

What a question!! Morimoto of course!! :-)

cavoletto at 10:50AM on 09/15/07

Morimoto - his dishes always seem delightfully surprising and he is so gracious.

allkindsoffood at 10:56AM on 09/15/07

Batali or Flay, but I would have to go with Flay.

bykerkhj at 10:56AM on 09/15/07

Gotta go with his orange clogginess, Sir Mario Batali.

AndreSala at 11:00AM on 09/15/07

While the knee-jerk reaction is absolutely Morimoto, I would have to reconsider and give Batali his cred. Flay's pompous, and Cora has some mad skills, but Batali always always impresses me (sometimes more than Morimoto). So the orange clogs win it for me, too.

keelzorz at 11:12AM on 09/15/07

Molto Mario! He dominates graciously, and just seems like a good human being. What's not to love.

HubII at 11:13AM on 09/15/07

Morimoto because he makes fish eye ball ice cream.

LauraW at 11:15AM on 09/15/07

Chen Kenichi because he sweats a lot.

GarrettL at 11:24AM on 09/15/07

i love cora. doesn't mean i don't want this book though ;)

anado at 11:37AM on 09/15/07

Gotta be Batali! Bobby Flay is great too.

wbennetti at 11:42AM on 09/15/07

If it's "whose food would you most want to eat" it would be a tough choice between Morimoto and Batali. Ditto for most fun to watch - for me, these two blow away the others. But if it came down to "who would you want to hang out with, then I'd have to go with Molto Mario...

stevea at 11:43AM on 09/15/07

I honestly enjoy Mario Batali the most on the Iron Chef program. Bobby Flay makes me want to poke my own eyes out.

Erin at 11:45AM on 09/15/07

Is there something we need to complete to enter or is this one of those "leave a comment" contests?

mrMatt at 12:04PM on 09/15/07

Mario Batali, although he's not the most humble person on the planet, but then I guess he doesn't have to be...

flootsmith at 12:09PM on 09/15/07

Batali - but I'm pulling for Chris Cosentino to be added to the roster. His SF restaurant Incanto (incanto.biz) is a local favorite.

jfriedman at 12:09PM on 09/15/07

Morimoto! I've loved him since the original Iron Chef days, and I also got to eat at this restaurant in Philadelphia. To say it was delicious is totally an understatement. It is not as expensive as some other places where there are tasting menus, and the menu was so delightfully playful, as was the decor.

Anyway, I'm really excited about this contest - I saw the book in Borders last week but well, I can't really justify spending the money on it.

Second favorite? Sakai.

toastykitten at 12:12PM on 09/15/07

Morimoto. I love watching him and his dishes always seem the most intricate and inviting!

Stacy at 12:18PM on 09/15/07

Mario Batali , Duh!

savvy savorer at 12:19PM on 09/15/07

Mario Batali. His food always looks outstanding.

NinaMW at 12:19PM on 09/15/07

Batali in the U.S., Sakai in Japan

intheyearofthepig at 12:34PM on 09/15/07

Flay and Morimoto

rugbyspartan at 12:37PM on 09/15/07

Mario Batali is by far the most entertaining, and his dishes always look like somthing I would love to eat. He is my very favorite Iron Chef!

amylou61 at 12:41PM on 09/15/07

Mario Batali obviously has so much fun with Iron Chef America that he's by far my favorite to watch. No one else comes close, although Cat Cora's my second fave simply because what she creates is so interesting.

LunaPierCook at 12:57PM on 09/15/07

Sakai!

SoundBitesNYC at 12:59PM on 09/15/07

Batali, and I LOATHE Flay. As far as the original, though, Morimoto wins.

kcp118 at 12:59PM on 09/15/07

Morimoto's food is like art. If I could afford it, his food is what I would most like to try/experience. Batali and Flay are more entertaining so I have a bit more fun watching them.

angeliez at 1:02PM on 09/15/07

Chen Kenichi, he was the funniest one in interviews. Iron Chef America blows compared to the original.

lily314 at 1:06PM on 09/15/07

Hiroyuki Sakai on the original & Mario Batali (with sous chef Anne Burrell) on ICA.

proccers at 1:10PM on 09/15/07

"SAKAI!" - My husband says with gusto. I'm posting on his behalf, as he introduced me to the glory of the Iron Chefs. As particularly impressive, my husband cites Sakai's knife work and the fact that "he's old school."

squishy16 at 1:13PM on 09/15/07

I liked the chef that focused on Chinese cuisine on the original Iron Chef because it seemed like no Chinese food I had ever seen before and it was always exciting to see what he would make.

On American Iron Chef I like Batali the best. I just watched the Parmiagiano Reggiano battle between him and Andrew Carmellini and it was probably the most tantalizing hour of food porn television I have ever seen. I lusted after Batali's Spinach and Parmiagiano Fettucine with Guanciale, Parmiagiano, Egg Yolk and tons of Shaved White Truffles.

chasgoose at 1:29PM on 09/15/07

Cat Cora of course!! Mario would be my second choice.

iguanablue at 1:31PM on 09/15/07

Morimoto is a true gent; During opening week at Morimoto NYC he autographed menus for me and my escort (and you know he had other things to do). His food is always adventurous, but based on sound principles. He combines discipline and imagination, which are rare qualities these days.

On the other hand, who wouldn't want to eat what Mario cooks? I agree that Battle Parmagiano-Reggiano" was outstanding. That Fettucine in the hollowed-out cheese....man, that Mario thinks outside the box (grater)!

annien at 1:41PM on 09/15/07

Both Batali and Morimoto. I'm always in serious drool mode when I see what they do on ICA.

jackiecat at 1:47PM on 09/15/07

gut reaction would be morimoto.
watching him is great--he seems nervous,
and it sometimes lures me into thinking i could
challenge him (which, really, i couldnt).

batali is great, too, but sometimes it seems as though
the work is too easy. a flippant cook.
tho the parm battle was the best i have seen.

i agree with those who said sakai for the original.

bethalina at 1:58PM on 09/15/07

Mario Batali, without question -- best recipes, best attitude, best all around.

hamza at 2:07PM on 09/15/07

Mario. close between him and Mori though. Just overall, he wins.

zekks at 2:11PM on 09/15/07

I can't help it - Bobby Flay.

b1exrts at 2:23PM on 09/15/07

Another Cora fan here.

cher48603 at 2:30PM on 09/15/07

If we're talking original, old-school Iron Chef, with the bad dubbing and the same Asian actress who knew nothing about food as a judge every week (and this is all said in love, I miss the old Iron Chef!!), then it would have to be Second French Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai. There was always just something about an Asian chef making truly amazing French food that fascinated me. But for the American version, I'd have to go with Bobby Flay. His food is spectacular, and even though he can sometimes be a little cocky, he knows what he's doing. Mario Batali is great, but I often feel that he's better suited to slow, fun cooking, rather than the insanity that is Kitchen Stadium.

kfarrel3 at 2:30PM on 09/15/07

It's always been Morimoto for me!
Had a business trip to Philadelphia and got to try out his restaurant there - delicious!!!!

shebop at 2:36PM on 09/15/07

Morimoto is amazing.

Peasantwench at 2:42PM on 09/15/07

Definitely Chen Kenichi. The ultimate classic Iron Chef.

ffaat at 2:45PM on 09/15/07

Morimoto. Yum.

dennisk at 2:54PM on 09/15/07

I really like Morimoto, but on the new one I only ever catch batali and Cora, and of the two I like cora.

My favorite person on iron chef though was on a potato episode of the japanese ones, where this little old biddy kicked kenichi's butt. It rocked hard.

Overworked Barista at 3:22PM on 09/15/07

Morimoto has always been my favourite, from his days on the real Iron Chef. I've always enjoyed watching both Sakai and Kenichi as well, and now, of course, Mario Batali.

brooke29 at 3:29PM on 09/15/07

Dead heat between Batali and Morimoto; none of the challengers have the courage to go up against Morimoto so we rarely see him in action. Patricia Yeo was excellent in tofu battle and really made Morimoto sweat! In the original (which I seldom saw) I vote for Sakai.

ride&cook at 3:32PM on 09/15/07

Morimoto - I had the best green tomato ice cream at his restaurant in Philly!

bean1018 at 3:32PM on 09/15/07

Morimoto - I had the best green tomato ice cream at his restaurant in Philly!

bean1018 at 3:33PM on 09/15/07

Chen Kenichi from the original and Bobby Flay from the Iron Chef America version.

ccbweb at 3:36PM on 09/15/07

I vote for Batali, my wife for Cat Cora.

Dominic
the zen kitchen

dvchurch at 4:04PM on 09/15/07

Chen Kanichi and second Morimoto. I actually like watching all of them--including Cat and Bobby Flay.

Teachertalk at 4:07PM on 09/15/07

Gotta be the huge personality of Mario Batali.

jrichstar at 4:22PM on 09/15/07

It has hands down go to me Mario!

pupymnster at 4:28PM on 09/15/07

Batali and then Morimoto himself.

Christina at 4:32PM on 09/15/07

I think part of my choosing a favorite chef depends upon who they're competing against. I like them all for different reasons, but I think Cat Cora tries the hardest each time, Bobby Flay is the most consistent, Mario is off the charts creative, and Morimoto is high class Japanese all the way.

Bria at 5:03PM on 09/15/07

Batali - because he makes great Italian food. His own food must be great because it looks like he eats alot of it!!

Catharine56 at 5:13PM on 09/15/07

Sakai, the black pig battle where he takes on an old aquaintance is epic.

0bs01337 at 5:23PM on 09/15/07

Mario, without a doubt!

linda at 5:28PM on 09/15/07

It's a toss up between Morimoto and Batali. Batali is great fun to watch in action, and Morimoto creates extremely fascinating dishes.

Nicholas H at 5:31PM on 09/15/07

gotta go with Hiroyuki Sakai from Iron Chef Japan, his energy and originality is great. for the same reason I have to go with Morimoto in the American

methodp at 5:34PM on 09/15/07

Morimoto, of course.

mspeicher at 6:12PM on 09/15/07

MY favorite Iron Chef has to be Mario Batali. I believe they are all talented, but Mario always creates the dishes I want to eat!

Mich23 at 6:13PM on 09/15/07

Morimoto. He doesn't do enough of them...but when he does, its pretty spectacular.

runningwithtweezers at 6:40PM on 09/15/07

Mario Batali.

Mydree at 6:40PM on 09/15/07

Mr. Batali FTW.

zang74 at 6:56PM on 09/15/07

morimoto

hedgehog at 7:38PM on 09/15/07

rokusaburo - I wish I had an exotic pet upon which to confer this name

i8alot at 8:05PM on 09/15/07

Bobby Flay - Man of Flair

Oenonome at 8:13PM on 09/15/07

Michiba, without a doubt.

madball911 at 8:15PM on 09/15/07

My favourite is definitely Morimoto! He's always so creative and I love him on both the original and Iron Chef America.

Vincci at 8:19PM on 09/15/07

Gotta go with Mario, for:
a) the food
b) the attitude
c) the shoes!

cookbot at 8:42PM on 09/15/07

My fav is Morimoto. Not to kiss ass or anything, but he's one of my peeps.

Steamy Kitchen at 8:50PM on 09/15/07

Sakai in the original, Morimoto in ICA.

miso at 9:35PM on 09/15/07

It's gotta be Mario (despite those hideous clogs!!). Bobby is a (somewhat) close second.

ronn at 10:40PM on 09/15/07

Morimoto!

gscherr at 10:46PM on 09/15/07

Chen Kenichi in the original; Batali on ICA.

Marilyn at 11:05PM on 09/15/07

Hiroyuki Sakai for the win.

firewren at 11:34PM on 09/15/07

Chef Morimoto for the block

thebigguy at 11:49PM on 09/15/07

Oh yeah, definitely Sakai for the original show. The American version? A toss up between Batali and Morimoto.

Josh Baugher at 12:13AM on 09/16/07

batali, because the food i've eaten at babbo and lupa is consistently better than any of the food i had on my three trips to italy.

cybercita at 12:14AM on 09/16/07

Of the original series, Chen Kenichi was my favorite. He always made my favorite dish MaPo Tofu.

Of the American version, Mario Batali. I love his attitude and his creativity.

Vlntchr at 12:28AM on 09/16/07

Bobby Flay.

jstruan at 12:31AM on 09/16/07

M O R I M O T O hands down.

gsd96rk1 at 12:54AM on 09/16/07

My favorite Iron Chef is Morimoto. I love his quiet and respectful elegance with food, it is certainly something to aspire to. Thanks for giving us the heads up on his new book and a chance to win!!!

princessknits at 1:29AM on 09/16/07

My favorite is Morimoto...very creative, stoic, serious and thoughtful....
I wish he can cook for me..does he still work in Manhattan?

sailingsam at 2:16AM on 09/16/07

hmm... i'm torn between morimoto and mario batali

PurpleSwan at 4:37AM on 09/16/07

I'm going to have to go with Morimoto. When he did a cooking demonstration at Carnegie Mellon a few years ago he was simply amazing! That and he spent an extra 30 to 40 minutes signing things after the presentation, which was above and beyond what he had to do. He was engaging, hilarious, and the speed and technique involved with everything he prepared was nothing short of magnificent!

Honestly, he is just an excellent chef and, more importantly, person, through and through!

First Chair at 5:04AM on 09/16/07

Morimoto would be it! Always seems to try harder and makes beautiful come backs.

MyKitchenInHalfCups at 5:27AM on 09/16/07

I have to say Morimoto, cuz us furriners don't see the program.

Judith in Umbria at 5:55AM on 09/16/07

Iron Chef Chen (Chinese).

Fantastic battles include battle Pork Belly, and battle Milk.

peekpoke at 7:04AM on 09/16/07

Definitely Chef Sakai from the original Iron Chef. I thought his foods were more balanced and he could peel an apple like nobody's business... :-)

rudolfrassen at 8:15AM on 09/16/07

Morimoto without question. His dishes are always innovative, delicious, and beautiful. Stained glass sushi? Spectacular. Plus, his restaurant is amazing, and he was nice enough to take a picture with me when I was there :)

dmbfanmd at 9:03AM on 09/16/07

Chen Kenichi, hands down.

jtorn at 9:21AM on 09/16/07

Chen Kenichi, for his classic reaction when the ingredient was revealed during Battle Yogurt. I've never seen a chef look so dumbfounded.

Dan Dickinson at 9:44AM on 09/16/07

My favorite Iron Chef is Sakai followed closely by Morimoto. Sakai combines french influence with Asian ingredients. He is masterful in every aspect of Kitchen Art. Morimoto's flavors give your mouth an orgasm when you experience his creatiions. I have had the pleasure of dining at his restaurant in Philly and never have quite recovered from the experience.

Dmac at 9:51AM on 09/16/07

Gotta be Sakai-he kind o scares me though.

michichan at 10:11AM on 09/16/07

Batali, Sakai - you have to pick two, I think, since the original and IC America are a little different.

Littlebluesiren at 10:42AM on 09/16/07

Morimoto of course, love his style

kramer73 at 10:42AM on 09/16/07

Definitely Sakai from the original series. From the american series, I'd probably say either Morimoto or Batali...

hdaemon at 11:18AM on 09/16/07

Bobby Flay is my favorite because he makes dishes that I'd want to, and could, make at home, but Morimoto is a close 2nd for creativity and presentation.

bobcatsteph3 at 11:24AM on 09/16/07

Morimoto for his intensity....and he has signature beers offered by Rogue Brewing Company in Oregon that are dynamite offerings with his food!

coastalvicar

coastalvicar at 11:31AM on 09/16/07

Hm. It's between Hiroyuki Sakai (a. because the ladies love him, b. because that wig is the best! and c) the japanese-french fusion is awesome) and Chen Kinichi (a. because he's so cute when he wins, and b. because I love Sechuan food.) I'm going to have to go with Chen Kinichi (especially because of the double foie-gra/asparagus competition that he tied).

Pieds Des Anges at 11:57AM on 09/16/07

I vote for Cora!

markdangerchen at 12:01PM on 09/16/07

i think it's a toss up between cat cora and morimoto

missmicker at 12:13PM on 09/16/07

Batali. Though Morimoto is pretty awesome.

logographic at 12:48PM on 09/16/07

Batali!

lfkohn at 12:49PM on 09/16/07

Chen Kenichi was the most fun to watch, as he always kept a sense of humor despite the overwrought drama.

hreisig at 12:57PM on 09/16/07

As a chef, Batali, but as an Iron Chef, Morimoto.

fredmurphy at 1:12PM on 09/16/07

To me when it comes to Iron Chef America, it's a toss up between Cat Cora, Morimoto, Bobby Flay, and Mario Batali which I liked all of them. But I have to go with Bobby Flay. But for the original, I would say either Sakai or Kenchi.

justboycrazy at 1:56PM on 09/16/07

Sakai, all the way.

festivemanb at 2:03PM on 09/16/07

I love Iron Chef and will often re-watch episodes just to remind myself of the amazing cooking they do.

My favorite by far is Bobby Flay. I have to say, I'm a bit biased towards him as I ate at his place in Las Vegas called Mesa Grill. Now, I paid a lot more money at a lot more fancy places in Vegas and Bobby Flay's food was by far the best food I have ever had. Period. The complex flavors of every part of the meal were outstanding! I have never tasted such flavorful food in my life! Now when I watch Bobby Flay on Iron Chef I can almost taste some of his dishes through the TV. His dishes may not be flashy but I tell you, he wins his Iron Chef matches because his food is just so good! Go Bobby Flay!

hamiltonmka at 2:32PM on 09/16/07

Bourdain called him the 'great toothless lion' - I call him the best of the Iron Chefs - Mario Batali.

HeyCarl at 2:43PM on 09/16/07

from iron chef america, morimoto.

from "the real" iron chef, sakai.

i'm genuinely surprised people are voting for cat cora.

lexophile at 2:59PM on 09/16/07

Morimoto, but Chairman Kaga was what made the show great.

fishdemon at 3:19PM on 09/16/07

Batali, but the more I watch Morimoto the more he impresses me. I'm no longer sure.

earlgreyt at 5:01PM on 09/16/07

Sakai & Morimoto are my favorites!

DeBeats at 5:10PM on 09/16/07

Hiroyuki Sakai who would DARE to differ!

Kbear919 at 5:39PM on 09/16/07

Morimoto and Sakai . For some reason I can't put into words The new Iron Chef show just isn't the same show. It's good ,but it's lacking the Asian touch and is too rooted in New York.

gwcafe at 6:11PM on 09/16/07

sakai is my top choice, batali for the u.s. version. i also enjoy the added entertainment of chairman kaga.

skim at 6:12PM on 09/16/07

Mario Batali - He's such an earnest and engaging chef. Love his energy and enthusiasm for good food. And he's a gracious winner and loser, unlike a certain grilling guru. Too bad the Food Network has dumped his shows so they can air more vapid fare.

nellopea at 6:18PM on 09/16/07

Sakai and Batali are my personal favs.

jyang at 7:15PM on 09/16/07

Mario Batali & Cat Cora
They are both fantastic to watch and have a little humor to them.

Erinay77 at 7:30PM on 09/16/07

My favorite Iron Chef is Mario Batali.

PattyCho at 8:31PM on 09/16/07

Cat Cora - her name sounds like a superhero.

ricedream24 at 9:32PM on 09/16/07

Old-style, it's got to be Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai, the man is just impressive, both skillwise and with his attitude.

Iron Chef America...I'd say Morimoto, I like seeing how he's grown since the original, then Mario Batali, who I think is amazing, anyway.

ErisianSaint at 9:56PM on 09/16/07