There were only two seasons of the Gauntlet. This season looked promising but as the episodes evolved, it became a horror show. Cruel contestants permeated throughout the season. I could not believe, if there was any integrity associated with the title "Iron Chef," that any of the cruel contestants would be chosen. But...almost!
Then I realized, there are already a couple of cruel Iron Chefs and I see them on "Beat Bobby Flay." On that show, some Iron Chefs judge the first round. They are only spectators in the second round when Flay is competing but they are cruel to Flay, who represents true sportsmanship and humility unlike most of his judges. One Iron Chef who judges him regularly is particularly coarse which only shows how much Bobby Flay is representative of what an Iron Chef should be: not just a great cook, but a decent person. Flay is not the only one, though...Iron Chef Michael Symon always has a smile on his face and a contagious, hearty laugh.
In this final episode of "The Gauntlet," in addition to the cruel contestants throwing other contestants "under the bus," this last episode made me suspicious of the whole series and maybe even the glorified title itself. Here, on this last day, Chef David Lefevre is the last chef standing. He beats the first iron chef, then ties with the second iron chef and then, then, Alton Brown becomes a judge in addition to the other judges, something not done when Chef Izard was judged and won becoming an Iron Chef in the first season. So, Chef Lefevre is judged differently and that difference cost him the title of Iron chef by like 3 points after ALL HE HAS DONE. Without Alton Brown becoming a last minute judge, Lefevre would have won since he did better than his final Iron Chef challenger, Alexandra Guarnaschelli.
I felt really bad for Chef Lefevre. It seemed like a setup, like they never intended to have an iron chef selected in the second season. I came to realize that this was really just a "show" after all, and not a legitimate competition. Shame on them.
Then I realized, there are already a couple of cruel Iron Chefs and I see them on "Beat Bobby Flay." On that show, some Iron Chefs judge the first round. They are only spectators in the second round when Flay is competing but they are cruel to Flay, who represents true sportsmanship and humility unlike most of his judges. One Iron Chef who judges him regularly is particularly coarse which only shows how much Bobby Flay is representative of what an Iron Chef should be: not just a great cook, but a decent person. Flay is not the only one, though...Iron Chef Michael Symon always has a smile on his face and a contagious, hearty laugh.
In this final episode of "The Gauntlet," in addition to the cruel contestants throwing other contestants "under the bus," this last episode made me suspicious of the whole series and maybe even the glorified title itself. Here, on this last day, Chef David Lefevre is the last chef standing. He beats the first iron chef, then ties with the second iron chef and then, then, Alton Brown becomes a judge in addition to the other judges, something not done when Chef Izard was judged and won becoming an Iron Chef in the first season. So, Chef Lefevre is judged differently and that difference cost him the title of Iron chef by like 3 points after ALL HE HAS DONE. Without Alton Brown becoming a last minute judge, Lefevre would have won since he did better than his final Iron Chef challenger, Alexandra Guarnaschelli.
I felt really bad for Chef Lefevre. It seemed like a setup, like they never intended to have an iron chef selected in the second season. I came to realize that this was really just a "show" after all, and not a legitimate competition. Shame on them.
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