The Angus Barn may be revered for its wide variety of grilled steaks and traditional sides, but that's hardly the stuff of cutting edge cuisine.
Nonetheless, Angus Barn Executive Chef Walter Royal will be appearing on this season of Iron Chef America, a show famous for its innovative culinary creations. Although The Angus Barn, one of the Triangle's landmark steakhouses, isn't known for modern preparations or creative plating, Royal's reputation extends far beyond steak and potatoes. He has been cooking professionally since the age of 14, and has been recognized with multiple culinary awards, which include being named a James Beard Rising Star by the prestigious James Beard culinary arts foundation.
Based on the Japanese cult-hit from the 1990s, Iron Chef America is set to begin its third season later this month. Chef Royal is one of 23 chefs in the nation who will be appearing on the show this season, and the only one from the Carolinas. Each Iron Chef competition pits a challenger against one of the show's four established Iron Chefs. Royal was paired with Iron Chef Cat Cora, the show's only female chef.
In each battle, the chefs are presented with a secret ingredient from which they must create five dishes in a span of only 60 minutes. The secret ingredient is unknown to the competitors until the competition begins, and previous choices have included everything from tilapia to turkey.
The Food Network does not allow the outcome of the battles or the secret ingredients to be disclosed until the episodes air. Even so, Royal said it was an accomplishment just to complete the battle.
"My main goal, win lose or draw, was just to finish with the five dishes," said Royal after returning from the late-January taping.
Each chef is allowed two sous chefs, or assistants, to help him prepare the dishes. In the months leading up to the competition, Royal said he and his sous chefs trained intensely as a team to work under the unusual time pressure.
When the fateful weekend came, Royal and his team traveled north to New York City. Royal said his experience cooking at charity benefits, where he was forced to work in unfamiliar kitchens under very tight time constraints, served him well in the competition.
Upon arrival, Royal said the show's producers allowed him a walk-through the infamous "kitchen stadium" to get a feel for the venue. The stadium is a converted television studio equipped with every imaginable modern kitchen appliance, which the chefs must be able to grab at a moment's notice.
"Just being able to walk through the stadium and look at it, it gives you some comfort," Royal said.
Taping the battle ended up taking more than five hours, only one of which could be spent actually cooking. The show's various theatrical elements, including dramatic musical introductions and harsh judging, took up the rest of the time.
"It was the most intense battle of my life," said Royal, of his face-off with Iron Chef Cora. Royal's hearty cuisine is more aptly comparable to that of barbecue and grill specialist Iron Chef Bobby Flay, making the clash with Cora all the more interesting. Cora is better known for preparing complex Greek- and Southern-influenced dishes.
Chef Royal appeared pleased with his team's efforts, plainly stating, "We did it," but not giving any hint as to whose cuisine reigned supreme.
"It's kind of an oxymoron here, but it was the longest and shortest hour I've ever had," Royal said. "It was something."
Viewers will have to stay tuned to discover if Chef Royal will achieve "culinary immortality" by defeating the Iron Chef in this Japanese-cum-American television spectacle.
Past episodes of Iron Chef America have turned out everything from bacon ice cream to tilapia noodles to inflated mozzarella balloons, so there's no telling what Royal and Cora will create. One thing is certain, though, it promises to be miles away from the Angus Barn's rustic steak and sides format.
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