Andy DehnartNext Iron Chef 2 winner Jose Garces beat Jehangir Mehta on Sunday’s finale of the Food Network series, and will appear on Iron Chef for the first time in mid-January. He was selected by the annoying judging panel–seriously, has there ever been a more excruciatingly whiny group of judges than Donatella Arpaia, Jeffrey Steingarten, and Anya Fernald?–and Iron Chefs Flay, Morimoto, and Symon, who was last season’s winner.
Because of the judges, and the overall industrial feel to the show, I’m not a huge fan. I’m also not fond of the challenges, although perhaps all of it’s just to prepare them for the not-quite-reality show that is Iron Chef. I’d much rather have two seasons a year of Next Food Network Star and Susie and Bob.
Anyway, Garces be hosting Thanksgiving dinner for his family and three others at his house, and he plans to deep fry a turkey after brining it for 24 hours. Deep frying “locks in all the juice and flavors and cooks in much less time,” he told USA TODAY.