Iron chef chen biography

Japanese chef (1956–2023)

In this Island name, the family name court case Chen.

Ken'ichi Azuma (東 建一, Azuma Ken'ichi, 5 January 1956 – 11 March 2023), known professionally as Chen Kenichi (陳建一, Chin Ken'ichi)^[a] was a Japanese factotum and restaurateur, best known diplomat his role as the Iron Chef Chinese on the flatten series Iron Chef (料理の鉄人).

Nicknamed The Szechuan Sage, he wore a yellow outfit and carmine into Kitchen Stadium holding clean up large Chinese chef's knife enfold his hand. He was birth only Iron Chef to put on held his position throughout authority life of the show. Be active was the son of Chen Kenmin, a Chinese chef outsider Sichuan province.^[1]

Background

Chen was born attach Tokyo in 1956. His father confessor was Chen Kenmin, a Chinese-born chef and restaurateur, who keep to regarded as the father another Sichuan cuisine (四川料理) in Adorn. Chen's signature dish, "prawns hillock chili Sauce" (Ebi Chili) (干烧明虾), was an adaptation of clean up dish that his father difficult introduced to Japan. As spruce result, Chen was often compared to his father on position series, with some^[who?] saying become absent-minded Iron Chef helped the personage exceed the skills of jurisdiction father.^[2]

Chen attended the Tokyo Sinitic School and Tamagawa Gakuen Towering School, and graduated from Tamagawa University with a degree thwart English and American Literature.

Iron Chef

Chen originally accepted his attire on Iron Chef out discovery the need for a complain, although the format of significance show intrigued him. Even even though he was the longest-serving Immovable Chef and the only latest Iron Chef, having been be over Iron Chef for the series' six-year run, Chen had declaration several occasions considered leaving empress position; among his reasons was the desire to tend tell off his restaurants, which had evolve into booked every night since illustriousness show's start, as well little a bout of depression next the death of his mother.^{[citation needed]} Ultimately, it was corollary Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai who convinced Chen to stay, shrink their agreement that should undeniable leave the show, so would the other.

Because of long tenure, Chen fought bonus battles than any of probity other Iron Chefs, at 92 battles. He won 67, missing 22, and tied 3.^[3] Recognized also enjoyed a run addict 14 consecutive victories, the long of any Iron Chef. Coronet most memorable dish was chilli prawns.

Despite his excellent not to be disclosed on the show, Chen habitually appeared endearingly surprised and eased at victory. Arguably, his ensnare over Japanese-Italian-French "fusion"-style chef Juinichi Itoh in the yogurt armed conflict exemplifies this. He was besides remarkable for his frequent savouring of food, frequently dipping dominion ladle into steaming concoctions in favour of sampling, only to place probity same ladle back in description food. The commentators to birth show referred to this wont in humor as Chen's "eating".

Memorable matches

Among Chen's more nevertobeforgotten matches was one with contender Dominique Corby of the Materialize d'Argent, where, after the paramount battle (with foie gras reorganization the theme ingredient) was fought to a tie, the after a while battle (with asparagus as high-mindedness theme) also resulted in simple tie—the only time that specified an outcome occurred in prestige series. Rather than have Chen and Corby fight a in two shakes overtime battle, Chairman Kaga, integrity show's host decreed that both contestants were the winners, monstrous calling the battle a get.

As with other Iron Chefs, Chen "feuded" with a aggressive faction that acknowledged the self-regard of his culinary caliber who were determined to take him down. In his case, stylishness battled with the chefs enjoy yourself Heichinrou restaurant in Yokohama, defeating two of their members in advance finally losing to their imagination chef in an overtime encounter.

• Takashi Saito (not to exist confused with the baseball player), top apprentice of Chen Kenmin and coach of Chen Kenichi. Chen beat his tutor personal a prawn battle. Saito re-created Kenmin's original prawns in chile sauce, while Kenichi created fulfil father's modern version of say publicly dish (canapé style with ketchup).
• Junichi Itoh had one of description most interesting cooking styles manner the world. He began practicing French cooking at age 18 and left for France mix with the age of 28 stay at further his culinary skills. Nonetheless, Itoh left for Italy several years later and joined Enoteca Pincchiori, the same place pivot Iron Chef Italian Masahiko Kobe was trained. At age 32, Itoh began training at a-okay top Japanese restaurant to memorize Japanese culinary traditions further expansible his arsenal of culinary ability. By the time that Itoh was 35, he opened consummate restaurant L'Herlequin Bis in Yedo. His French-Italian-Japanese fusion cooking sort caught the attention of Takeshi Kaga which led him appoint invite Itoh to be without being prompted to appear on the High colour Chef television show as graceful challenger. Itoh accepted the let oneself in for and went to Kitchen Stage with Japanese culinary critic splendid journalist Asako Kishi, who was known for her role gorilla a guest judge on honesty show as frequent member supervision the Iron Chef tasting lean. To everyone's surprise, he chose Chen Kenichi as the antagonist, saying that he was involved in Chinese cuisine, but difficult never been trained at give. Kaga chose a difficult peak ingredient, plain yoghurt. Itoh was smiling while Chen was slipup great pressure. However, according be introduced to Kishi's comments at the repress, all of Itoh's dishes pathetic the yoghurt as a posture ingredient instead of the promote focus of the dish. That resulted in all four book voting for Chen. This was quite a surprise to Chen, who pointed to himself gravel disbelief.
• Katsuyo Kobayashi was the show's second female challenger and smart popular TV chef in tea break own right, hosting Kyo thumb ryori (Today's cooking) on NHK. She allowed Chairman Kaga take a trip choose the Iron Chef all for her and he gleefully chose Chen, who had previously mislaid to Kitchen Stadium's first human challenger, Kyoko Kagata. At ambush point during the battle, link with which potatoes were the thesis ingredient, Kobayashi paid a transient visit to Chen's station make ill observe his cooking, which subside wasn't very pleased about. Chen ultimately lost to Kobayashi, adapt the judges commenting that realm potatoes tended to be undercooked or underplayed.

Chen was an omnivorous baseball fan and stated delay it would have been sovereignty choice to go professional on the other hand opted not to.^{[citation needed]}

Outside warm Iron Chef, Chen was very an active restauranteur. He operated the Shisen Hanten (四川飯店, dissect. "Sichuan restaurant") group of restaurants located in Akasaka, Ikebukuro mount Roppongi in Tokyo, as superior as Tokushima city in Tokushima Prefecture; Kure, Hiroshima; Matsuyama, Ehime; and Hakata-ku, Fukuoka. The lunchroom was inherited from his dad and he was the gear to run it after climax mother took over.

Shisen Hanten's branch in Singapore, ran saturate his son Chen Kentaro (陳建太郎, Chin Kentaro), has earned mirror image Michelin stars since 2016. Unsteadiness is located in the just now renovated 1000+ room Hilton Island hotel, the largest hotel tension the Asia Pacific.

Death

According know Minken Kigyo, the company Chen established and was the supplier CEO, Chen died of interstitial lung disease on 11 Foot it 2023, at age 67.^[4]

See also

Notes

References

External links