Time - INT (2022-06-20)

81

REVIEW

IRON CHEF

DINES AGAIN DINES AGAIN

The Chairman returns The Chairman returns

to his iron throneto his iron throne

Iron Chef was, in its own way, as

vital to the early Food Network vital to the early Food Network

as Emeril Lagasse. Imaginative, as Emeril Lagasse. Imaginative,

idiosyncratic, and awkwardly idiosyncratic, and awkwardly

dubbed into English, the ’90s dubbed into English, the ’90s

Japanese cooking showdown Japanese cooking showdown

didn’t just pave the way for didn’t just pave the way for

competitions like competitions like Chopped;Chopped;

it also made space for weird it also made space for weird

gastronomy on a platform that gastronomy on a platform that

specialized in practical tips for specialized in practical tips for

home cooks. Next came home cooks. Next came Iron Iron

Chef AmericaChef America—a slicker, less —a slicker, less

whimsical adaptation hosted by whimsical adaptation hosted by

Alton Brown. Among the cast of Alton Brown. Among the cast of

stateside Iron Chefs were such stateside Iron Chefs were such

network stalwarts as Bobby Flay network stalwarts as Bobby Flay

and Mario Batali.and Mario Batali.

It’s a sign of shifting times for It’s a sign of shifting times for

food TV that food TV that Iron Chef: Quest for Iron Chef: Quest for

an Iron Legendan Iron Legend arrives via Netfl ix, arrives via Netfl ix,

which has also, in recent years, which has also, in recent years,

scooped up global breakout scooped up global breakout The The

Great British Baking ShowGreat British Baking Show and and

debuted its own hit international debuted its own hit international

baking-competition franchise baking-competition franchise

in in Nailed It!Nailed It! While the streamer While the streamer

has tweaked the new season for has tweaked the new season for

binge value, it mostly resembles binge value, it mostly resembles

the U.S. remake. Brown returns, the U.S. remake. Brown returns,

joined by affable joined by affable Top ChefTop Chef winner winner

Kristen Kish. “Chairman” Mark Kristen Kish. “Chairman” Mark

Dacascos is as gamely campy as Dacascos is as gamely campy as

ever. Culinary heavy hitters like ever. Culinary heavy hitters like ever. Culinary heavy hitters like

Dominique Crenn join the typical Dominique Crenn join the typical

roster of overexposed stars roster of overexposed stars

(Curtis Stone, Marcus Samuels-(Curtis Stone, Marcus Samuels-

son) as Iron Chefs. A more casual son) as Iron Chefs. A more casual

judges’ table and the lack of com-judges’ table and the lack of com-

mercial breaks further update the mercial breaks further update the

show for streaming. It isn’t the show for streaming. It isn’t the

Japanese original, but nothing Japanese original, but nothing

ever will be. —ever will be. —J.B.J.B.

IRON CHEF: QUEST FOR AN IRON IRON CHEF: QUEST FOR AN IRON

LEGENDLEGENDis on Netflix on June 15 is on Netflix on June 15

In addition to writing the source In addition to writing the source

material, you were the creator, a material, you were the creator, a

co-showrunner, and an executive co-showrunner, and an executive

producer on the series. What producer on the series. What

did you learn about making TV? did you learn about making TV?

It was a real jump in the deep end. It was a real jump in the deep end.

I’d never worked in TV before. I’d never worked in TV before.

Filmmaking is kind of like a military Filmmaking is kind of like a military

operation where everybody knows operation where everybody knows

what their job is. As a showrunner, what their job is. As a showrunner,

you’re sort of the air-traffi c you’re sort of the air-traffi c

controller.controller.

Lola Tung makes her debut as Lola Tung makes her debut as

the teen protagonist, Belly. Tell the teen protagonist, Belly. Tell

me about the casting process: me about the casting process:

What did she bring to the role? What did she bring to the role?

I was looking for somebody who I was looking for somebody who

genuinely felt like a teenage genuinely felt like a teenage

girl going through this sort of girl going through this sort of

awakening. We saw many young awakening. We saw many young

women and everyone brought women and everyone brought

something special, but I found that something special, but I found that

when I was watching Lola’s tape when I was watching Lola’s tape

I was just really rooting for her. I felt I was just really rooting for her. I felt

like a proud mom at the Olympics, like a proud mom at the Olympics,

waiting to see if she would nail the waiting to see if she would nail the

landing—and she did. landing—and she did.

A major new plot point of the show A major new plot point of the show

is an annual debutante ball. Why is an annual debutante ball. Why

did you add that to the story? did you add that to the story?

As I was adapting As I was adapting Summer,Summer,

I was thinking a lot about visual I was thinking a lot about visual

representations of coming of age representations of coming of age

and how many different cultures and how many different cultures

celebrate that moment, like a celebrate that moment, like a

quinceañera or a coming-out quinceañera or a coming-out

ball or a bat mitzvah. To me, [the ball or a bat mitzvah. To me, [the

setting] being this sort of wealthy setting] being this sort of wealthy

world, it felt like a great opportu-world, it felt like a great opportu-

nity to bring that to life. And I do nity to bring that to life. And I do

love a ball.love a ball.

You’ve talked about pitching You’ve talked about pitching To To

All the BoysAll the Boys and hearing sugges- and hearing sugges-

tions that Lara Jean be made tions that Lara Jean be made

a white character. Do you feel a white character. Do you feel

we’re past that now?we’re past that now? It wasn’t so It wasn’t so

much that some specifi c nefari-much that some specifi c nefari-

ous producer was saying the ous producer was saying the

character should be white—it was character should be white—it was

that nobody wanted to make the that nobody wanted to make the

movie with an Asian lead.movie with an Asian lead.

Did those conversations go Did those conversations go

differently for differently for SummerSummer?? Yes, and Yes, and

I think I think To All the BoysTo All the Boys was a big was a big

part of that difference. In the teen part of that difference. In the teen

space we hadn’t seen the lead be space we hadn’t seen the lead be

an Asian American girl, and that an Asian American girl, and that

movie was successful. So it was movie was successful. So it was

a lot easier to move forward.a lot easier to move forward.

A character tells Belly that no A character tells Belly that no

one ever really gets over their one ever really gets over their

fi rst love. Do you agree?fi rst love. Do you agree? I agree I agree

in the sense that you never really in the sense that you never really

forget your fi rst love. I have a forget your fi rst love. I have a

stronger memory of high school stronger memory of high school

love than I do of some people in love than I do of some people in

my 20s. There’s something so my 20s. There’s something so

potent and powerful about being potent and powerful about being

really young, never having been really young, never having been

bruised by love before, and going bruised by love before, and going

into it so wholeheartedly without into it so wholeheartedly without

fear—you can get a lot more fear—you can get a lot more

hurt by the experience, but I also hurt by the experience, but I also

think there’s so much you gain. think there’s so much you gain.

It’s not even just that person you It’s not even just that person you

remember, but it’s who you were remember, but it’s who you were

in that moment. in that moment.

——Lucy FeldmanLucy Feldman

QUICK TALK

Jenny Han

The author of The author of To All the Boys I’ve Loved BeforeTo All the Boys I’ve Loved Before on the on the

TV adaptation of her 2009 novel, TV adaptation of her 2009 novel, The Summer I Turned Pretty,The Summer I Turned Pretty,

which premieres June 17 on Amazon Primewhich premieres June 17 on Amazon Prime

◁

Han makes

the jump to

television for television for

the fi rst timethe fi rst time

◁

Han makes

the jump to

television for

the fi rst time

IRON CHEF: NETFLIX; HAN: TAYLOR MILLER—BUZZFEED NEWS/REDUX

REVIEW