Anyone who saw the three preview episodes? They were great, outside of a few things….

Bobby Flay  -  He’s a dick. Seriously, I’ve waited on him. Just a short, cocky, prick. Southwestern as haute cuisine?? That’s the sound of New Orleans laughing.

The tasting panel  -  Having chowed down on a few free meals doesn’t mean you know jack about food. On the Japanese version, celebrities were very informed about food.

That little weenie commentator  -  I swear, Alton Brown makes that guy (playing Fukui-san’s part) look like Lennie from Of Mice and Men. He must have been a bartender at Disney World or something.

Mario Batali’s cool on this show. His other shows made him look kinda cheesy. And Wolfie. I’ve got a soft spot for Wolfie, damn can he cook. I used to work for him. I’ve never met anyone who was as happy to be themselves as Wolfgang Puck.
And Alton Brown–the cheffie version of Bill Nye–the man is one of the only things worth watching on the Food Network, which seems to have devolved into "all BBQ all the time" of late. Has everyone been asleep at the wheel over there for the last 6 months?

But the best part of this premiere episode, it’s Bobby Flay versus Rick Bayless. If you go to Chicago, there is only ONE restaurant that you absolutely, positively can’t miss–Bayless’ Frontera Grill, the best Mexican north of the border. He will kick Bobbie’s ass.