America and Atlantic City’s ‘Next Iron Chef’

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The Borgata’s Geoffrey Zakarian won the distinctive Food Network honor  on the final episode of the show’s fourth season earlier this month.

By Frank Gabriel 

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Dec. 28, 2011

Zakarian: From Borgata to Food Network star

Atlantic City’s culinary rep got even more credibility last week with the announcement of Chef Geoffrey Zakarian having won the finale of the Food Network’s The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs competition. 

All hyperbole aside, the field of contenders read like a Who’s Who of modern American cuisine. 

With a lineup of Anne Burrell, Michael Chiarello, Elizabeth Faulkner, Alex Guarnaschelli, Chuck Hughes, Robert Irvine (another chef with long-time local experience) Spike Mendelsohn, Beau McMillian. Marcus Samuelsson and Geoffrey Zakarian, there wasn’t an easy out to be found anywhere. 

And yet, when the head-to-head closing aired, it was Zakarian — The Borgata’s Water Club’s culinary lifestyle consultant — versus San Francisco-based dessert wizard Faulkner. 

(In addition to his Water Club duties, Zakarian also currently serves as exec chef/partner in NYC eateries The Lambs Club and The National.) 

Stylistically, the pair was about as Yin/Yang as one could imagine. 

Faulkner is perceived as an inventive, free-form, risk-taking persona while Zakarian is a master technician with his approach firmly rooted in traditional French fashion. 

The challenge: to create a classic, three-course holiday feast from an array of traditional items. 

But as all good Iron Chef fans know, there had to be added twists and surprises along the way. 

They began work with a cornucopia that included crown roast of beef, squash and parsnips. 

First, at about 20 minutes in, cranberries were added to that list of ingredients as a mandatory item. 

And the chefs were given the opportunity to pick one of their former “cheftestants” to briefly assist. 

Zakarian successfully lobbied for his Chopped colleague Guarnashelli, and Faulkner agreed. 

Next, a few minutes later, ice cream makers were revealed and chefs were asked to also prepare a frozen dessert. 

Finally, with just over 10 minutes of that precious hour remaining, martini glasses got the reveal with Faulkner and Zakarian asked to provide a holiday libation. 

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