And the secret ingredient is? Tomato. But chef Martin Rios of Santa Fe's creative use of the ingredient was not enough for him to defeat the "Iron Chef."
Sunday evening, more than 100 food lovers gathered at the Inn of the Anasazi in Santa Fe to watch Rios compete, via television broadcast, against celebrity chef Bobby Flay on The Food Network's "Iron Chef America."
Rios, chef at Inn of the Anasazi who recently announced he is leaving to be partner at Geronimo in the City Different, prepared five dishes in the competition. For the Sunday event, he re-created all of the dishes, plus dessert.
"My basic feeling watching the competition was that chef Rios' presentation was elegant, and beautiful on the plate and on the palate," said 73-year-old Rhoda Sherry of Santa Fe who attended the event. "What I saw in Flay's work was likely tasty but not in the same class."
On "Iron Chef America," competitors have 60 minutes to whip up a five-course meal using the secret ingredient. Rios' creations included: tomato and Camembert cheese tart; heirloom tomato and Maine lobster salad; tomato and roasted garlic turnover; tomato crusted black sea bass; and roasted lamb loin.
Flay, known for his Southwestern cuisine, served up bolder and spicier uses of tomato. In the end, judges scored Flay 26 and Rios 21 for taste, Flay 13 and Rios 11 for plating and Flay 13 and Rios 9 for originality. The total score was 52 to 41.
Rios says he would have liked to win, but has no regrets for going on national television. "I pretty much accomplished what I'm known for, which is fine dining and contemporary global cuisine," says Rios. "We are very happy because we left New York feeling like we were winners."
