How to Become an Iron Chef

Getting on the Traditional Iron Chef Show

Keep a lookout for casting calls. Cooking competition shows that you watch may hold regular casting calls for new seasons. You can find information on the casting call on the show’s website or they may make an announcement on social media. Many shows that are featured on the Food Network regularly.

Apply to get on different cooking shows. Iron Chef contestants are mostly well-known chefs who have competed on other shows or own multiple successful restaurants. Once you find an open casting call, fill out an application or send the casting director an e-mail. You’ll have to fill out an application and give the show’s producers your personal information, experience, and any relevant social media links or websites. Televised cooking competitions include Top Chef, Master Chef, Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay, and Cake Wars. You’ll most likely have to send in headshots and video along with your application.

Inject drama into your performance in the competition. Smack talk and create tension and rivalry among your opponents. The more conflict and drama you create, the more interesting and memorable you'll be. This can get the attention of an Iron Chef producer or casting director. Bobby Flay faced off against Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto four times before being invited to become an Iron Chef himself. In their first battle, Flay leaped onto the table to exclaim his excitement but Morimoto thought it was disrespectful. This created more drama. In addition to their face off, Flay has a number of successful restaurants across the U.S. and won a Michelin star in 2008.

Ask producers from other shows to connect you to Iron Chef producers. Once you compete and win other shows on the network, make sure that you save contact information for the people that you work with. They may know someone who works on Iron Chef or may know the right person to pass the information to. There are typically no open auditions or applications to compete on Iron Chef. You may have to win multiple televised cooking competitions in order to be considered for the Iron Chef show.

Watch for an invitation to compete. Once you have a discussion with producers, they may reach out to you to compete on the show. This will only happen if you have the expertise and experience to be considered. This can come through actual culinary industry experience or by being on cooking shows frequently. Networking with big names in the industry could give you the relationship you need to compete in the competition. While beating an Iron Chef may increase your chances to be invited to become one, it does not guarantee that you will become an Iron Chef.

Winning Iron Chef Competition Shows

Practice cooking a variety of ingredients with different techniques. Both “Iron Chef Gauntlet” and “The Next Iron Chef” throw challenges and obstacles in front of the competitors. Work with different and unusual proteins like urchin or tendon just in case there's a challenge that requires you to use it. A variety of cooking techniques will impress the judges and could give you an edge in the competition. Some basic cooking techniques include flambéing, poaching, and braising. If you cook a protein in a non-traditional way, it will catch the eyes of the judges.

Make food the judges like to beat your competitors. The only way to win the competition is to win each individual challenge until all of the other competitors are eliminated. In order to win, you’ll have to go above and beyond and cook with passion and energy. The food that you produce will have to be some of the best food you’ve ever made.

Win “Iron Chef Gauntlet” or “The Next Iron Chef” competition shows. Both of the shows “Iron Chef Gauntlet” and “The Next Iron Chef” give contestants the opportunity to claim the title of Iron Chef. These contestants are chosen by the network from a pool of talented and noteworthy chefs who have made previous appearances on the show or own their own restaurants and have a ton of experience. The casting director will reach out to contestants. There is no open application process.

Defeat all the existing Iron Chefs if you’re on Iron Chef Gauntlet. If you manage to eliminate all other competitors, you’ll have the final challenge of defeating all 3 existing Iron Chefs. If any of them eliminates you in a challenge, you will not earn the title of Iron Chef. If you do beat all 3 Iron Chefs, you’ll receive a contract from the network and a position as an Iron Chef.

Building Your Skills and Notoriety

Go to a culinary school. At school, you’ll learn how to cook food, make sauces, and source ingredients. Most culinary schools also teach traditional French techniques. This will set the foundation you need for a career in food. Top culinary schools include the Culinary Institute of America in the USA, Two Bordelais in France, and Castello di Vicarello in Italy.

Work as a cook. Before you can even consider becoming an Iron Chef, you’ll need real-world experience cooking food in a restaurant. This usually means applying and getting a job as a line cook before getting promoted to a higher position in the kitchen. Look for jobs in your area on popular job boards or visit local restaurants and ask the manager if they need any help in the kitchen. Many times you'll also be tasked with prepping and cleaning the kitchen.

Get promoted to sous chef. Before you become an executive chef you’ll need years of experience being a sous chef, otherwise known as the second in command. As a sous chef, you'll be tasked with preparing dishes, managing staff, and ordering supplies. There are many responsibilities as a sous chef and everyone other than the executive chef will view you as their superior in the kitchen.

Become an executive chef of a restaurant. Once you get experience working in a kitchen for a couple of years as a sous chef and have the ability to create your own recipes, you can apply to become an executive chef. Being an executive chef means you’ll set the menu, source the ingredients, manage cooks, and create the recipes for the food. You'll have to lead and set the example for other people in the kitchen. This is an incredibly intense and stressful job that requires a lot of work, dedication, and long hours.

Own your own restaurant. All of the Iron Chefs that are on the show own multiple restaurants around the world. To be at their caliber, you’ll also have to own at least one renowned restaurant.

Win cooking awards. Awards like a Michelin Star and James Beard Award designate some of the most talented chefs and best restaurants in the world. Winning either of these awards will boost your notoriety as a chef and give you the credentials you need to be on top cooking shows. There are also other awards you can win from websites like Eater and other local and regional cooking awards. Michelin Star award nominees are selected by visits from an anonymous inspector. To earn a James Beard award you or your restaurant must be nominated for one. You can nominate yourself.