Masaharu Morimoto (2015)

Does Ted Allen ever get to taste the food on Chopped?

he smells like Madagascar vanilla extract combined with 25 year barrel-aged Scotch.

I knew it. I knew it in my heart.

Hello Alex, big fan here.

1. On Chopped no one ever mentions the food being cold (or too hot). Due to the format of the show, as a judge do you just accept that the food will probably always be cold and must shift your focus on other aspects for critique?

2. Aside from Richard Blaise, it seems like celebrity chefs can only appear on the Food Network or shows like Top Chef/The Taste, but not both at the same time. Is this defined in your contract? Don't these entities realize that they all stand to benefit from a celebrity chef being more widely known/popular regardless of where they have been seen? I'd love to see you on Top Chef masters!

3. How often do you and other celebrity chefs (that you are friends with) actually cook in your restarants?

4. Are there any amazing chefs that you know who would no doubt be very popular "celebrity chefs" if they didn't prefer to stay out of the limelight? If so, can you drop any names?

5. Truffle oil and sriracha seem to be all the rage for people attempting to "elavate their food". What ingredients do you see as being the next big thing(s) on the horizon, and what ingredients do you wish would become more popular?

6. Finally, my wife has given me a free pass to make sweet sensual love to you and Amanda Freitag at the same time with our bodies smothered in nutella while Aarón Sánchez cheers us on. Can you please get the wheels in motion on making this dream a reality?

Thank you!

What's one dish you love but you would never cook yourself?

Alex, I'm a huge fan! You seem to really love what you do - I love your thoughtful critique of the dishes on Chopped. Two questions:

Have you ever experienced any challenges being a woman in this profession?

Also, what does Geoffrey Zakarian smell like?

Thanks!

Hi Alex,

How does the Chopped judges panel resolve disagreements about whose dish to put on the chopping block? Have such disagreements ever become heated?

P.S. my girlfriend and I love you!!

Hey Alex!! My wife and I watch Chopped a lot. I've always wondered, on average how long does filming for an episode take place? Is it an all day event or even a few days or just simply resolved in a matter of hours?

Have you ever tasted something on Chopped that was disgusting but you had to act professional for the sake of the show/competitor's feelings?

Hi Alex,

Do you ever get the urge to force feed Scott Conant an entire raw red onions? ha!

What are your thoughts on Anthony Bourdain?

Are there going to be any more Iron Chef America episodes? It appears that Food Network has cancelled the show, even though there is no official mention of it.

I feel like I lucked out happening to check out /r/IAmA and seeing that my favorite Chopped judge happened to be here! Your critiques are always mine and my girlfriend's favorites on the show.

I'm desperately trying to become a bit better in the kitchen (for an engineer who just started cooking frequently about 3 years ago) but I seem to have hit a little bit of a wall and I'm trying to figure out what I can do to improve my kitchen-sense. Any tips on how to develop my cooking further?

What's your favorite non-Food Network show?

Oh and: Chopped After Hours. Seriously, how drunk is everyone?

What would your daughter say is the best thing you make?

Hi Alex! It's so awesome that you're doing an AMA! What's the craziest risk you've seen someone take on Chopped and have it work out? And if you could be reincarnated as any food or drink, what would it be and why? :P :)

Who would you rather compete against: Gordon Ramsey or Bobby Flay?

Hi Chef Alex!! :) I am a huge fan of yours and love how empowering you are to other female chefs! Thank you for being such an effortlessly cool, honest, and intelligent inspiration!

You have such an incredible ability to create unique combinations out of simple ingredients (bell peppers and ice cream?!). I know it's an innate quality but obviously a lot of knowledge has to go into that too. How would you suggest home cooks start learning how to create nuances and interesting flavors with that "cheffy" quality?

Alex! I'm so glad to see you're doing an AMA! I wish I had something more substantive to ask, but since I live near NYC and have always wanted to go to Butter, what's the one thing you'd recommend I order?

Hello Alex, enjoy your cooking. Do you prefer a ribeye or ny strip? What is the best way to cook this protein? I hear about reverse sears and all that. I just want a good way to do it. 4 minutes each side for medium rare? Thanks. GO team Alex.

What is your favorite meal to prepare when you're home alone?

Hi Alex!
Nearly four years ago I served you a cupcake from Buttercup Bake Shop at the SHARE "Second Helping of Life" event, and it was basically the highlight of my bakery career. I'm a huge fan and always love watching your appearances on Food Network.

Question for you: What is one of your new favorite restaurants in NYC? Anyone/any place doing something that you find particularly inspiring or exciting?

Knowing how grueling life can be in the kitchen, would you want your daughter to follow in your footsteps?

What's your favorite type of cookie?

Hi Chef!

I am a huge Chopped Fan. My question for you is, when judging the chopped dishes – do those crazy meals actually taste good? Or do you sometimes have to say to yourself “Well, this is literally the best s/he could possibly do with Kimchi, Pickled Eggs and Cow’s eyeball”?

Also, I am frequently wrong with the overall winner. It sometimes seems like the winner is chosen by the entrée. How important is that last dessert course?

Why do you (and the other chopped judges) seem to dislike Truffle ~~Butter~~ Oil so much?

First and foremost, I adore you! One of my most favorite chefs ever.

Oftentimes, I really want to cook but I find out I am missing certain ingredients. What are your standby ingredient replacements when you are missing a certain kitchen staple?

Big fan! I love following you on Instagram and when I see you're judging on Chopped. What were your favorite things about living in France?

Hi Chef Guarnaschelli! You are my favorite chef on Chopped! What's your best advice for a newbie food blogger?

Thanks for doing this AMA, Chef Guarnaschelli! One of the things I've always wondered (as someone who loves to cook and loves food in general): do you have any strong aversions? How do you handle it when you have a strong aversion to something a lot of other people love? (For me, it's cilantro, I just can't have it no matter how it's included in a dish).

I remember from The Man Who Ate Everything by Steingarten that he just exposed himself to all the things that he thought he hated enough that he was able to quell his distaste for certain foods. Wondering if you've ever had to do this!

Thanks again!

What books do you think all young chefs and cooks should read to continue to grow and learn? Thanks for the AMA.

Hello Alex!

I've been a huge fan since I saw you as a judge when Chopped first premiered! You, along with Alton Brown and Gordon Ramsay, are by far my favorite chefs I've encountered. I just have a couple questions about cooking and the road to becoming a great chef:

1. How long do you think it took you to get a "kitchen sense"? In other words, how long did it take for you to gain a 6th sense, an instinct, for cooking for things such as: how long something has to cook; how ingredients work together; how to create recipes from random ingredients, etc.

2. Any essential tips you'd give to someone just starting out? I feel like I have the standard tips down, like keeping your knife sharp and having a good frying pan but I still feel like something's been missing over the couple years since I've started cooking.

3. Favorite type of meat/vegetable/spice/fruit to work with?

4. Do you have any tips for cooking for a large amount of people? The largest I've done was for 40 people. The menu was a standard mixed salad with almonds, fettucine chicken alfredo with a zuchinni substitute for dietary needs, and mini cheesecakes (cheesecakes made in a muffin tin), and that took an entire day to make, with cheesecakes taking an entire night to make/cool. All of the food was served buffet style so I had to make everything in advance then transfer it and everything was just chaotic because I only had my small kitchen to work with.

Do you have a guilty pleasure fast food place? Or do you try to stay away from them altogether?

What are you top 5 essential kitchen tools?

Did you ever have a kitchen accident so bad that it made you consider giving up cooking?

Hey Alex! I'm a huge fan! You have been such an inspiration to me and I just wanted to say thank you for that. I have a 4 year old son who loves watching and helping me cook. I was wondering if you could recommend a few things that would be perfect for us to cook together. I want to build memories in the kitchen with him. Any suggestions?

Have you ever had a Primanti's Sandwich and what did you think of it?

Hi Chef, I just wanted to say that you winning Next Iron Chef was probably my favorite moment in a culinary competition tv show. What is least favorite culinary trend right now, or ever for that matter? Also I love you.

Hi Alex, I'm a big fan!
Do you use organic food items on Chopped/Food Network?

I have an ambition to open my own restaurant alongside my pastry chef sister. We both have the determination and skill sets to perform this. However, I have not worked in a kitchen before and she has limited experience. What are some common mistakes and tips you have in making a restaurant successful?

Big fan, ate at butter last week finally and had a pleasant meal.

Hi, you're one of my favorite judges on Chopped.

Do you like peanut butter?

What are some of the dishes that can be made with peanut butter? Either savory or sweet.

Thank you

What's your favorite animal?

Chef Alex - I listened to your interview on Food is The New Rock and loved it! Are you listening to any new bands or recommend some tunes to play while cooking? Thanks!

If you had your own talk show, who would you want as your first guest?

Hi Alex- I love cooking/baking and watching you on Food Network is an inspiration!
I'm throwing a party this weekend...could you suggest an easy recipe for Chicken thighs that is a crowd pleaser???? Appreciate your advice! :)

Who washes the dishes on Chopped (Big fan, would be fun if the chopped folks had to wash their own dishes)?

Hi Alex! Thanks so much for doing this AMA! My husband & I are huge fans & love watching Chopped! Our work schedules are completely opposite so when we get a chance to watch some tv, it's always chopped.

My Question: You seem to be an extremely busy woman. How do you balance family life, TV & Butter? From your social media accounts you always seem to be on the go.

PS: I love following you on Instagram! Your daily posts of wonderful delicious food is lovely....& makes me extremely hungry. #yum #growlllll

What is your favorite junk food?

ALEX!! My hubby and I ate at Butter about 5 years ago on our honeymoon, and you came out and chatted with us for a few minutes because you're awesome. So thank you for that!

How do you balance running a restaurant, doing everything for Food Network, and being a mom? Do you have ANY time for yourself??

Hi Chef Alex! Thanks for being such a great inspiration. My question is this: as a young woman just starting out on my own and trying to start cooking great food at home instead of eating out all the time, I often find myself with a pretty bare pantry and no idea how to fill it. What ingredients are must-haves in your kitchen?

Hi Alex ! IF YOU HAD to choose between savory and sweet and what you chose would be all you had for the rest of your life which would you choose? Savory or sweet?? you cant have a wonderful blend of both either :I

Whose your favorite band or musician? Also, my parents call you my Mom because you walk like me and apparently you have the same build.

Many chefs get into the booze game - if you could launch an AG label for some kind of booze, what would it be?

What should I make for dinner tonight as a single male in my 20's?

I consider myself a passable cook, mostly just lacking in motivation after work.

If you were a guest on Sesame Street which character(s) would you most want to do your segment with?

Are you a creature of habit?
What position do you sleep in?
Do you believe that ignorance is bliss?

Hey Alex, I've loved how you cook in the kitchen and your demeanor as a whole.

What was absolutely the hardest thing you had to face as s chef when you first started, the challenge that almost broke the Camel's back so to speak?

Who's your favorite Formula 1 driver/team?

What's the best cut of meat and preparation method for beef fajitas?

Hello Chef!

I have a son that wants to be a chef someday (he's 14 right now) and we watch a lot of Chopped, Top Chef, and Master Chef Junior.

What do you think about doing a kids version of chopped?

Also,

Your mystery box ingredients are: Chicken Livers, Puffer fish, Chocolate and Lima Beans. WHAT DO YOU MAKE?!

Date night is coming up! What would you recommend I make for my girlfriend? She loves duck!

If you were cheese, what kind of cheese would you be and why?

What I should do with all of these fresh brussel sprouts?

I typically oven roast them with some sweet potatoes and bacon.

Non cooking related: You seem to be a bit of a automobile/racing fan. Have you ever been to the Goodwood Festival of Speed?

Huge Chopped fan, have done some amateur baskets with my friends. All that said, what is a dream appetizer basket for you? And a nightmare desert basket?

The toughest ingredient we ever used was a stalk of sugar cane. Any tips on what I could do with that?

All-Star Academy, Episode one:

When you chefs had to cook to decide which of you picked first, none of the chefs seemed that surprised. How far in advance did you know?

In what few shots we saw, your brussel sprouts didn't seem excessively charred. If it's going to feature that prominently in your worries and in Simon's comments, why didn't we see them?

General:

Do you ever have to fight media reps, or magazines to be referred to as one of the best chefs in the city/country/world instead of one of the best female chefs in the city/country/world?

Hi Alex! I'm a huge fan!

Your Instagram is filled with the most delicious looking dishes, but what are your top three meals of ALL TIME?

You've competed on quite a few of Food Network's cooking shows, which one was the hardest?

Any ideas on how to get back into cooking after some years of too much eating out?

Hi Alex, Huge fan..

I am taking my family to New Orleans and Destin next week. Do you have any suggestions for culinary yumminess that we should go partake in while in those places?