The Deadbolt Interview - Savoring Victory with Jose Garces of The Next Iron Chef

Savoring Victory with Jose Garces of The Next Iron Chef
by Troy Rogers

After winning the very first challenge in the second season premiere of The Next Iron Chef, chef Jose Garces went on to battle his fellow culinary competitors for eight weeks through thirteen events to become the winner of The Next Iron Chef. An award winning chef beyond The Next Iron Chef, Jose Garces is also a respected businessman and owner of five restaurants in Philadelphia and Chicago. Although Jose faced stiff competition in chefs Amanda Freitag, Seamus Mullen, and finalist Jehangir Mehta, Garces sealed his Sunday night victory in a head-to-head Iron Chef battle of racks and ribs, that also featured beef, pork and buffalo meat.

The next day after Jose Garces was crowned the second season winner of The Next Iron Chef, we caught up with the recent kitchen victor to find out where the win ranks in his career, what advice he'd give to future competitors, his favorite dishes away from the professional kitchen, and how Jose feels about his future Iron Chef America battle against chef Rachel Yang.

THE DEADBOLT: In terms of your culinary accomplishments, where does this victory sit?

JOSE GARCES: Wow, pretty high up there. I won the James Beard Best Chef Mid-Atlantic this year and that was a huge accomplishment for me. It was something I didn't think could be topped and this might be up there [laughs]. It took me several years to really gain that recognition and win the Beard award, but this title is right there. It's pretty high up there.

THE DEADBOLT: What advice would you give future up and coming Iron Chef hopefuls?

GARCES: Iron Chef competitors or guys that want to become an Iron Chef?

THE DEADBOLT: Competitors.

GARCES: [laughs] Competitors, well, I don't want to give them any advice. I want them to do their thing. I would just say come in the kitchen with an open mind and stick to your focus, stick to what you do best. I know for me I don't try to match my style up with anyone. I just do what I do and I think that's served me well.

THE DEADBOLT: How do you feel about going up against Rachel Yang in your first Iron Chef America challenge?

GARCES: Well, I think she's going to be a tough chef. She's going to be very competitive for me and I'm looking forward to it.

THE DEADBOLT: You mentioned that you liked the blast chiller. What piece of equipment did you like the least?

GARCES: You know, I don't think there was one I was particularly unhappy with. Everything works there pretty well. They've got pretty good brands of equipment. So the tools are just a function of getting our food onto a plate. So most of the equipment there is top notch.

THE DEADBOLT: What's your favorite type of food outside of the dishes you normally prepare?

GARCES: I go through phases of ethnic food cravings. So lately we've been doing this great Dim Sum place in Philly. We've been having these giant pork soup dumplings and scallion pancakes. So I go through phases of just good ethnic foods and then next week might be Indian. I might search out a few good Indian spots and try to enjoy that.

THE DEADBOLT: Are there plans for another cook book?

GARCES: There is, actually. We're hopeful to do more of a home oriented, or what I would do at home, cook book. I'm planning to kind of vary the styles. My last book was very professional. So this book we may bring back home and then the third book may be, again, a more professional serious book.

THE DEADBOLT: So it's just a matter of finding the time I guess?

GARCES: Ah, yes. That could be the key [laughs].

-- Troy Rogers