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Garces vs. Medina: Battle Mexican Chocolate
February 13

The Challenger: Chef Julian Medina, born and raised in Mexico City, where he honed his interest in Mexican cuisine. What he does now is French techniques in Mexican ingredients, which you can sample in his restaurant, Toloache in Manhattan. Today, he challenges the only other Latin chef in Kitchen Stadium, Iron Chef Jose Garces. 

Prepare for battle.

The Crib Sheet:

GARCES Jessica Mogardo & Tim Spinner, sous-chefs	VS	MEDINA Venancio Tapia & JC Pavlovich, sous-chefs
Latin American	COOKING STYLE	Mexican French Fusion

The Theme Ingredient: Nuggets and patties of Mexican chocolate, with and without almonds.

The Rules: Each chef must create a five-course meal, with each course utilizing the theme ingredient, within 60 minutes. The judges will score the dishes on a 20-point scale: 10 points taste, 5 points plating and presentation, 5 points creativity and use of ingredient. The chef that best articulates the theme ingredient through their dishes wins.

The battle clock is set at 60 minutes, which will start when the Chairman, with full heart and empty stomach, utters the words of his dear uncle.... "Allez cuisine!"

And Battle Mexican Chocolate is ON! The fifth chocolate battle in Kitchen Stadium history, this one is dealing with only the Mexican variety. It's a lot more grainy than standard American fare. Nothing is in the chocolate other than roasted nibs ground up with sugar and cinnamon. It is never conched, that is rolled into the melt-in-your-mouth texture that we know of.

Tonight's Judges
- Actor/host John O'Hurley ("Family Feud")
- PR specialist Karine Bakhoum (KB Network News)
- Master chocolatiers Michael & Rick Mast

"Five seconds... three... two... one... " And Battle Mexican Chocolate is history. Put it down and walk away.

TASTING & JUDGMENT

Medina:

- Scallop over Chocolate Tamal de Olla
- Arepa de Puerco: Pork Belly Slider
- Black Cod with Mancha Manteles
- Duck Breast with Chocolate Mole
- Chocolate Panna Cotta and Hot Chocolate

Garces:

- Kobe Beef Tartare & Beet Tartare
- Mexican Chocolate Linguine with Smoked Duck
- Mexican Chocolate Tamale and Chocolate-Crusted Iberian Pork Loin
- Canela Waffle with Mexican Chocolate Sauce
- Mexican Chocolate Atole and Doughnuts with Mexican Chocolate Sauce

An interesting variation of flavors from savory to sweet. This is going to be a close one. Whose cuisine reigns supreme? By a very very... VERY... narrow margin...

... 72-71 in favor of Iron Chef Jose Garces. It was a very close match indeed, but the Iron Chef's creativity outscored the challenger's taste by a razor-thin margin of one.

Until next battle, we bid you good eating.

To see this episode in its entirety, go to www.foodnetwork.com/ica.