MELBOURNE, Feb 10 — The original Iron Chefs from Japan will be reuniting for a series of special dinners in Melbourne, Australia this weekend where they will cook with local, Australian ingredients.

The programme that could be credited with kicking off the modern-day phenomenon of televised, competitive cooking shows was a cult favorite among TV viewers around the world during the 1990s for throwing some of Japan’s top chefs into the pressure cooker.

For two nights, a pair of familiar faces will reunite at the RACV City Club in Melbourne to prepare a six-course dinner for Australian fans.

Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai, who represented French cuisine; Iron Chef Masahiko Kobe, who represented Italian cuisine; and Kentaro Chen, son of Iron Chef Chinese Kenichi Chen, will band together to prepare a meal that uses fresh, local and seasonal Australian ingredients.

According to Good Food Australia, the menu will consist of ocean trout, spanner crab, and local duck, and dishes will be paired with local wines and Japanese sake.

The chefs have also brought along an entourage of Japanese media, as the event will be televised for Japanese viewers.

The event is being held February 14 and 15. News that the original Iron Chefs would be making a rare appearance in Melbourne helped tickets sell out soon after going online. — AFP-Relaxnews