[Interest Check] Iron Chef RPG?

[Sanji Himura]

[Interest Check/SU/D] Iron Chef RPG?

Hi, I'll keep this short and sweet for now, but would any of you be interested in participating in an Iron Chef RPG? This RPG(s) would be based on the Fuji TV and Food Network versions of the show depending on the time of year. If interested, I'll turn this thread into a sign up/discussion thread.

Okay, I'll explain a bit of how the game will be run.

Each "RPG Episode" will follow the course of one "lost" episode of Iron Chef. To keep things flowing, I will automatically assume the parts of the time keeper, Fukui-san and Chairman Kaga(or the time keeper and The Chairman on ICA episodes), though I reserve the right to take the part of a judge if we need it. Each part on a typical episode will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis. Generally, this is what we will need per each episode:

Iron Chef Japan
1 CHALLENGER
1 IRON CHEF*
1 OTHA
1 HATTORI
3-4 JUDGES (one or two of them MUST sit with Fukui and Hattori to help provide running commentary)

Iron Chef America
1 CHALLENGER
1 IRON CHEF*
1 KEVIN BRAUCH
1 ALTON BROWN
3 JUDGES (All three of the judges must provide some form of color commentary when called upon. NOTE: Alton, you must introduce them first)

Iron Chef Japan 2012**
1 NOMINEE(Challenger)
1 IRON CHEF*
1 FLOOR REPORTER^
1 HATTORI
2 TSUJI ANALYSTS
5 JUDGES (four of which will sit with Sano, Hattori and the two analysts)

*There will be no OC Iron Chefs. Take what you can get, and stay in character.
** In this format, I will assume the parts of the Chairman, time keeper and Sano san to keep the game flowing.
^ Yurika Mita is the floor reporter. Daisuke Miyagawa will only be used on special occasions.

Post format

Dialog:

[character name]: [what you are saying]

Cooking action:

*Flips the wok.*

Out of character discussions should remain in this thread. Floor Reporter communiques may be taken via PMs so that the other side doesn't get what the other side is doing, and it helps with show flow.

BATTLE GUIDELINES

When you choose a character to play in the Iron Chef RPG, you must try to act as much like that character as possible. Do not choose Iron Chef Sakai and cook all Chinese dishes. Also, do not put words into you character's mouth that they would not have said on the television series. Be respectful toward whomever you are portraying.

Make sure to clearly state everything and anything that has to do with the battle. Be as precise as you can when describing dish preparation and presentation, and volunteer as much information as you can to Ohta.

Post as often as possible. Players who do not post at least once a day hold up the RPG, and ruin the experience for all players. It is understanable if something has come up in one's life and they cannot post, but doing so regularly under regular circumstances is not permitable.

It is the job of the announcers to keep the battle moving in slow moments. Speak as much as possible, no matter what your position.

Absolutely no profanity or suggestive language is allowed. Also, flaming will not be tolerated.

JUDGING RULES AND GUIDELINES:

The following guidelines will be used for scoring:

Taste (10 Points)
1) First and foremost, do the dishes the chef made sound good to you? Would you eat them and enjoy them?

Originality (5 Points)
1) Are the dishes the chef created original?
2) How unique were the chef's cooking methods and final products?

Presentation (5 Points)
1) How well did the chef describe what they were doing during the battle? Because we cannot visually see what the chef has plated, his or her in-battle descriptions are extremely important. Were they specific in how they performed each cooking step? Did the chef make any part of the dish without describing the cooking process?
2) How was the player's battle effort? Did they post at least once after every time call? Were they on time in their posts? Did they hold up the battle?
3) Is the chef's described plating of a dish appealing?

Remember to be honest when judging, but not overly brutal. Also, saying a chef did something that was never actually stated by the chef is strictly off-limits. You cannot say a chef burned a dish without the chef saying that he or she did just that in the RPG. If you spot a cooking flaw in the preparation, then you are free to exploit their mistake, but DO NOT put actions into chefs' mouths.

 

[Sanji Himura]

So you Want to be a Chef

You've signed up for the RP, you've been introduced, the secret ingredient has been unveiled dramatically by the Chairman (or his nephew

), and you have posted the obligatory sprint for the ingredient and have your sous chefs prepping the food while you figure out just what the heck to do next.

Don't despair, better yet have fun!

It is actually a lot of fun to play a chef on the Iron Chef RPG's and anyone can do it. You just need to decide if you want to use the easy method or the detailed one. Either works just fine and you won't lose any "points" from using the easy way.


Either way Step one is exactly the same, come up with a menu. Be creative, do a google search for recipes or use one of these sites: (links)

All Recipes
Recipe.com
Recipe Source
Recipezaar
Epicurious
Cooks.com
My Recipes
Cooking.com

You need 3-6 dishes for an ICJ RPG or 5 even for ICA. Don't be afraid to try something unusual. Use the ingredient in a new way. Or just come up with something completely off the top off your head. You do get "points" for creativity after all.

Picked your dishes? Good, the hard part is finished.


Step two is to break up your "cooking" into 8-9 parts. Time is called in 5 minute increments. Your first 5 is used in prep and your mad scramble for a menu. The last 10-15 is used for plating. Sooo... now for the 2 different approaches.


Easy method: Break your dishes into parts of the menu and just tell them what you are making one piece at a time.

"I am making a brioche (bread) with mushrooms and spinach. The Spinach has been chopped and added inside and the mushrooms will be added to the top before cooking."​

Make it as simple or detailed as you want. "Accidents" can be fun and break up the action. Also don't be afraid to change your menu as you go. The commentators can make some really good suggestions at times.

Detailed Method: Break down your recipes into their basic ingredients and techniques and chart about what time they have to be used when cooking.

For example you have 3 recipes; "A" needs to be pressure cooked for 40 minutes, "B" only takes 5 minutes to assemble and 10 to cook, and "C" requires 3 steps each taking about 10 minutes each. So you list it:

• Prep and start the pressure cooker recipe ("A")
• The first two steps of "C"
• The prep for "B" and begin cooking
• 3rd step for "C"
• Remove "A" from the heat and depressurize
• Plating

You will need more posts of course but you get the delight of making the judges and announcers wonder just what you are up to until you actually plate it in the last 2-3 posts. If you don't want to make a list in order you can always just put a general time next to the parts of the recipes you intend to highlight and check your menu before each post. Also remember you don't have to tell them everything you are doing; you can always work on something "on the sly" and pull it out if you want.


Step three: Plating. No matter which method you use this is where you try and impress them with your detailed plating. Since you don't have a picture and your budget is unlimited go for it. Shave those truffles over the top. Put several sauces on the same plate, paint them on if you like. Mounds of microgreens and little curly cues. Whatever you want, you got. Don't you wish we could cook like that at home?


Step four: Write up a description of your dishes that make them sound as delicious as possible. Remember they can't see your food (lucky for us) so do your best to make them droooooool.

Send the description to MA for posting after time is called.


Step five: When it is your turn to present either post the description you have already made or write a presentation to the judges (or both) including any instructions on how to eat your dish. Try and let 3 out of the 4 judges respond before presenting the next dish (or all 3 in ICA) but if it has been 24 hours since your last post go right ahead anyway.


After all that is finished you just sit back and let the judges tell you how great you did!

A couple of comments:

1. Remember that you have two assistants as part of your team. If your character is busy with task A for dish 1, one of them should do task B for dish 2, etc.

2. Don't get caught in the "order trap" -- i.e. creating the "dishes" in the order that they're to be served. Depending on the recipes you use, your "dessert" could be finished and plated well before your appetizer.

3. Words are good -- pictures are better. If you can find a public-domain picture that resembles the dish you have in mind, there's no rule that says you can't post it. (Even better would be if you could create your own artwork, but don't feel pressured to do so.)

4. Playing the Iron Chef: if you decide to play the Iron Chef, remember that there are certain bits of "business" that the IC will do, unique to each one. For example:

Iron Chef Japanese Rokusaburo Michiba -- writing the menu out in Japanese calligraphy, use of European ingredients in Japanese recipes

Iron Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai -- will grumble about the theme ingredient if it's not used in European cuisine, uses ring molds for preparing at least one dish, very fast peeling and knife skills

Iron Chef Chinese Chen Kenichi -- will write out ingredient lists, tastes often, will incorporate stir-fry techniques and use spicy pastes and sauces a lot

Iron Chef Japanese Koumei Nakamura -- will improvise a cooking technique setup, e.g. turning an empty waste bin into a smoker, very skillful in presentation

Iron Chef Italian Masahiko Kobe -- always runs to collect the theme ingredient, includes at least one fresh-made pasta dish

Iron Chef Japanese Masaharu Morimoto -- incorporates Western processed foods into some preparation, will use unorthodox techniques (i.e. hair dryer) in food preparation, will dabble in techniques used in molecular gastronomy

Iron Chef Bobby Flay -- commonly relies on a variety of chili peppers to create sauces, will use the grill if theme ingredient is a meat

Iron Chef Mario Batali -- uses the same sous-chefs (Mark Ladner and Anne Burrell), will discuss menu with them in a huddle, compliments Alton whenever he correctly identifies an unfamiliar ingredient, at least one dish will feature pasta, may use ingredients from Southeast Asia

Iron Chef Cat Cora -- recipes will have Greek / Mediterranean influence; at least one dish will use "carnival food" as layout inspiration; drinks ouzo at the end of the battle

Iron Chef Michael Symon -- will banter with Alton and Kevin; also Greek-influenced, at least one dish will use piling as a plating technique, finally uses a butcher's cut of meat in at least one of his dishes.

Iron Chef Jose Garces -- Latin influenced.*

Iron Chef Marc Forgione -- Modern American influenced.*

Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian -- Also Modern American influenced.*

Iron Chef Yosuke Suga -- French influenced. Drinks Champagne at the end of the battle.*

Iron Chef Wakiya Yuji -- "Neo" Chinese influenced.*

Iron Chef Jun Kurogi -- Japanese influenced. Make mention of the rack of knives on his counter. *

*More information is needed.