“Iron Chef American” Todd English, who graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America, is currently the chef and owner of 13 restaurants around the country including Olives in Charlestown, Mass., and four different branches of Fig in the Boston area.  His interpretive cuisine, inspired by his Mediterranean training, has drawn national and international recognition. Named one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world by People magazine this year, the 6’3” chef was born in Texas and grew up in Atlanta with boyhood dreams of becoming a competitive baseball player. He is "Captain America.”

“Iron Chef French” Jean Francios Meteigner began his culinary career as an apprentice at the famous three-star Troisgros in Roanne, France.  He went on to Paris where he worked at the three-star L’Archestrade.  In 1980 he came to the United States to become executive chef at L’Orangerie in Los Angeles.  In October 1994, he opened the elegant La Cachette, where, as chef/owner, he continues to create innovative recipes.  He is the "Battering Bon Vivant.”

 

“Italian Iron Chef” Alessandro Stratta is an award-winning chef who creates his world-class cuisine at the Mobil five-star Renoir restaurant located at the Mirage Resort in Las Vegas.  Stratta, named Best Chef Southwest by the James Beard Foundation in 1998, is a fourth-generation restaurateur and hotelier.  He is the "Italian Scallion.”

 

 

“Iron Chef Asian” Roy Yamaguchi, born in Tokyo and raised in Hawaii, brought the East to the West when he founded the Roy’s Restaurants concept in Hawaii in 1998 following 12 years of working in some of Los Angeles’ finest restaurants.  Today, Roy’s Restaurants has 23 locations worldwide including the four major Hawaiian Islands, California, New York City and Tokyo.  He is the "Samurai of Stir Fry.”

 

and Cast

Challenger Chef Kerry Simon of Prime at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas has two passions – rock-and-roll and food. It was his passion for music that led him to the kitchen by delivering pizzas to earn money to buy a guitar. The Culinary Institute of America graduate honed his skills with mentor Jean-Georges Vongerichten and at such prestigious restaurants as La Cote Basque and the Edwardian Room at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.  Next he traveled to London to work as a private chef and develop his own style of cooking before returning to New York and Las Vegas.

 

Challenger Chef Marcus Samuelsson of Aquavit at the age of 30 has received more accolades than most chefs receive in a lifetime.  The Ethiopian-born, Swedish-adopted Samuelsson was the youngest chef ever to receive a three-star restaurant review from The New York Times. In 1999, the James Beard Foundation honored him as best “Rising Star Chef”; he was awarded a four-star rating in Forbes; a three-and-a-half-star rating in Crain’s; and was celebrated as one of “The Greatest Chefs of America” by the Culinary Institute of America.

 

Play-by-Play Announcer Michael Burger brings his own brand of wit and spontaneity to “Iron Chef USA.”  His years of stand-up comedy and hosting roles on ABC’s “Mike & Maty” and “Match Game” prepared him to call the action from the booth overlooking Kitchen Arena.

Floor Reporter Sissy Biggers was among one of the first television personalities to make a mark in the new genre of food television as the host of Food Network’s popular “Ready Set Cook!”  Sissy’s effervescence and crack reporting skills bring alive the hot action from the floor of Kitchen Arena.

Culinary Commentator Anthony Dias Blue is an editor of Bon Appétit Magazine and recipient of the James Beard Who’s Who in Food Award, a recognition given to America’s most influential food and wine personalities.  His years of critiquing restaurants prepared him to bring his expert culinary analysis to the booth in each “Iron Chef USA” battle.

 

"Iron Chef USA Special #1"

Bruce Vilanch Comedian	Elise Neal Actress “The Hughleys”	Brande Roderick Playboy Playmate of the Year	Mark Famiglietti Actor “Young Americans”

WILLIAM SHATNER

    The Chairman in UPN’s “IRON CHEF USA:  SHOWDOWN IN LAS VEGAS”

    Actor, writer, producer, director William Shatner was born in Montreal. Shatner was studying business at Montreal’s McGill University and planning to join his family’s garment firm when his love for acting led him in a different professional direction. He performed on stage with the Canadian Repertory Company in Ottawa and at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario before making his debut on Broadway in a 1956 production of “Tamburlaine the Great.” Shatner made his feature film debut as one of “The Brothers Karamazov” in a 1958 film version starring Yul Brynner.

    After turning in his first big-screen lead performance in the drama “The Explosive Generation,” Shatner moved to New York City and began working on projects in television. He starred as an assistant district attorney in the short-lived drama series “For the People” before landing the role that would make him famous: the self-assured Captain James Tiberius Kirk on the science fiction TV series “Star Trek.”

    Shatner brought Captain Kirk to the big screen in seven “Star Trek” films. He made his feature directorial debut with “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.” His additional television credits include the title role in the action drama “T. J. Hooker” and host of “Rescue 911,” a popular reality-based TV series.

    Shatner published his first novel, the bestselling science fiction page-turner “TekWar,” in 1989. He also penned a number of sequels, including “TekLords,” “TekLab” and “Tek Secret,” as well as novels outside the series, such as “Believe,” “The Ashes of Eden,” “Avenger.”  Several of his novels were made into television movies and a series with Shatner as director and star.

    In the late 1990s, Shatner made appearances in a series of high-profile television commercials for the Internet company Priceline.com. Shatner earned an Emmy nomination in 1999 for his guest performance on an episode of the hit sitcom “3rd Rock from the Sun.” In 2000, he played  a supporting turn as a beauty pageant official in the comedy “Miss Congeniality,” co-starring Sandra Bullock, Benjamin Bratt, Michael Caine and Candice Bergen.  Life imitated art early this year when Shatner was tapped to host the Miss USA pageant.

    His upcoming feature film projects include starring roles in the soon-to-be-released “Shot or be Shot” and “American Psycho II,” and plays a cameo role opposite in “Showtime,” starring Robert DeNiro and Eddie Murphy.  He also directed and starred in “Groom Lake.”

    Shatner’s other interests inlcude raising Saddlebred horses and working closely with some of his favorite charities, among them Ahead with Horses, LA’s BEST and the Nerine Shatner Friendly House, named after his late wife.

Shatner has three daughters and he married his fourth wife, horse trainer Elizabeth Martin, on February 13, 2001.

 

LARRY THOMPSON BIOGRAPHY

    Executive Producerof IRON CHEF USA: SHOWDOWN IN LAS VEGAS.

    Executive Producer Larry Thompson is founder and President of the Larry Thompson Organization, which is a Los Angeles based Motion Picture, Television and New Media Production Studio.  Thompson spent over a year negotiating with Fuji Television for the format rights to “Iron Chef USA.” 

     Having produced 16 Movies for Television, 2 Television Series and 5 Motion Pictures including the highly acclaimed ABC World Premiere "And The Beat Goes On: The Sonny and Cher Story,” Thompson was voted "Showman Of The Year" in 1998 by the U.S. Television Fan Association.  He has received the Industry’s prestigious Vision Award and his productions have received 8 Emmy Nominations and a Golden Globe Nomination.  He was recently listed in Who’s Who In The World 2000. 

    Thompson, a former co-owner of New World Pictures, is one of the new breed of Hollywood entrepreneurs.  He is not only a premier Motion Picture and Television producer but also one of the industry's most knowledgeable and experienced financiers and packagers of film and television projects.  Thompson's diversified background has made him and the Larry Thompson Organization one of the most hallmark names in the show business community.

    He started his career in show business as in-house counsel for Capitol Records.  He negotiated the famed Beatles breakup and by the 1970s he was a founding partner in the entertainment law firm of Thompson, Shankman, Bond and Moss.  For five years he packaged movie and television projects and represented the careers of many prominent actors and performers.  He also orchestrated the $300 million dollar merger between Harrahs and Holiday Inn. When the law partnership was amicably dissolved, Thompson created the LARRY THOMPSON ORGANIZATION, a company devoted to film production and personal management of talent.

    Thompson, Harry Sloan and Larry Kuppin subsequently purchased New World Pictures from Roger Corman for $16.5 million dollars and immediately took the company public.   He sold his New World equity position in 1983 and refocused his attention to independent film production and talent management.

    Thompson and his team of managers guided the careers of over 200 artists including, among others, William Shatner, Drew Barrymore, Cindy Crawford, Shannen Doherty, Linda Evans, Cicely Tyson, Tatum O'Neal, Donna Mills, Linda Blair, Bruce Boxleitner, Justine Bateman, Alan Thicke, Donna Dixon, William Devane, Mariska Hargitay, Richard Pryor, Tori Spelling, Robert Blake, Merle Haggard, Iman, Steve Guttenberg, Sally Kellerman, Delta Burke, Barry White and Sonny & Cher.  In 1998, other than continuing to represent William Shatner whom he has managed since 1980, Thompson decided to devote his full attention to Film, Television and New Media Production.

    Thompson is the Executive Producer of the two 1-hour UPN Network Specials titled “Iron Chef USA:  Showdown In Las Vegas” based on the very popular Japanese show “Iron Chef.” The Specials will also serve as a pilot for a UPN weekly Series.  Thompson is also presently in pre-production on the Motion Picture “DumbFellas” which will be distributed by Lions Gate Entertainment and Constantin Film.

-News Items-		-Other Tid Bits of Info-
UPN Press Release I received by fax from my local UPN Station. NY Post Article Media Life Magazine Mention UPN Press Release @ Viacom's Website (station owner) StarTrek.com Mention of Shatner as host   UPN Promo IC USA Ticket		The UPN Website now has a page on Iron Chef USA: Showdown in Las Vegas. This is a direct link to the page, normally you go to UPN.com, click on the "This Fall" link on the left menu, and then click the "Specials" button in the center of the page. (No Longer Online)