Suburban chef faces off on 'Iron Chef America'

Chef Paul Virant can't say much about his battle against Masaharu Morimoto on "Iron Chef America" that premieres at 9 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, on Food Network, but he did reveal that it doesn't involve sushi.

Virant, chef at the nationally acclaimed, seasonally focused Vie in Western Springs, attempted his first maki rolls and plated his first sashimi platter earlier this week for a dinner party at home with friends.

"Oh my, no! That would have been no competition at all," Virant said about putting his rookie effort against the Japanese-born Morimoto, one of the original contenders on the cable network's popular Iron Chef series.

On the American spinoff of the show, now in its seventh season, chefs from across the country are hand-picked to go up against five top chefs, or Iron Chefs, who have strong, proven backgrounds in regional or ethnic cuisines. The challengers get to select which chef they will battle in Kitchen Stadium but do not know the main ingredient until it's revealed at the start of the show. Contractual obligations prevent Virant from unveiling the secret ingredient or the outcome.

"I picked Morimoto because he's one of the original Iron Chefs and I have so much respect for that guy, his technical skills, his discipline, his respect for his culture, his food and his traditions," Virant said. "He's a master of his craft."

Virant is a master in his own right, named as one of Food and Wine magazine's chefs of the year and selected by his peers as a Jean Banchet Award of Culinary Excellence winner. The menu at Vie reflects Virant's Midwestern farm roots and his continued commitment to local and sustainable agriculture.

Working with sous chef Nathan Sears and cook Craig Svozil, Virant crafted a five-course meal for the three judges. They brought along their own secret ingredients, like preserved blackberries and pickled fennel, to accent the dishes.

"Even though there are cameras and (host) Alton Brown commenting on what you're doing, once you get into it, those exterior factors are not quite a distraction."

Virant said the bigger challenge was working in an unfamiliar setting with equipment, yet because the show taped back in 2008 he can't recall any major mishaps on the set.

Virant will be watching the episode Sunday along with family, friends, co-workers and Vie diners on the large screens at the Tap House, 6010 S. Cass Ave., Westmont. Management expects several hundred people at the bar that evening for the open-to-the-public viewing party.

"I'm a little nervous to watch it," he admitted. "The reality of it is there are a few things we could have done differently, but we did almost the best we could have done."

On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - Nov. 2-4 - he will prepare his "Iron Chef America" menu at Vie, 4471 Lawn Ave. The five-course meal costs $85; add wines for $35. Seats are quickly filling up for the mystery meal. To make reservations, call (708) 246-2082.

Virant is not the only Chicago-area chef to compete on "Iron Chef America." Past challengers include Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill, Gale Gand and Rick Tramonto of Tru, Homaro Cantu of Moto, Koren Grieveson of avec, Art Smith of Table 52 and Graham Elliot Bowles, now at Graham Elliot.