Michelle Obama Welcomes "Iron Chef America"

If you like food and politics (and who doesn't) then don't miss the January 3rd episode of Iron Chef America, which features the White House garden as a secret ingredient.

Filmed in October, the two-hour special will pit TV chef superstars Mario Batali and Emeril Lagasse against Bobby Flay and White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford. The secret ingredient? Anything found in the White House garden.

The competition is sure to be intense. This is an episode not only featuring the usual culinary battle, but one involving the White House and a message about organic, locally grown vegetables. "We are honored to showcase The White House Kitchen Garden in Iron Chef America," said Bob Tuschman, Senior Vice President, Programming and Production for Food Network. "This is the most intense culinary competition we've ever shown. It's awe-inspiring to see what four master chefs can create from locally-grown ingredients in the heat of Kitchen Stadium."

While the episode is sure to anger the critics of the first lady's garden, it is designed to promote her fight against childhood obesity and healthier living. The New York Times reports that Michelle Obama's communications director reached out to "Iron Chef" as a way of reaching more people with the first lady's message. A message understood by Batali, who said, "If we don’t do something about how kids eat soon, it will be simply the largest problem facing this country."

The first lady also talked with the chefs about the importance of their involvement. “This is huge,” she said. “It is going a long way to help change the way this country thinks about food. I want you to come back.”

But all of that's the serious stuff. The fun stuff is all the novelty factor. The novelty of seeing food and science geek Alton Brown stand in front of the White House. The novelty of Mario Batali, in his bright orange crocs, stand next to the perennially well-dressed Michelle. And the banter of four chefs wandering through the White House garden gathering vegetables:

Soon Mr. Flay was hurling accusations at Mr. Lagasse: “Did you take all the cauliflower?” That prompted Mr. Lagasse to throw him one.

Mr. Flay yelled to Mr. Batali: “Mario, there’s a pappardelle bush over here,” a variation on a hoax started in 1957, when the BBC ran a mock documentary about the annual spaghetti harvest.

Mr. Batali told Mr. Flay, “You have a much cuter partner than I do.”

The cute partner, Cris Comerford, to Mr. Batali: “I think he’s cute too.”

And it's all of that fun stuff which makes for good television. Television which is going to try to get an important message across, but will coat all of it with the fast paced cooking that all "Iron Chef" fans love. That and we can hope it'll be packed with tidbits like the one in the New York Times:

“We are sweet potato lovers,” said the first lady, “especially the president.”