Back when we spoke with Alton Brown about this season of "The Next Iron Chef," we asked about our two local competitors: Eric Greenspan and Marcel Vigneron. Brown played a good poker face when we prodded about the results. If he would have come clean, we probably would have cried, because one of our favorite chefs on the show (and in real life) was cut this week.
Greenspan was eliminated in a Kellogg's cereal challenge, where chefs were pitted against each other and forced to use both Raisin Bran and Rice Krispies. Most contestants took the easy way out, doing a twist on a Krispie treat, or some sort of sweet, which seems pretty obvious. But Greenspan went all out, doing a rice puff-crusted tuna with a sun choke and bran puree. He was clearly the one that was out to take risks, but sadly it didn't work in his favor.
When the judges said he had been "out-cooked," Greenspan was visibly upset. He felt he might have been out-conceptualized, but not out-cooked. But he's still standing behind his dish, so much so that he'll be serving it this entire week at his restaurant on Melrose, the Foundry.
His colorful narration, educated insight, and bold cooking will be missed in the competition. But we're also secretly glad he won't be swept up by the Network. Not having him in the kitchen (or in his Elvis suit) would be too much to take. Plus it probably would have pushed that darn grilled cheese shop's opening back even further, and we're not having that.
