I finally got to watch the episode where Cleveland’s own, Michael Symon, wins the title of “Iron Chef.” The secret ingredient…swordfish…not one of my favorites, but I’d love to dig into Michael’s clam, swordfish collar, chorizo combo. The master of meat won fighting a fish battle. He did us proud.

I have to admit that although I loved our evening out at Lola, it didn’t leave me singing his praises in the same way his smaller restaurant Lolita had. I think it’s because he’s becoming far removed from the kitchen…his recipes are innovative and undeniably delicious, but when everyone who walks in the door orders the beef-cheek pierogies, they tend to take on the flavor of an assembly line.

Now that he’s Iron Chef, he’ll be away taping shows and doing appearances and working the “celebrity chef” status that he so deserves. The fear is that Cleveland will lose their champion…that he will take his title, his gift of curing meat, his revolutionary airline cuisine, his breakfast dessert, and leave for L.A. or New York or Chicago to change the culinary face of America. I really hope he’s in it for the long haul because his duck prosciutto is something I cannot live without…and once you try it…neither will you.