This post from new DCist contributor, Matt Cordell

How do D.C. chefs stack up? Last night, representatives were put to the test when José Andrés (owner of Zatinya, Café Atlantico, Jaleo, Oyamel, and minibar by josé andrés) and his sous chefs, Katsuya Fukushima and Ruben Garcia, stepped into Kitchen Stadium to do battle on Food Network’s Iron Chef America.

Despite being advertised in advance here, here, and here (looking like the Spanish Terminator), José “chose” Iron Chef Bobby Flay to battle, because he has the “spirit of a Spaniard” (Does it annoy the other Iron Chefs that they have to show up and stand on their pedestals despite the fact they know they’re not being picked?). What a bold choice it was. Flay, already the host of half the Food Network’s line-up, last year created Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, a show in which he roves the countryside looking for pick-up food battles. He’s Mad Max with a spatula (and, to this point, undefeated this season).

Flay wasn’t a secret, but the battle ingredient was (some things are still sacred). That is until the Chairman lifted the ingredient cover to reveal a massive mound of taut goat flesh. Andrés was hoping for cigalas, centollo, or lobster. No dice. “Battle Goat!” in Iron Chef speak.