5x1 - Sakai vs Kasahara Hiroshi (Rice Cake Battle)

January 10, 1997

5x2 - Chen vs Michifude Hiroshi (Dried Scallop Battle)

January 17, 1997

The challenger is the 25-year-old son of a prominent Chinese cuisine chef whose restaurant "Kochouran" in Kobe was demolished during the huge earthquake back in 1995. It's been 2 years by the time they taped this, and the chairman, while disappointed that the chef of Kochouran permanently quit the business when his restaurant was destroyed, was pleased to find the chef's son as the head chef of Canton Shuka "Ten" in Kobe. Kaga's theme announcement expressed confidence that Kobe was indeed building its "pillars" or foundations firmly after the disaster. The word for "pillar" in Japanese is "hashira". This immediately brings to mind "kai-bashira" (shell-pillars, a common idiom for the adductor muscle of bivalves). But not just any kaibashira - no, they had to be the most prized "kaibashira" in Chinese cuisine - dried scallops, also known as ganbei or conpoy. Judges: Eimoto Takinori (Baseball?), Megumi Oishi (Newscaster), Zaitsu Ichiro (Actor?), Asako Kishi (Critic)

5x3 - Sakai vs Rory Kennedy (Rabbit Battle)

January 24, 1997

The challenger is the head chef of a London restaurant that was established in 1798. He is a master of Gibier (wild game) cuisine. Only four months after this episode originally aired in Japan, Chef Kennedy died after a fall in his restaurant.

5x4 - Sakai vs Rory Kennedy (Pigeon Battle) Overtime

January 31, 1997

It is only the second overtime battle in the history of Kitchen Stadium. The chefs used most of the supplies and ingredients in the first battle, so they must be creative during this 30-minute overtime cook-off.

5x5 - Nakamura vs Morieda Hiroyoshi (Crab Battle)

February 7, 1997

5x6 - Chen vs Kou Houkou (Rice Battle)

February 14, 1997

The challenger is Premier Chef in China. He is an expert in Fujian Cuisine. This is a battle between two outstanding Chinese chefs.

5x7 - Sakai vs Shimada Tetsuya (Truffle Battle)

February 21, 1997

Club Mistral is back with yet another challenger for Sakai. Shimada trained in France for 5 years before returning to Japan. He hopes to show that the new generation of French chefs in Japan is ready to take over. Can Sakai fight back the challenge?

5x8 - Nakamura vs Yamazaki Tateo (Nattou Battle)

February 28, 1997

5x9 - Sakai vs Jyo Etsuo (Wine Battle)

March 7, 1997

5x10 - Chen vs Wakiya Yuji (Papaya Battle)

March 14, 1997

5x11 - Nakamura vs Mera Takashi (Seaweed Battle)

March 21, 1997

5x12 - Sakai vs Kitami Hiroyuki (Honey Battle)

March 28, 1997

5x13 - Nakamura vs You Koukan (Hanami Festival)

April 11, 1997

This battle does not have a theme ingredient, but it does have a theme. Hanami, or flower viewing, is the theme of this battle. The challenger is a Chinese chef. He heads a Chinese restaurant with a long history. The tasting area is set up outside under the Sakura. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto, Asano Yuko, Eiji Bando, Masumi Okada, Asako Kishi

5x14 - Sakai vs Okumura Shinzou (Bamboo Shoot Battle)

April 18, 1997

5x15 - Chen vs Ootsuki Chihiro (Tomato Battle)

April 25, 1997

The challenger is a woman who specializes in the cuisine of Spain. This is a very close battle that is decided by one point. Judges: Tenmei Kano, Minako Tanaka (Actress), Tsurutato Kataoka (Actor), Asako Kishi (Critic)

5x16 - Sakai vs Sasaki Kiyoyasu (Perch Battle)

May 2, 1997

The challenger trained under the legendary French chef Paul Bocuse. (I think he may have been the first Japanese chef that Bocuse trained.) Judges: Tenmei Kanoh (Photographer), Sayuri Ishikawa (Actress), Sanshi Katsura (??), Asako Kishi (Critic)

5x17 - Nakamura vs Azumaya Norio (Pork Battle)

May 9, 1997

The challenger was once a chef at Nadaman, the restaurant where Nakamura currently works. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto, Kishimoto Kayoko, Hideki Takahashi, Asako Kishi

5x18 - Nakamura vs Jillian Harst (Ostrich Battle)

May 16, 1997

Despite having had challengers from around the world, Chairman Kaga had not welcomed a chef from Australia. The challenger is the owner/chef at Indigo. She began her training at age 19. At age 31, she opened her own restaurant. She wants the world to know that Australian cooking is more than just prawns on the barbecue and beer in the hand. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto, Chizuru Azuma, Masaki Kanda, Asako Kishi

5x19 - Chen vs Takagi Masao (Duck's Egg Battle)

May 23, 1997

Kitchen Stadium has been open for a little more than three and a half years. The last of the original Iron Chefs is Iron Chef Chinese Chen Kenichi. The challenger excels at Shanhai style cooking. He challenger began his training at the age of 15. He feels he is the best Japanese Shanghai style chef. What better ingredient for competing styles of Chinese cuisine than the Chinese delicacy Pitan (thousand-year egg)? Judges: Tenmei Kanoh, Lisa Junna, Chai Ran, Joji Yamamoto

5x20 - Sakai vs Germano Orsara (Ham Battle)

May 30, 1997

The brother of the challenger did battle against Chen in a Swordfish battle two years earlier. It is an Italian vs. French battle. Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Keiko Saito (Actress), Tatsuo Umemiya (Actor), Asako Kishi (Critic)

5x21 - Nakamura vs Sakane Hisahito (Sea Eel Battle)

June 6, 1997

The challenger is the number two man at one of Kandagawa Honten, the main restaurant of Toshiro Kandagawa. He is only 27 years old. Judges: Emoto Takenori, Reiko Takashima, Tsurutaro Kataoka, Asako Kishi

5x22 - Kobe vs Hagiwara Masahiko (Pasta Battle)

June 13, 1997

Debut battle of Iron Chef Italian Masahiko Kobe. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto, Masumi Okada (Actor), Kazuko Katoh (Actress), Asako Kishi

5x23 - Sakai vs Sato Norio (Amberjack - Kampachi Battle)

June 20, 1997

The challenger lives on the Izu Peninsula, west of Tokyo. It is a region known for its hot springs and abundant fish. Of course, his dishes are full of the flavors of the sea. Judges: Shinichiro Kuriimoto, Akiko Yano, Kunihiko Mitamura, Asako Kishi

5x24 - Chen vs Syu Kenchu (Akahata - Grouper Battle)

June 27, 1997

The challenger is a top chef from Hong Kong. He has won many cooking competitions. Judges: Tenmei Kanoh, Saya Takagi, Chai Lam, Asako Kishi

5x25 - Nakamura vs Kashima Masami (Prawn Battle)

July 4, 1997

The challenger trained in France, but he now specializes in Vietnamese cooking. Judges: Tamio Kageyama, Keiko Saito, Hideki Takahasi, Asako Kishi

5x26 - Sakai vs Ishikawa Toshiyuki (Sea Urchin Battle)

July 11, 1997

The challenger started training to be a chef at the age of 15. He earns praise from both Iron Chef Chen and Dr. Yukio Hattori. The Chairman calls him the future of Chinese cooking in Japan. Judges: Takenori Emoto, Megumi Oishi, Yasosuke Bando, Asako Kishi

5x27 - Chen vs Matsuno Yoshikazu (Mantis Shrimp - Shako Battle)

July 18, 1997

The challenger is a sushi chef from Yokohama who is a favorite of famous athletes and entertainers. He entered the sushi world at age the age of 16. Chairman Kaga calls him a sushi artisan. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto, Kayoko Kishimoto, Ichiro Zaitsu, Asako Kishi

5x28 - Kobe vs Stephan Tabacchi (Cabbage Battle)

July 25, 1997

This is the second battle in Kitchen Stadium for the new Iron Chef Italian, Masahiko Kobe. He lost his first time in action, and the Chairman wants to see if he has what it takes to win as an Iron Chef. The challenger has cooked for many famous celebrities. He began cooking at age 13. He headed the kitchen at a hotel restaurant in Italy before leaving to head a restaurant in Japan. He arrived in Japan just two months before this battle. Judges: Tamio Kageyama, Hitomi Takahashi (Actress), Sunplaza Nakano (Musician), Asako Kishi (Critic)

5x29 - Sakai vs Toyoshima Seiji (Milk Battle)

August 1, 1997

The challenger is the fourth sent by Club Mistral to take on Iron Chef Sakai. The chef operates a restaurant in Ginza. I think the ladies of Ginza really like his dishes. It has been three years since Club Mistral sent their first challenger to Kitchen Stadium. We will have the theme ingredient again that was used by the chairman Miyamoto. Milk is the theme and the Chairman arranges for two cows to be brought into Kitchen Stadium so the chefs can have the freshest possible theme ingredient. Judges: Takenori Emoto, Naomi Kawashima, Takao Horiuchi, Asako Kishi

5x30 - Nakamura Chin vs Sakai Kobe (Watermelon Battle)

August 8, 1997

It is summertime, and Chairman Kaga wants to celebrate with a summer festival. The Iron Chefs are divided into two teams: Asia Team (Chen and Nakamura) and Europe Team (Sakai and Kobe). Kaga asks, What theme do I choose for a dream tag match? That summer fruit. Watermelon. Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto, Keiko Saito, Tatuo Meidaka, Asako Kishi

5x32 - Sakai vs Androsoni Pietro (Melon Battle)

August 22, 1997

5x33 - Nakamura vs Kojima Koten (Potato Battle)

August 29, 1997

The challenger is the number one French chef on Kyushu. He opened his own restaurant at the age of 26. Judges: Tenmei Kanoh, Senri Yamabuki, Tetsuya Bessho, Yoshiko Ishii

5x34 - Nakamura vs Kojima Koten (Flatfish Battle) Overtime

September 5, 1997

The challenger is the number one French chef on Kyushu. He opened his own restaurant at the age of 26. The previous battle between these two chefs was declared a no contest by The Chairman. Judges: Tenmei Kanoh, Hiroko Moriguchi, Gitan Ootsuru, Yoshiko Ishii

5x35 - Sakai vs Nakajima Toshiyuki (Cow's Cheek Battle)

September 12, 1997

The challenger has declined many invitations from Chairman Kaga to do battle in Kitchen Stadium. He heads a French restaurant in Aoyama, Tokyo. He trained in top restaurants in France. It’s a French on French battle as Toshiyuki Nakajima takes on Iron Chef Sakai in Battle Beef Cheek. To add to the tension, apparently Sakai’s restaurant is not far from the challenger’s.

5x36 - Chen vs Igarashi Miyuki (Cucumber Battle)

September 26, 1997

This challenger is the youngest ever to enter Kitchen Stadium. At the young age of 22, she already heads the kitchen of a bustling Chinese restaurant in Tokyo. She was only 7 when she began helping her father in the kitchen that she eventually took over. She feels that a chef’s job is more important than that of a doctor. Once again, Chen is called upon to take on a female challenger.

5x37 - Kobe vs Imai Fujio (Matsutake Battle)

October 3, 1997

The challenger’s restaurant is often visited by Crown Prince Akihito, Princess Masako and Princess Kiko. He started his culinary training at the age of 15. He became a head chef at 24. The Chairman spent 1 million yen on the theme ingredient for these young chefs. (That’s a little over ,000 now, about ,200 back then.)

5x38 - 1997 World Cup

October 10, 1997

1997 "World Cup" tournament in Arashiyama. Liu Xikun vs. Nakamura (Beef) and Alain Passard vs. Patrick Clark (Homard Lobster). The winners face each other in a Foie Gras Battle.

5x39 - Chen vs Nagasaka Matsuo (Spareribs Battle)

October 17, 1997

Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto, Yoshizumi Ishihara, Keiko Saito, Asako Kishi

5x40 - Sakai vs Goto Masashi (Prawn Battle)

October 24, 1997

5x41 - Kobe vs Seki Yuji (Chestnut Battle)

October 31, 1997

Iron Chef Kobe is the Prince of Pasta. His challenger tonight is the Prince of Chinese cuisine. Judges: Tenmei Kanoh, Kazuko Kato, Koki Mitani, Chieko Honma

5x42 - Nakamura vs Azuma Keiji (Lamb Battle)

November 14, 1997

5x43 - Chen vs Matsushima Toru (Crab Battle)

November 21, 1997

5x44 - Kobe vs Takahashi Kazunari (Milt Battle)

November 28, 1997

5x45 - Kobe vs Takahashi Kazunari (Shrimp Battle) Over Time

December 5, 1997

5x46 - Nakamura vs Moris Guilett (Scallop Battle)

December 12, 1997

5x47 - Kobe vs Takagi Yasumasa (Strawberry Battle)

December 19, 1997

5x48 - Nakamura vs Kandagawa Toshiro (Bony Parts Battle)

December 26, 1997