Brown gives second chances in ‘Next Iron Chef: Redemption’

Earlier this month, Food Network premiered the fifth iteration of one of its most successful franchises, “The Next Iron Chef: Redemption.”

The eight-episode series (the finals air on Sunday, Dec. 23), with host Alton Brown (“Good Eats”), features a roster of acclaimed culinary masters vying for a second chance to join the exclusive “Iron Chef” club. Along with veterans of the competition, the show added a few newcomers, along with a 10th cast member decided in Web-exclusive battles at FoodNetwork.com.

Asked about this fresh twist on the concept, Brown – calling in between flights from the cockpit of his private plane – says, “You always have to look at the story arc. It’s a good story. It’s not just a matter of piling another bunch of people to fight with one another.

“We look at the people who had come very, very close in the past, then, for some reason, didn’t make it. We thought, ‘Wow, it would be great to give these people a second chance.’ A couple of them, not having even been on ‘Iron Chef,’ having been on other chef-centric competition shows – and we thought, ‘We’ll put them all together and let them see if they can redeem themselves.’

“And it comes to an interesting conclusion.”

Brown also emphasizes that, unlike many other competitive reality shows, “Iron Chef” prefers to keep the dramatic heat in the kitchen.