Ken Oringer Bests Iron Chef, while Tim Cushman Shines Again

I’ve been spending a lot of time lately logging various awards, nominations, and victories for Boston chefs and restaurants. And today we have even more good news! In last night’s broadcast of Iron Chef America on the Food Network, our own Ken Oringer beat Iron Chef Cat Cora in a head-to-head battle. The secret ingredient? Coffee.

I’m not surprised that Ken won. For one, he’s a terrific talent. And when I saw him last week after dinner at Clio, he did seem pretty darn cheerful (though he was tight-lipped about the show). Congratulations, Ken!

Meanwhile, Tim Cushman at O Ya has raked in yet another major national award in less than a month. Food & Wine just chose him for their annual “Best New Chefs in America” list (another local boy, Eric Warnstedt of Hen of the Woods in Waterbury, VT, also won).

It’s a funny designation, considering that Cushman has been in the industry for more than 25 years. But O Ya is his solo debut, so it’s his turn to shine.