# Michael Symon's cutting board on Cook like an iron chef



## rockbox (May 6, 2011)

Outside Morimoto, Michael Symon is my favorite iron chef. He just makes stuff I like eat. Have you guys ever seen the board he uses on "Cooking like an Iron Chef". It totally badass. Its an integrated board that appears to be about the size of a standard work desk. I think its made out of walnut and has a large hole cut in it for trash. I'm thinking of making making one to replace the top of my kitchen island.


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## Jim (May 6, 2011)

Is that an ewe on his shirt?


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## Marko Tsourkan (May 6, 2011)

rockbox said:


> Outside Morimoto, Michael Symon is my favorite iron chef. He just makes stuff I like eat. Have you guys ever seen the board he uses on "Cooking like an Iron Chef". It totally badass. Its an integrated board that appears to be about the size of a standard work desk. I think its made out of walnut and has a large hole cut in it for trash. I'm thinking of making making one to replace the top of my kitchen island.


 
Hmm...
interesting idea. I was thinking about making a 42x25" end-grain countertop for one of my kitchen cabinets, which has a trash bin next to it. 
Your post gave me an idea.  
Cutting the hole in 2.5" thick counter top could be a bit tricky, but doable with a plunge router and a circle cutting jig. I say it is tricky because of the thickness of the wood (you have to make shallow passes), otherwise it's pretty straight forward.

M


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## rockbox (May 6, 2011)

Marko,

I'm great for ideas. I'm just not so good at execution.:lol2:


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## Dave Martell (May 6, 2011)

Warren's son Josh had a counter top butcher's block (3" thick I believe) made with a hole cut in it for dumping into the trash. I believe he had Bally block make it, they're local here.


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## mr drinky (May 6, 2011)

It might be an Ozark West board. At least they advertise on their site that he uses their board on the show. Scroll down about a third of the way.

http://www.ozarkwest.com/cuboseonfone.html

k.


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## Lefty (May 6, 2011)

Curtis Stone has a miniature version out (it's not executed well either...)
I have an island designed for our next house that has a hole like that, but with a little little steps built in, so you can cover it up when not in use.


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## Lefty (May 6, 2011)

Drinky, thanks for the link. I have to admit I lingered for far too long on the first chef.
Dave has RR, I have GDL


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## rockbox (May 6, 2011)

Sorry for the huge picture, but here is another angle of it.


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## rockbox (May 6, 2011)

Lefty said:


> Curtis Stone has a miniature version out (it's not executed well either...)
> I have an island designed for our next house that has a hole like that, but with a little little steps built in, so you can cover it up when not in use.



Now that's a great idea.


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## FryBoy (May 6, 2011)

Seems to have a metal edge around it -- what's up with that? And how would you give it a thorough cleaning?


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## Marko Tsourkan (May 6, 2011)

I think it's a concrete countertop with an area to recess the end-grain board in it.


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## rockbox (May 6, 2011)

I think its a metal molding around the outside of it. 

Now that I've been thinking about it for a few more seconds, I'm thinking I may cut the hole large enough to put a small hotel pan in it. That way I can just pick up the pan and throw the trash away.


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## mr drinky (May 6, 2011)

Lefty said:


> Drinky, thanks for the link. I have to admit I lingered for far too long on the first chef.
> Dave has RR, I have GDL


 
Whenever I see Giada looking particularly good, I yell up to my wife, "Giada is cooking up some cleavage honey." Now my good wife will actually pause the DVR if she is sportin' a low top and alert me. Good woman she is.

k.


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## Marko Tsourkan (May 6, 2011)

rockbox said:


> Marko,
> 
> I'm great for ideas. I'm just not so good at execution.:lol2:


 
I use very basic equipment - a contractor saw, manual clamps, a router, but I have an access to a jointer and a wide belt sander, which helps. I am on a lookout for a better table saw though. It ain't fun cutting 2" thick boards with a light-weight saw. 

M


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## rockbox (May 6, 2011)

Marko Tsourkan said:


> I use very basic equipment - a contractor saw, manual clamps, a router, but I have an access to a jointer and a wide belt sander, which helps. I am on a lookout for a better table saw though. It ain't fun cutting 2" thick boards with a light-weight saw.
> 
> M


 
I have all the tools to make it except for the drum sander. I was going to get a drum sander but I used the money to buy the grinder instead. The problem is that I don't have the time or the focus to finish my projects.


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## Marko Tsourkan (May 6, 2011)

rockbox said:


> I have all the tools to make it except for the drum sander... The problem is that I don't have the time or the focus to finish my projects.


 
That is the problem. I too have many ideas but not enough time for all. Renting an access to wide-belt sander is much more economical than buying a drum sander. Finding a shop that would rent time on a wide belt sander is harder. For me it was the biggest attraction moving into my present time workshop. The upstairs is a stair building business. 

M


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## JohnnyChance (May 6, 2011)

Marko Tsourkan said:


> Cutting the hole in 2.5" thick counter top could be a bit tricky, but doable with a plunge router and a circle cutting jig.



Hole saw: 




Rough it out with the hole saw, then hand finish with file/paper should get you pretty good results.

I have a kitchen island cart (which I am now using as a computer desk) that has a IKEA cutting board counter top. $80 for a 49 1/2" x 25 5/8" board. It isn't end grain, but I don't cut on much. Then I used some extra DOM tubing I had for legs and shelf, and put some casters on it.


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## Marko Tsourkan (May 6, 2011)

JohnnyChance said:


> Hole saw:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
I was thinking 6" hole in diameter. Plus the counter top would be about 2.5-3" so a hole saw might not be up for the task. For thinner boards it should work.

M


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## JohnnyChance (May 6, 2011)

Marko Tsourkan said:


> I was thinking 6" hole in diameter. Plus the counter top would be about 2.5-3" so a hole saw might not be up for the task. For thinner boards it should work.
> 
> M



You can get 6" hole saws. And you can drill from both sides using the pilot drill hole to align them. Or if you couldn't get a 6", you could drill two 3-4" or holes next to each other and cut out the left over material between them to make a 6-8" long oval opening.


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## mpukas (May 6, 2011)

rockbox said:


> Outside Morimoto, Michael Symon is my favorite iron chef. He just makes stuff I like eat. Have you guys ever seen the board he uses on "Cooking like an Iron Chef". It totally badass. Its an integrated board that appears to be about the size of a standard work desk. I think its made out of walnut and has a large hole cut in it for trash. I'm thinking of making making one to replace the top of my kitchen island.
> 
> I really like MS too...
> 
> ...


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## Marko Tsourkan (May 6, 2011)

JohnnyChance said:


> You can get 6" hole saws. And you can drill from both sides using the pilot drill hole to align them. Or if you couldn't get a 6", you could drill two 3-4" or holes next to each other and cut out the left over material between them to make a 6-8" long oval opening.


 
Sounds like a lot of work.


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## Rottman (May 6, 2011)

Drilling with a hole-saw from both sides sound like a great plan to me.


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## wenus2 (May 8, 2011)

I like the oval idea. What would keep one from simply using a jigsaw, start a hole and get to cuttin'?
I've actually considered something like this a few times because my sister has a friend with a very similar setup to this. The only thing is that it dumps into a trash can under the counter, which I don't really like. 
I would want it to dump into a stainless hotal pan so I would be prompted to dump it after every use, and I could simply toss the pan in the dishwasher. 
Otherwise it would constantly be all dank under my board, because if I can dump it bi-weekly... I will


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## Lefty (May 8, 2011)

The hotel pan is a great idea. 
That is essentially what we did with our beef scraps at the butcher shop. We had two rectangle holes that lead to a scrap bin. A lot of very useable "scrap" would get turned into ground beef or suet later on in the day. Just because it was scrap while trimming out a roast or a bunch of steaks, doesn't mean it was scrap altogether.


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## Chef Niloc (May 8, 2011)

rockbox said:


> Outside Morimoto, Michael Symon is my favorite iron chef.



I'd have to go with iron Chef Chen Kenichi as my 2nd


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## Lefty (May 8, 2011)

I'm a Batali fan....


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## Vertigo (May 9, 2011)

Lefty said:


> I'm a Batali fan....


 
I wish he still played around on ICA (toying with his competitors). Miss him and his Misono. 

The flaming cheese wheel was fantastic showmanship.


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## Lefty (May 9, 2011)

Hey, I like this guy! 
My sentiments exactly! Not to mention he makes upscale mom food!


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## heirkb (May 9, 2011)

Chef Niloc said:


> I'd have to go with iron Chef Chen Kenichi as my 2nd


 
I just like the guy's name. 
I can't pick favorites out of the three (four not counting Iron Chef Italian) Japanese Iron Chefs, though.


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## SpikeC (May 9, 2011)

Michiba is battling chicken tonight on the cooking network.


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