Iron Chef History: Kobe is the Italian Iron Chef, introduce sometime in spring of 1997. When Iron Chef began airing in 1993, it was the hope of Kaga to have four Iron Chefs. The young (then 23) chef Kobe was known to be a bit wild and undisciplined. Kobe went to study Italian cuisine overseas on Florence, Italy for 4 years. When Kaga felt that he had matured and developed his skills, Kobe came back to Japan to join the Iron Chefs. He wears a multi-color red, white and green outfit and holds a tomato. Kobe's entrance is often accompanied by a group of violinists. When Kobe first appeared, he didn't "arise" with the other Iron Chefs but was often called into the stadium by special request. Some felt that this was due to Kobe's junior status (both in age and because he didn't have his own restaurant). This changed in the Millennium Special (aired Jan 5, 2000 in Japan) when Kobe was finally featured rising up with the other three. Still, Kobe's platform is a bit off to the side.
Restaurant: Kobe finally opened his own place in Tokyo, Ristorante Massa, in February of 2000. He's now got a website for his restaurant.