Channel 4 to remake Iron Chef

British broadcaster Channel 4 is to remake hit Japanese cooking format Iron Chef after striking a deal with RDF Media-owned producer IWC Media.

The network has commissioned 25 episodes of the format and is set to launch the show in 2010 in a 5pm slot.

The show was originally produced by Japan’s Fuji TV, where it aired as Ryōri no Tetsujin for over 300 episodes from 1993. It gained a cult following in the United States after The Food Network acquired the Japanese version and dubbed it.

The format pits teams of culinary challengers against four resident Iron Chefs and at the end of the week the best team will compete to win £1,000 in prize money.

The Channel 4 show will be produced by Susy Price and directed by Jonathan Bullen.

Barnaby Shingleton, head of light entertainment acquisitions, RDF Media, said: “We are looking forward to distributing both the format and the finished shows.”