The culinary arena, despite its succulent aromas, sensual textures and savoury flavours, is one ugly business. But take two rivalrous chefs, one American and one Canadian, put them in an US adaptation of a overdubbed Japanese food gameshow and watch the Henkels fly. Enter homeboy Susur Lee, the chef accompli who blesses Torontonians with cuisine so supreme it has culinscenti James Chatto “flavour bomb”-ing with descriptive alliterations. His opponent? American Bobby Flay, the celebrity chef with four restaurants, several popular cook books, three Food Network programs and a notable hatred for lentils. When squaring off on last night’s airing of Iron Chef America, the dramatic conclusion over dishes prepared with the secret ingredient of salted pork yielded… a draw. A draw? In ultra-competitive, in-it-to-win-it AMERICA? History tells us that when competition looks fierce in America the tie is often broken with a poorly administered Tonya Harding-styled knee clubbing. But a draw- is that an admission of Canadian culinary parity? Perhaps. Or perhaps there are only so many ways to cook bacon.