Long before the days of Masterchef and My Kitchen Rules there was Iron Chef. The cooking show became a cult-classic and paved the way for small screen cuisine programs to come – though none could quite ever come close to the quirky Japanese sensation.

Now the show is back (kind of) hosting its 20-year reunion at the Sydney Opera House. The Iron Chef All Stars charity dinner is planned for August 2 and 3 where the four original Iron Chefs – Rokusaburo Michiba (Japanese), Hiroyuki Sakai (French), Kenichi Chen (Chinese) and Masahiko Kobe (Italian) – will reunite for the first time since the show’s end in 1997. Two Michelin Star chef Kentaro Chen and Asia’s Top Pastry Chef Janice Wong will also join the foursome for the dinner event that will see 480 guests take to the Sydney landmark.

The Sydney Opera House was the destination of choice for the event for a number of reasons, explains event producer Jun Hasegawa. “We set our hearts on the Sydney Opera House as it is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and fits our purpose as the stage to exchange skills, culture and tourism between Australia and Japan. We will be fulfilling the dreams of these great Iron Chefs to cook at such an iconic landmark of Australia,” he says.

The event will also mark a grand occasion for one of the original castmembers. “This will be the first and last time the oldest Iron Chef, Rokusaburo Michiba, cooks outside of Japan.  He is 87 years old and has long retired, but his passion to represent Japan for such a historical culinary event got him excited to create a dish that will be the first in the world!” says Iron Chef Ikuei Arakane.

Tickets for the Iron Chef All Stars 2017 Dinner are priced at $990 per seat, and will be available to the public on Thursday June 29 online.