As I work my way through the latest season (3) of The Chef Show, recently released on Netflix, I have felt a compelling urge to write a blog on the hit show. As many of my readers are aware (and anyone who has read the name of my blog) this site focus’ on all things film, but after getting through two and half seasons of The Chef Show I wanted to make an exception.
The Chef Show is a simple series, following two well-known faces in Jon Favreau, the incredibly successful actor-come-director and Roy Choi, the chef who revolutionised street food, as they share their passion for food with other renowned chefs or celebrity friends. Roy is the chef the film Chef is based on, which Favreau directed and starred in. Chef is also the inspiration for The Chef Show, seeing the two crucial figures behind that film bring it to life via Netflix streaming service.
The duration of each episode is about an hour long which I think is the perfect length for you to really enjoy the focus of each episode. Depending on who the duo are meeting will determine how the episode is laid out. If they are meeting an accomplished chef, the two will stand in ore, absorbing the knowledge of whomever they are with. If they are meeting a celebrity friend, usually one of Jon’s, seeing as he is the more familiar face, they rely on Roy to do the teaching. I like these episodes as it allows us to really understand Roy’s talents. The one constant throughout the season is that Jon is learning from either Roy or another chef and this is what makes the show so special. Jon clearly loves food, he is a proper ‘foody’ as some people would put it. This allows there to be this bridge between the show and the audience. If you really love your food, Jon acts as that relatable figure.
I harp on about films needing to feel authentic, for the audience to really believe in what they are watching and this is exactly what I think The Chef Show gets right. Roy and Jon genuinely love all kinds of different foods and it comes through in bucket loads. You aren’t just watching food being cooked, they are making you feel the love for what is being cooked. It’s not just about what you love about food, it’s why you love it and The Chef Show portrays this perfectly. It is a joy to watch if you love food. You can learn how to cook some amazing dishes or you can just sit and enjoy these mouth-watering meals come to life, either way The Chef Show will make you want to get in the kitchen and whip yourself up something extravagant.
Like all of my reviews, I talk about the score and this Netflix Original is no exception. Even though The Chef Show doesn’t have score per say, it does have extremely fitting music, in this latino-inspired instrumental style. This keeps the running theme from the film which this show is expanded from. Sadly I am unable to find you the specifics on where the music has come from, but it is without-a-doubt a big part in bringing the show to life.
There are many great TV shows on Netflix and The Chef Show is one of them. It is a series created completely with food lovers in mind and it is executed perfectly. It’s a casual watch that I highly recommend to anyone who wants to feel inspired in the kitchen. Jon Favreau is a great talent and this show is a brilliant example of this. Whenever I see his name against something, I am immediately sold and after watching this, where food is related, if Roy’s name is there, I will be too.
