 "For the love of food")
You know how they say if you take an average story and put a lot of sex in it, it'll grab eyeballs and become a hit anyway? Well Chef, written and directed by the eponymous chef of the title, Jon Favreau, is a film like that, except they have put in a lot of ... food. MasterChef Australia and Hell's Kitchen lovers would know that there are few visual treats that can match beautifully, lovingly, appetisingly made food, as presented in the film in what seems like an act of pure seduction, a serenade to the senses.
His uncanny resemblance to Louis CK and his memorable stint as Monica Gellar's boyfriend, Pete Becker, on Friends aside, Favreau holds his own in Chef along with a top billed star cast that includes Scarlett Johansson, Dustin Hoffman, Sofia Vergara and Robert Downey Jr. The head chef at a popular Los Angeles bistro, Carl Casper's life falls into utter disarray after a particularly vicious review penned by a food blogger called Ramsey Michael (I guess they had to name him Ramsey after the expletive-spewing Gordon Ramsey to underline the reviewer's sheer vitriol.) The classical battle between art and economics is played out very well here, as Casper wants to experiment with the menu in the high-pressure kitchen, while the restaurant owner wants to continue giving patrons what they have been coming to eat for the last decade. "Be an artist on your own time," says the boss while firing Casper. What starts as a Twitter feud finally ends in a massive blow-up between Casper and Ramsey, with the video footage of "Chef Casper losing his shit" going viral all over the Internet - "I'm a meme, I'm a cat playing a piano, I'm everywhere!" The social network angle in the plot is very entertaining, as Casper is taught the ropes by 10-year-old Percy, in an approach reminiscent of the use of social media in BBC's Sherlock.
The first (and only) critical conflict in the film sees Favreau finding his feet again by staying up nights to cook what his heart desires, and the viewers are witness to the divine art of cooking, and the immense amount of skill and effort that goes into creating a gourmet meal. The absolutely captivating overhead close-up shots of dicing, kneading, roasting, sizzling food are no less than food-porn, and we are but guiltily pleased.
The rest of the film - road tripping across the country from Miami to Austin to New Orleans to back home in LA - documents the trio's myriad adventures with food and an ever-growing fan base. A catchy soundtrack (foot-tapping salsa in Miami and smooth jazz in New Orleans), some heart-warming familial bonding, and a tad cliched second half see the film through to its well-executed albeit saccharine end. The script itself is sharp and funny, and with a cheat sheet boasting slow cooked juicy steaks and oozing five cheese sandwiches, there isn't much to fault in this feel good family entertainer. You may just be tempted to indulge in a particularly large meal afterwards.
His uncanny resemblance to Louis CK and his memorable stint as Monica Gellar's boyfriend, Pete Becker, on Friends aside, Favreau holds his own in Chef along with a top billed star cast that includes Scarlett Johansson, Dustin Hoffman, Sofia Vergara and Robert Downey Jr. The head chef at a popular Los Angeles bistro, Carl Casper's life falls into utter disarray after a particularly vicious review penned by a food blogger called Ramsey Michael (I guess they had to name him Ramsey after the expletive-spewing Gordon Ramsey to underline the reviewer's sheer vitriol.) The classical battle between art and economics is played out very well here, as Casper wants to experiment with the menu in the high-pressure kitchen, while the restaurant owner wants to continue giving patrons what they have been coming to eat for the last decade. "Be an artist on your own time," says the boss while firing Casper. What starts as a Twitter feud finally ends in a massive blow-up between Casper and Ramsey, with the video footage of "Chef Casper losing his shit" going viral all over the Internet - "I'm a meme, I'm a cat playing a piano, I'm everywhere!" The social network angle in the plot is very entertaining, as Casper is taught the ropes by 10-year-old Percy, in an approach reminiscent of the use of social media in BBC's Sherlock.
The first (and only) critical conflict in the film sees Favreau finding his feet again by staying up nights to cook what his heart desires, and the viewers are witness to the divine art of cooking, and the immense amount of skill and effort that goes into creating a gourmet meal. The absolutely captivating overhead close-up shots of dicing, kneading, roasting, sizzling food are no less than food-porn, and we are but guiltily pleased.
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His ex-wife, Inez, played by Vergara, here reduced to a run-of-the-mill role without the quirks of Modern Family's Gloria, convinces him to take a trip back to their hometown Miami as a way to bond with his son. After an epiphany over Cubanos (ham and cheese sandwiches) and a hilariously bizarre exchange with his ex-wife's ex-husband played by Robert Downey Jr. (a cameo that is classic RDJ), Casper buys a run-down food truck and turns his future around, with a little help from his sous chef and son. Indo-Canadian comedian Russell Peters also makes a well-timed cameo here for some hilarity.
The rest of the film - road tripping across the country from Miami to Austin to New Orleans to back home in LA - documents the trio's myriad adventures with food and an ever-growing fan base. A catchy soundtrack (foot-tapping salsa in Miami and smooth jazz in New Orleans), some heart-warming familial bonding, and a tad cliched second half see the film through to its well-executed albeit saccharine end. The script itself is sharp and funny, and with a cheat sheet boasting slow cooked juicy steaks and oozing five cheese sandwiches, there isn't much to fault in this feel good family entertainer. You may just be tempted to indulge in a particularly large meal afterwards.