Chef review

Released in 2014 under the direction of Jon Faverau ("Swingers," "Iron Man") with distribution through Open Road Films; "Chef" is Faverau's return to small budget movies after the string of big budget action movies. But after all the flying suits and aliens, can Faverau return to the basics and create a satisfying entree or is this an appetizer full of twinkle filling?

Chef Carl Casper (Jon Faverau) is an unhappy chef in a respected LA restaurant, dealing with estranged ex-wife Inez (Sofia Vergara) and son Percy (Emjay Anthony). When renowned food critic Ramsey Michel (Oliver Platt) comes to eat, Casper is denied his chance to shine and display his creative cooking, earning the restaurant a poor review. Angry, Carl calls Ramsey out on Twitter and verbally assaults him, resulting in negative publicity that causes Carl to get fired. With no one else willing to hire him, Carl accepts the help of Inez's possibly insane ex-husband (Robert Downey Jr.) and receives a food truck that he restores and, teamed up with Percy and his sous chef friend Martin (John Leguizamo), they begin a cross-country journey from Miami to Los Angeles serving Cubanos to long lines, earning his reputation back as well as fulfilling his culinary passion.

I'm not gonna lie, this movie is schmaltzy and predictable. The narrative exists to get the protagonist where he needs to be for him to overcome his obstacles, the minor characters are only there to push the protagonist towards achieving his goal and everything ends on a happy note. In terms of story-telling, it's so basic that it's like olive oil in your pan and pulling out a pre-made tortilla shell to make a burrito.

But where the movie's true flavor comes from it's likable cast and subject matter: Culinary arts.

Every major film critic who reviewed this movie stated that this was a movie you do not enter on a light stomach. I saw this movie at Cinebarre where they serve you food and even though I already had my fill from their menu, all the food seen in this movie made me even hungrier. The detail Faverau shows for how he prepares these meals, under the guidance of gourmet chef Roy Choi, made me wish to try them out for myself (which is what I did afterwards with a stir-fry pan and some chicken). As for the cast, they did what was asked of them and I cannot muster one criticism against them as they played off one another swimmingly.

At the end of the day though, "Chef" is a movie worth seeing for a matinee price. It's cast is likable enough and the food is mouth-watering to look at as it sizzles in close-ups. While it has a few too many schmaltzy scenes that are hard to swallow, it's a meal I was very pleased to sink my teeth into. Mr Faverau, I don't know if you happen across this review, but know that you have my regards to the cook.

Final Rating: 3/5

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Burning Through Celluloid Logo (C) Kane Fletcher - http://jarvisrama99.deviantart.com/