There are foodie films and then there are movies that reach beyond
Hollywood’s stereotypes about romantic soufflés into the art of heart
of why professional cooks cook. One wonderfully different film that
pulls no punches is Jon Favreau’s new film CHEF.

The authenticity of this film is amazing from knife skills to how
chefs create. The story begins as Chef Carl Casper (written and played
by Jon Favreau) faces culinary boredom as a ‘successful’ high-end Los
Angeles chef who has been cooking the same dishes for five long years.

When Chef Casper learns that he is about to be reviewed by the famed
critic Ramsey Michel (played to perfection by Oliver Platt) he decides
to alter the long established menu and create something new and
innovative.

His urge to create brings him into direct conflict with the
restaurant’s owner (played as cold hearted money man by Dustin
Hoffman). The result is a disaster that literally goes viral thanks to
the Internet and soon the Chef is unemployed, drifting without a
compass professionally or personally.

The rest of the film plays in humor and pathos as the Chef rediscovers
thanks to a food truck, an insightful son and fine friends that
cuisine to be authentic must reach beyond the kitchen and connect with
life.

In the end there is laughter and music and joy for both the Chef and
the audience lucky enough to catch this uniquely honest film that in
the end does more than show the stress and strain of the back of the
house. It captures as few films do the true reason cuisine is an art –
when well done we can changes lives: including our own.