Weekend Cooking: Chef (Movie Review)

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

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I can't believe I waited so long to see Jon Favreau's movie Chef. I know, I know, all my foodie friends loved it, so what was my problem? I have no clue.

I'm happy to report that you all were right: I did love it. What's more, I was pleasantly surprised that there's more to the movie than just food. But oh the food!

In case you don't know, here's the premise: Carl Casper (Favreau), once a celebrated, experimental chef, now cooks the same food night after night for his conservative backer (Dustin Hoffman). After a bad review, Carl walks out of the restaurant and eventually decides to cook simple, traditional dishes, with a twist, out of a food truck. His friend and fellow cook Martin (John Leguizamo) joins him in the venture.

The movie is filled with scene after scene of wonderful food, from garlic-infused pasta and shrimp dishes to down-home barbecue and cubanos. OMG, if you weren't hungry before the film begins, you absolutely will be by the time it ends.

As I said, Chef does have some deeper themes in addition to showing us amazing food and cooking. It addresses the power of social media, parenting, taking pride in one's work, and following one's dream.

When you need an uplifting movie with some good messages, cook yourself up a comfort-food dinner (or take out from a food truck!) and download Chef. You won't be sorry.