Chef | Tribeca Film Festival 2014

Written, directed and acted by Jon Favreau, Chef embraces the art of food in film. Told through a heartwarming father-and-son-bonding story, Favreau shows us how happy we can be if we pursue our own dreams, and prioritise our loved ones.

He immediately captures our attention through sensational shots of himself cooking food; one especially noteworthy scene focuses on a melting grilled cheese sandwich. Food has always been a way to draw characters closer together in film, and Favreau’s son Carl and Carl’s son Percy are no exception in this plot line. Through their experiences with a variety of foods – everything from kettle corn in a bag to expertly-braised Texas barbecue – they get to know each other again, after Carl’s divorce from Percy’s mother.

Probably the most story-spinning character of the film is in fact Twitter. The use of social media in both Carl’s demise and his success is what makes this film excitingly modern. While Favreau’s generation tends to make fun of the millennial’s heavy reliance on Twitter, Instagram and Vine, these outlets end up playing an intelligent role in Carl and Percy’s fate. Other exciting appearances in the film are Favreau’s Iron Man co-stars, Scarlet Johansson and Robert Downey Jr, alongside Dustin Hoffman as the micro-managing restaurant owner, and Sofia Vergara as Percy’s mother.

Chef is an energetic and inspiring film for even the least culinary inclined. While the conditions of Carl’s journey sometimes seem too good to be true, it’s hard to critique a character that cooks so well. The earnest quest to find his niche in the culinary industry and rediscover his son is one that will resonate with any audience member.

Katie George

Chef is released on May 9^th 2014, for further information visit here.

Read more reviews from Tribeca 2014 here, for further information about the festival visit here.