Many of us feel sad after we finish a series and then the following question comes up: “what do we watch now?” That’s why I thought it would be a nice idea to give you several options that you can watch on Netflix if you like to cook. These are all series and movies that I watched and loved. Of course if there’s any that you feel I should’ve included comment down below so that the people who read this post as well as me can watch them.
So get some popcorn going, grab the remote and start watching! I’ll separate the list in series and movies so you know how much time they need from you ;).
SERIES
1.THE BIG FAMILY COOKING SHOWDOWN
Ever since I saw that this show was on I KNEW that I was going to like it. It took me 2 days to finish the season because it’s such a charming show. I don’t think there’s a better word to describe it. It’s a competition where teams of 3 family members who love to cook at home face different challenges to win the title of best family of home cooks. When I watched it I felt extremely relaxed and it’s also great to learn from the different cultures of the families that participate.
2. CHEF’S TABLE
This series had to be on my list. The most prestigious chef in the world open their kitchens to us so we can learn how they got there, what obstacles they surpassed and what their food is all about. Each chapter is very different from the previous and whether you like it or not will depend largely on the personality and story of the chef. This is special because then you understand the backstory of the mind behind all those dishes. Now there’s also a Chef’s Table France that you can watch if you want to see even more food with classical music at the background ;).
3. COOKED
This series is a bit more “technical” because it looks at how the different elements (water, fire, earth and air) interact in the cooking and preservation processes of food. I wouldn’t call it extremely entertaining but it does have really good information if you want to explore the backstage of cooking.
4. SOMEBODY FEED PHIL
This is a new series and I loved it because it’s fresh and fun. In it we travel along with Phil (ex-producer to Everybody Loves Raymond) while he tries food from around the world. It’s super interesting to see what’s cooking elsewhere but on top of that (and I think it’s a really important factor) Phil is just lovely. Watching him enjoy and speak to locals got me really relaxed and now I want to meet him and travel together LOL.
5. ANTHONY BOURDAIN – NO RESERVATIONS
Anthony Bourdain was one of the first to travel while tasting local food. His show is really entertaining and he’s quite irreverent as well. I like that he doesn’t only speak about the food but he also touches on the vibe of the place, the people and the general environment.
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MOVIES
1. CHEF
What a lovely and sweet movie! It’s about a chef who works in a fine restaurant and retires after a long time and opens a sandwich food truck. It’s not only about food but also about pursuing your dreams, family and enjoying excellent food even if it’s simple.
2. TODAY’S SPECIAL
This movie also leaves you with a warm feeling just like “Chef”. It’s about a cook who works in a fine restaurant until he has a fight with his boss and quits. He wants to go to study to France but his dad falls sick and he’s forced to take care of his Indian restaurant. However, he know nothing about Indian food! It’s nice to see him rediscover his culinary roots :).
3. THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY
An Indian family moves to a small French town and start a restaurant across from a 2 Michelin star restaurant run by a classy lady (Helen Mirren). She’s really annoyed by how colourful and loud the restaurant is and does everything in her power to shut them down. On the way she meet the owner’s son who is an amateur cook but manages to teach her a thing or two.
4. BURNT
This is a drama where a chef (Bradley Cooper) looses his chance to become one of the best because of drugs and alcohol. He then wants to redeem himself in a new job where he pursues his 3 Michelin stars once again.
5. LES SAVEURS DU PALAIS / HAUTE CUISINE
I fell in love with this movie. It starts off with a woman that’s cooking for the research team in the Antarctic where a crew of journalists become interested in her story. After her return to France she’s contacted by the government because they need a chef and it turns out it’s for the king himself. The shots of the preparation of the food that she makes for the king and his guests are spectacular and you can almost smell what she’s cooking.
6. THEATER OF LIFE
This documentary shows us how Massimo Bottura (owner of a restaurant that hasn’t gone below number 5 in the ranking for best restaurants in the world) feeds homeless people using the leftovers from the Milan Food Expo in 2015. He works along extremely important chefs such as Ferrán Adriá, Virgilio Martinez, Gastón Acurio, Alain Ducasse and many more.
7. COMME UN CHEF / LE CHEF
This movie is so funny! I loved watching it and the actors and characters are extremely good. The restaurant of a renowned chef switches owner and he’s asked to change his food style from traditional to molecular. He doesn’t understand much of it and this affects his inspiration. Along the way he meets an amateur chef and it’s with him that he tries to make his food more modern.