Snack vs. Chef
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Snack vs. Chef
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Snack vs. Chef is a cooking competition show in which chefs and food scientists compete to come up with the best snacks around. It gives insight into what food scientists and professional chefs do, as well as how popular snacks are created. Viewers will also learn about some of the science behind making some popular snacks. The first half of each episode highlights different brand name snacks as contestants do their best to copy them.
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What's the Story?
In SNACK VS. CHEF, a dozen professional chefs compete week to week doing their best to first replicate some of America's most famous snack foods, then to create an original snack complete with a catchy name and packaging. At the end of each challenge, two chefs are eliminated and the winner moves on to the finals.
Is It Any Good?
In this culinary competition, a group of professional chefs compete to create tried-and-true favorites as well as new and innovative snacks. Delving deeper into the food industry than most cooking shows, Snack vs. Chef will inspire kids interested in cooking to learn more about what it takes to be a professional chef, baker, food scientist, or even a food research and development specialist. It also serves up occasional tips and tricks (like how to melt chocolate without burning it) that will help newbies in the kitchen to improve their skills. The lead judge, Helen Park, is also a standout with her no-nonsense and knowledgeable approach adding an extra layer of excitement to the competition.
However, the show does have its drawbacks. The focus on using only common kitchen ingredients to create imitations of popular shelf snacks gives a deceptively wholesome impression of overly processed foods, without addressing the use of chemicals in most packaged snacks. Additionally, the cast is a little bloated and each episode ends just before the next snack is revealed, which may make it hard for kids to turn the series off when TV time is over. Despite these issues, Snack vs. Chef is still an enjoyable watch for the whole family and will inspire kids interested in cooking to learn more about the culinary industry.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about which round of Snack vs. Chef is most interesting: the first round in which contestants try to copy a famous snack or the second round in which they come up with something original?
Had you heard of a food scientist before watching this show? What other careers are mentioned that you've never hear of? How could you find out more about them?
In the final round, why is the name and packaging of the original snack judged along with the snack itself? Discuss the role that marketing plays in the foods we choose to buy and eat.
TV Details
- Premiere date: November 30, 2022
- Cast: Hari Kondabolu
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Reality TV
- Topics: Cooking and Baking
- Character Strengths: Perseverance
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: January 4, 2023
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