Take Home Chef
By Lucy Maher,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Cooking show is endearing, but lacks bite.
Add rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
Where to Watch
Community Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Filming
Report this review
Take Home Chef is Cute, But Predictable
Report this review
What's the Story?
TAKE HOME CHEF serves up viewers a half-hour of home cooking as an unsuspecting shopper is whisked from the grocery store and treated to a personal food preparation lesson in his or her own kitchen. Australian-born chef/author Curtis Stone serves as the show's host and cooking instructor. In each episode, Stone zeros in on a shopper and guides cameras around the aisles as he and his new student work together to choose the ingredients for the meal they're going to prepare. Next stop: the shopper's home, where Stone provides meal preparation tricks and tips. At the end of each episode, the shopper's family returns home to a surprise gourmet meal.
Is It Any Good?
Foodies will appreciate the insider tricks that Stone divulges. For example, in one episode, he suggests spearing grilled shrimp with slices of sugarcane rather than plain wood skewers to make the food sweeter. Viewers looking for compelling reality fare may be disappointed -- Stone's energy and useful tips help keep viewers' attention, but the episodes feel a bit weak without the surprises, challenges, or suspenseful moments inherent in most reality TV -- but fans of cooking shows will likely find Take Home Chef tasty enough.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the risks of talking to strangers. Why is it important to be alert in public places? What should kids do if they're approached by a stranger? Families with older children can discuss how to prepare a meal. Why do you read a recipe? How do you time your cooking so that all the elements are ready in time? Or take it one step further and make a meal together.
TV Details
- Premiere date: May 15, 2006
- Cast: Curtis Stone
- Network: TLC
- Genre: Reality TV
- Topics: Cooking and Baking
- TV rating: TV-G
- Last updated: June 19, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate