Parents' Guide to

The Chef Show

By Martin Brown, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Movie-based reality cooking series is fun but a bit bland.

TV Netflix Reality TV 2019
The Chef Show Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 12+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Kirstin W.
Kirstin W. Adult
June 18, 2023
age 10+
Just a teen reviewing here. I’m obsessed with food shows and this one did not disappoint. You really get to know about the chefs, their culture, their families, and how they got so good at their craft. Because they aren’t out right talking to a camera it feels authentic, and the hosts have lovely banter that really doesn’t feel awkward at all. It goes to show that anyone can cook and the chefs come from all places and walks of life. It’s also just really entertaining to do a deep dive into chefs’ specialties!! No sex, they drank alcohol once or twice but it’s not focused on for more than 10 seconds!

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Fhui888
Fhui888 Adult
December 13, 2020
age 13+

Amazing Show for Foodies and Movies Go-ers! Just don’t watch when you are hungry :)

This is a really fun show to watch and features many celebrities ranging from Gwenyth Paltrow to Seth Rogen. Some are chefs , like Cristina Tosi and David Chang, while others are not. Features celebrity chef Roy Choi . The only thing I would mention is that this show swears (f words, s words) in regard to how delicious the food is, which is understandable and, in my opinion, generally harmless. I would definitely recommend for anyone who loves food or movies (as the creator is a famed director) and is bored on Netflix.

This title has:

Too much swearing
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What's the Story?

THE CHEF SHOW brings together celebrity food truck owner Roy Choi and Jon Favreau, who met when Choi's taco truck catered for 2010's Iron Man 2, which Favreau directed. Since then, Choi has become a successful entrepreneur and chef, as well as the inspiration for Favreau's movie Chef, for which he mentored Favreau both on and off the set. The Chef Show is itself inspired by their friendship and passion for cooking, and features the two men creating recipes and eating various meals with Choi's chef friends and Favreau's celebrity pals.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (1 ):

At one point, Favreau explains that he and Choi started filming themselves cooking in their free time, presumably when Favreau wasn't directing features and Choi wasn't running his food truck empire in Los Angeles. That's exactly what The Chef Show feels like: something that was done in the producers' spare time. Neither of the hosts are particularly charismatic, the celebrity guests are mostly an afterthought, and the show doesn't feature enough detailed instruction to really teach anyone how to make the food. It feels more like a DVD extra than a series.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about cooking. How do Favreau and Choi work together in the kitchen? How does this compare to your experiences cooking? What are some of the benefits, and challenges, of cooking alongside a partner?

  • What meals featured on The Chef Show would you like to try? What would you like to make on your own?

  • Favreau and Choi often talk about their teacher-student relationship. How does Choi mentor Favreau?

TV Details

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