The Next Thing You Eat

Chef David Chang takes on the future, for better or worse, in The Next Thing You Eat, a speculative documentary series about the future of the food industry. The series can be a little dry despite Chang's rock-star chef attitude. Perhaps some of the disconnect comes from the fact that we've seen this personality type before, made famous by Anthony Bourdain. Both chefs show empathy for others and curiosity about the world. But whereas Bourdain still engaged the camera, taking the audience along with him without preconceived notions of what he would find, Chang doesn't approach his topic with as much excitement. In fact, he seems to show more dread in what is being billed as a provocative, insightful, and even tantalizing look at the future of food.

Chang does have a reason to feel apprehensive -- for instance, the rise of machines in the restaurant industry could replace humans, meaning immigrants like his father could lose out on achieving the American dream. His apprehensiveness never fully gives way to focusing on positive possibilities, making the show less than a fun watch. With that said, amateur futurists will like learning about alternatives, new inventions, and old-school ways of food delivery and maintenance that are likely to influence the food world of tomorrow.