Waffles + Mochi's Restaurant
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Waffles + Mochi's Restaurant
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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 Waffles + Mochi's Restaurant is a spin-off of Michelle Obama's original foodie puppet TV show. It has the same great quirky vibe and fun food trivia from the first series, but the episodes have been shortened and simplified to make them even more fun for young kids. Some brands are mentioned when celebrity chefs and food producers talk about themselves, but it's not gratuitous product placement by any means. Fans of the original Waffles + Mochi will still enjoy this deliciously fun show, but Waffles + Mochi's Restaurant is clearly intended to help bring preschoolers along for the ride.
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What's the Story?
In WAFFLES + MOCHI'S RESTAURANT, half-waffle/half-Yeti Waffles and her mochi ball sidekick Mochi are trying a new culinary career. They've moved across the street from the grocery store owned by Mrs. O (Michelle Obama) and are now working in a restaurant. With them come Busy Bee and Steve the Mop, and they're joined by new characters Bella the Bell and humans Yuki (Kimiko Glenn) and Danny (Eugene Cordero) who also work at the restaurant. Every episode focuses on an ingredient like honey or cheese, and Waffles and Mochi go on a "food mission" so they can learn to make something super delicious with said ingredient. They visit farms and food producers to learn where it comes from and how it's made. They then learn how to cook that ingredient from celebrity chefs like Samin Nosrat, Padma Lakshmi, and Marcus Samuelsson. At the end of each episode, they delight in making their new dish and serving it at the restaurant.
Is It Any Good?
This charming spin-off is a bit more accessible to younger kids -- it's shorter, with more straightforward and preschooler-relevant storylines. That said, older kids won't find it "babyish" by any means; even grown-ups will probably learn new food factoids from watching. The original series was fairly highbrow and cerebral for a kids' show. While this show still has foodie bonafides, it's more down-to-earth and focuses on food with more kid appeal (like cheese and chocolate, compared to the first show's soy and pickles).
Like the original, what makes the show shine is still getting the behind-the-scenes story on various ingredients, and learning how to use those ingredients in meals. The puppets are still silly and quirky, though the new Waffles performer Sarah Berman gives Waffles a more sweet and less unhinged quality than the original series. Kids who loved Waffles + Mochi will still recognize a lot of their favorite parts of that show, and the subtle changes may help open the show up to an even wider audience. Grown-ups will continue to enjoy watching this show alongside kids, and will appreciate the celebrity cameos throughout.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what they learned from watching Waffles + Mochi's Restaurant. What was new information for the grown-ups? What was the most surprising thing you learned?
Did any of the food featured in the episode look yummy to you? Would you want to try any of the recipes at home?
TV Details
- Premiere date: October 17, 2022
- Cast: Michelle Obama, Kimiko Glenn, Eugene Cordero
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Educational
- Topics: Cooking and Baking, Adventures
- Character Strengths: Curiosity
- TV rating: TV-Y
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: December 1, 2022
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