Chef

Chef is a movie in 2014 that I failed to see or even hear about. I recently watched it on Netflix. To my surprise, it was a great movie. Chef  was written, produced, directed by and stars Jon Favreau. An impressive supporting cast includes: Sofía Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Oliver Platt, Bobby Cannavale, Dustin Hoffman, and Robert Downey, Jr.  Jon Favreau plays the chef who is in charge of the kitchen at a popular Los Angeles restaurant. He is divorced and has a rocky relationship with his son. He is amicable with his ex-wife, and she is growing tired of his lack of effort with their son.

The main character's problem is he can not recognize how unhappy he is regarding his work. His passion for cooking has been suppressed by an owner who only wants a menu that is familiar to all of his customers. The chef is challenged by a local food critic that his food is safe and lacks imagination. A eventual conflict accidently occurs on Twitter (very humorous) and the Chef quits his job out of frustration that he can not defend himself through his cooking.

His ex-wife and her former husband offer him assistance to get back on his feet. They offer the Chef a food truck in Miami. The food truck is a disaster and will require the father and son to restore the truck together. This is where they reconnect. A transition happens in their relationship that is positive by their working together.

Soon the sous chef from the LA restaurant comes to help them restore the truck. After they learn Cuban food, the father begins to teach his son the trade of cooking. They begin to offer food on the truck and the response is overwhelmingly positive. Next, the three drive the food truck across the country back to Los Angeles. Along the way, the adventure is chronicled via social media. The conclusion of the story will not surprise anyone, however it is still special.

An excellent movie. Well written and diverse. While some themes are mature for younger children, I think it is an excellent movie for older family members to watch together.