Chef's Table Explained

Genre:Documentary
Creator:David Gelb
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Seasons:7 (+5 spin-offs)
Num Episodes:52
Channel:Netflix

Chef's Table is an American documentary series created by David Gelb[1] , which premiered on video streaming service Netflix on April 26, 2015. The series takes viewers inside both the lives and kitchens of a variety of acclaimed and successful international chefs, with each episode placing the spotlight on a single chef and exploring the unique lives, talents and passions which influence their style of cooking. The series has been nominated for and awarded a variety of awards, including 8 Emmy nominations.[2] Season 7 will be released on November 27th, 2024 and season 8 entitled "Legends" is planned to be released in 2025, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the show.[3]

Background

Each episode of the series focuses on a specific chef, and explores their personal philosophies and approach to cooking.[4] Creator David Gelb considers it a follow-up to his documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi. He teamed up with Brian McGinn to develop Chef's Table with Boardwalk Pictures and Netflix became interested in it. Both documentaries make use of cinematography and production techniques based on traditional filmmaking rather than reality television.[5]

Episodes

Chef's Table: France (2016)

The first spin-off, titled Chef's Table: France premiered on September 1, 2016.[6]

Chef's Table: BBQ (2020)

A second spin-off, titled Chef's Table: BBQ premiered on September 2, 2020.[7]

Chef's Table: Pizza (2022)

A third spin-off, titled Chef's Table: Pizza premiered on September 7, 2022.[8]

Chef's Table: Noodles (2024)

A fourth spin-off, titled Chef's Table: Noodles premiered on October 2, 2024.[9]

Volume 7 (2024)

Reception

The series has been well received since it aired in 2015 and has been praised for its cinematography, score, and production.[10]

Chef's Table has been parodied numerous times. Gods of Food, which satirizes Chef's Table and the restaurant industry, was created Rekha Shankar for by the YouTube comedy channel CollegeHumor.[11] The IFC series Portlandia parodied the series in an episode about an airport sushi chef.[12]

Awards

YearAwardCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef
Season 1
2015Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)Duncan Thum for "Francis Mallmann"[13]
2015International Documentary Association AwardsBest Episodic SeriesChef's Table[14]
2016James Beard Foundation AwardVisual and Technical ExcellenceChef's Table[15]
Season 2
2016MPSE Golden Reel AwardsBest Sound Editing - Short Form Documentary in TelevisionWilliam McGuigan[16]
2016Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Documentary or Nonfiction SeriesChef's Table
Outstanding Directing for a Nonfiction ProgramDavid Gelb for "Gaggan Anand"
Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)Duncan Thum for "Grant Achatz"
2016International Documentary Association AwardsBest Episodic SeriesChef's Table[17]
2017James Beard Foundation AwardBest Television Program, on LocationChef's Table[18]
Season 3
2017Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Documentary or Nonfiction SeriesChef's Table[19]
Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction ProgramWill Basanta for "Virgilio Martinez"
2018James Beard Foundation AwardBest Television Program, on Location"Jeong Kwan"[20]
Season 4
2018Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction ProgramAdam Bricker for "Corrado Assenza"[21]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: David Gelb. 2021-11-28. IMDb.
  2. Web site: Chef's Table. 2021-11-28. Television Academy. en.
  3. Web site: Hungry for More? Chef’s Table Is Cooking Up Three New Seasons. Netflix. en.
  4. Web site: Stein. Joshua David. 2015-04-24. TV Review: Netflix's 'Chef's Table' Digs Deep Into Creative Life. 2020-07-22. Eater. en.
  5. Web site: Marsh. Calum. 2019-05-01. How Chef's Table Turned Food TV Into Mouthwatering Art. 2020-07-22. Vulture. en-us.
  6. Web site: Video: Netflix Releases Trailer for "Chef's Table: France". The Futon Critic. September 1, 2016.
  7. Web site: Video: "Chef's Table: BBQ" - Official Trailer - Netflix. The Futon Critic. August 17, 2020.
  8. Web site: Netflix Announces Mouthwatering New Food Programming Including "Chef's Table: Pizza" Premiering September 7. The Futon Critic. August 19, 2022.
  9. Web site: Netflix's "Chef's Table" Franchise Returns with Three New Seasons. The Futon Critic. September 4, 2024.
  10. Web site: Breheny. Emma. How does Chef's Table season 5 stack up?. 2020-07-22. Gourmet Traveller. en.
  11. Web site: Morabito. Greg. 2019-08-21. How Rekha Shankar Created a Pitch-Perfect 'Chef's Table' Parody With 'Gods of Food'. 2020-07-22. Eater. en.
  12. Web site: This 'Portlandia' Spoof of 'Chef's Table' Is All Too Perfect. 2020-07-22. Food & Wine. EN.
  13. Web site: Chef's Table. Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. September 19, 2016.
  14. Web site: 2015 IDA Documentary Awards. International Documentary Association. April 2015. 20 September 2016.
  15. Web site: The 2016 Beard Award Winners!. www.jamesbeard.org. 2019-05-03.
  16. Web site: 2016 Golden Reel Awards Awards. mpse.org. 20 September 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160922174552/http://www.mpse.org/2016-television-documentary-nominees. 22 September 2016. dead.
  17. Web site: 2016 IDA Documentary Awards. International Documentary Association. 31 October 2016. 2 March 2017.
  18. Web site: The 2017 James Beard Media Award Winners. www.jamesbeard.org. en. 2019-05-03.
  19. Web site: Nominees/Winners | Television Academy . . July 13, 2017.
  20. Web site: The 2018 James Beard Media Award Winners. www.jamesbeard.org. en. 2019-05-03.
  21. Web site: Hipes . Patrick . Emmy Nominations: 'Game Of Thrones' Tops Noms, With Netflix & HBO Leading Way – Full List . Deadline . 12 July 2018 . Penske Business Media, LLC . 19 July 2018.

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