Chef is a film about a man who has lost his way and ends up on a road trip finding it. Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) is a mess, he is divorced from Inez (Sofia Vergara) who he still loves and who is still in love with him, he is disconnected from Percy his son, and he is in a rut at work. After a mishap at work, Carl finds himself in Miami with an old food truck, which he and Percy restore and the adventure begins. Father and son connect with each other on the road.
Chef is another entry into a long tradition of films that make use of beautiful, mouth-watering images of food. I mean, seriously, the images of food in this film are so beautiful. This genre includes films like; Chocolat, Babette’s Feast, Like Water for Chocolate, Ratatoulle, and Big Night. In each of these films food is used to represent other aspects of the characters lives. In Chef, the food represents connection and community.
Carl’s passion for being a chef has become an idol, something that has strained his communal connection to those he loves. Like many workaholics, Carl has forgotten the things which got him to the status he currently holds, the love and encouragement of his family and his passion for creatively making good food. He is so bound to being successful that he has lost touch with those elements that made him successful in the first place. Even in the loss of his status as head chef, Carl still doesn’t realize how out of touch he is with himself and others. It is only when one who knows his deepest heart, Inez, encourages him to a different direction that he begins his transformation.
What I loved about this film, beyond in the striking and enticing shots of food, was the genuine sweetness that was present between all of the characters. This film told a story about disconnection without any of the typical caricatures. All of the characters in this film are presented as likable people (even the over the top cameo by Robert Downey Jr as Inez’s ex husband) with whom one would like to have a drink or share a meal. This speaks to the strength of Jon Favreau as a director and writer. Chef is a great story about reconnection with community and passion.