Jon Favreau wrote and directed Chef, a little movie with a very big heart. He also stars as celebrity chef Carl Casper, who has a very public social media meltdown and loses his job and his pride, as well as his home and his wife. He’s also on his way to losing his son and his passion about food. But that all changes when he takes on a rusty old food truck and drives it back across country.
Chef is predictable, there’s no getting away from that. But in spite of that, it burbles along gently, kindly, and with no ill-will whatsoever. The cast is great (big people on a small project), the food preparation footage is exceptionally, mouth-wateringly good, the sound track is pitch perfect. The trek takes them from South Beach through Louisiana and Texas back to LA, and all of the stops look magnificent and friendly and fun. I’d be very surprised if some of the establishments that feature don’t get an upswing in film tourism business as a result. I’m still hankering for a Cuban pork sandwich, a cold cerveza, and a sultry salsa beat driven by the horn section; very sweet indeed.