In 2025 the 10th anniversary of the Netflix series “Chef’s Table” is being celebrated with a new season titled “Chef’s Table: Legends”. This season, released on April 28th, focuses on the lives and work of four culinary icons: Jamie Oliver, José Andrés, Alice Waters, and Thomas Keller. The season is a mix of celebration and a continuation of the show’s focus on the artistry and passion of chefs.
Each one of them telling their story, how it all started, the high and lows and their profession, everyday challenges.
Jamie’s episode hits close to my heart as I was living in London right at the start of “The Naked Chef”. Every Tuesday, prime time on ITV and it became a weekly gathering with out friends with snacks and wine. I remember vividly seeing it all coming to life from that shy guy with his tiny apartment and his then girlfriend Jools to becoming this phenomenon that changed the way Britons would enjoy a good meal. And that was April 1999…just the beginning.
He personified a societal change.
Former UK Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair
José Andrés with his absolute genuine Spanish heart shares his stories in between marvelous takes of cooking and eating with friends and his staff. Most of the episode he’s wearing a very subtle political statement t-shirt saying “Immigrants Feed America“.
Life starts at the edge of your comfort zone.
From that navy guy from Asturias, after studying and working around Barcelona and getting his proper first job with Ferran Adrià at El Bulli. DC was his next stop and he just couldn’t stop. The world was his oyster.
I want food to be the solution.
José Andrés
His most audacious yet human project is World Central Kitchen, where teams from every corner of the world made of volunteer to help with humanitarian aid at war zones and places affected by natural disasters.
Thomas Keller gives a more serious tone to the documentary being a very reserved person he is, but nothing takes away how mesmerizing it is to see how The Fresh Laundry came to life in between so many failures during the beginning of his career. Thirty years of one restaurant and never loosing its magnificent profile is aa merit for a few. That’s not to mention Per Se, a more recent of his creations within his Group.
To end in gracious style the documentary has the one and only, Alice Waters.
One of my favorite lady in the food world. The most quintessential, genuine and real as it can be. She does what she believes in her heart. And that is all inside that precious historic gem in Berkley, California, called Chez Panisse. As Samin Nosrat wisely say, Alice Waters brought the concept of ‘Farm to Table’ to reality worldwide. Her most precious and proud project is called Edible School Yard where children across the States have access to gardening and eating fresh organic fruits and veggies, cultivated by them.
The photography of all 4 episodes are a masterpiece of food photography in cinematography. Soundtrack brings you to laughs, happy tears.
Worth every minute! You might get a tad peckish too with all those mouthwatering dishes.
Just hit play and enjoy!