For all but the most hardcore cooking fans, Netflix is something of an untapped well of
foodie entertainment.
After all, with so many original series, classic movies and TV shows to choose from, how much
time do you really have to be watching culinary documentaries?
But don't discount these niche streaming treats just yet.
From madcap travelogues to heartwarming movies, we're digging in to the finest gastronomic
gems you'll find on Netflix!
"Are we not gonna eat anything?
I thought we were gonna get food.
We're not getting anything to eat here?"
Chef's Table
Created by director David Gelb, of 2011's Jiro Dreams of Sushi, Netflix original Chef's
Table provides a fly-on-the-wall peek into the lives of some of the world's most talented
and famous chefs.
Each 6-episode season features one chef, such as Niki Nakayama, Nancy Silverton, Dan Barber
and Magnus Nilsson.
"I was ready to close the restaurant, so I said, why don't we serve something very provocative"
Chef's Table constructs a sort of romanticized myth around the people who make your food.
And the results speak for themselves: the show has been nominated for a number of Emmys
and won an International Documentary Association award.
And with three seasons spanning the world, it's a golden choice for couch-based wanderlust,
too.
Cooked
Cooked is another Netflix original, adapted from 2013's Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation,
by Michael Pollan.
Produced by Alex Gibney, it follows Pollan himself as he learns how the four elements
have shaped food preparation throughout our shared human history.
. "When we learned to cook is when we became
truly human"
The four-part series features insights from food experts around the world and is likely
to be among the most genuinely educational and useful cooking shows you'll find on Netflix.
If you're after something cerebral and informative, then Cooked is exactly what you're craving.
The Mind of a Chef
As far as food shows go, The Mind of a Chef is about as much of a big-hitter as you can
possibly get.
Produced and narrated by Anthony Bourdain, each season follows a different chef and examines
their philosophies, outlooks and beliefs when it comes to the world of cooking.
The six seasons so far have profiled such culinary icons as David Chang, Sean Brock,
April Bloomfield, Edward Lee, Magnus Nilsson, Gabrielle Hamilton, David Kinch, Ludo Lefebvre
and Danny Bowien.
"Mmm.
This is my favorite place in the world.
I don't know why I go to your restaurant"
Often described as "the best show on television", The Mind of a Chef offers a fascinating insight
into how some of the world's best chefs approach their work, and how their dishes have been
influenced by their lives.
Ugly Delicious
If intellectual musing and finer-than-fine dining just isn't for you, Ugly Delicious
might be just the thing.
Each episode profiles one dish in particular — and how that dish is prepared and enjoyed,
around the world.
"I just reached a point where I'm ok making really ugly food"
The Guardian describes it as "big, bold and occasionally brash", amplifying the message
that simple, delicious food can bring people together.
At a time when food docs can often veer into becoming overly self-important, it really
can be a relief to just kick back and watch a bunch of people cooking up something that's
just...good!
Somebody Feed Phil
Somebody Feed Phil is another Netflix original series, this time documenting the culinary
travels of Phil Rosenthal, the television writer and producer perhaps best known for
creating Everybody Loves Raymond.
Joined by various friends and members of his family, Rosenthal travels the world to experience
local food traditions and cultures.
"This is fantastic, people.
It's so good"
But where Somebody Feed Phil excels, however, is in its oodles and oodles of charm.
Described as "the sweetest, most joyful food show on TV", it benefits hugely from the lovableness
of its host.
"Ma, do you know what that is?
This is called a mangosteen.
It's like a Jewish mango.
Mangosteen."
SOMM
The examination for Master Sommelier is one of the toughest in the world, requiring an
almost encyclopedic knowledge of wine making and grape varieties, as well as topography
of the world's wine regions.
SOMM is a 2013 documentary which follows four young sommeliers in the lead-up to that very
exam.
"When someone tells you this is something that a lot of people can't do, people either
go wow that's impressive, or they say wow I wanna do that"
Even though it's about a topic many of us are no experts in, the emotional ringer through
which these sommeliers are placed will be familiar to anyone who's ever risen to a seemingly
insurmountable academic challenge.
Variety called SOMM a "stimulating intro course on wine appreciation", and the unusual pairings
are worth a visual tasting:
"Spam and gewurztraminer."
"Red bean chilli and sparkling wine."
"Peanut butter ice cream and beaujolais"
But if nothing else, it'll make you glad you never ruined wine by studying it.
Thanks for watching!
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