Actor/Writer/Director Jon Favreau returns to his indie movie roots in the excellent Chef.

When an artist finds themselves in a creative rut or frustration, it is often helpful to go back to the origins of one’s craft to rediscover their passion and realize why they do what they do. In Chef, both the titular character Carl Casper and Jon Favreau himself learn this very important lesson.

We meet Carl Casper as the executive chef in an upscale Los Angeles Restaurant preparing a special menu for a big time blogger and food critic (Oliver Platt) and we see the passion that he has for every step of food preparation that led him to be called one of the best up and coming chefs in LA 10 years ago by the same food critic. He crafts his menu and his entire staff is very excited and all stand behind the charismatic Casper and the talent that they all recognize. The owner Riva (Dustin Hoffman) has much different ideas. He wants Casper to cook the same menu he has been cooking for 10 years. This is what his customers expect, and how would an audience member feel if The Rolling Stones refused to play Satisfaction in concert? He convinces Casper to cater his menu to his regular customers, and the ensuing review is brutal. At once a very brave and revolutionary chef, he is now portrayed as a coward who is so afraid of doing something bold that everything is bland and dull.

Casper is devastated by the review, and begins an online war with the critic that brings enormously bad press to him and by extension his restaurant, and he is let go of his duties. At a very low point, Casper take the advice of his ex-wife Inez (Sofia Vergara in her best role) to craft his own menu by getting a food truck. He takes his very loyal line cook (John Leguizamo) and his son Percy (Emjay Anthony) on a cross country trip taking his new truck from Miami back to LA, and he reconnects with son and his passion for food.

Favreau does an incredible job of showing the passion a chef has for food, and why it is more important than simply eating with the artistic and cultural implications of it. The culture displayed here in this film is especially incredible. From Farmers Markets in LA to music in Miami to food in New Orleans and Austin. The technique and passion for the food is displayed throughout with all the respect that it deserves.

There is also a very touching story here with Casper connecting with his son. While never an absentee or neglectful father, he realizes that he has put his career ahead of his son, and the connection they make through the journey of the film comes off very authentic.  Emjay Anthony does a great job here and is responsible for a lot of the heart that is at the core of the film.  Favreau also does a great job in his first main acting role in many years.

It is also impossible to view this film without seeing how much it mirrors Favreau’s career. A critically acclaimed writer and filmmaker from his humble beginnings of Swingers and Made, he achieved mainstream success with Iron Man, before studio pressure caused some problems with Iron Man 2 before exploding in the critically panned Cowboys and Aliens. It was pretty clear that Favreau’s frustration with studios with Cowboys and Aliens heavily influenced the scenes with Riva the owner telling Casper the artist what he must do creatively to keep his job, and the frustration coming with then taking all the heat from the critics over decisions his superiors made. This film itself is Favreau’s food truck, allowing him to have complete creative control and reconnecting with the passion that made him have the need to become a filmmaker in the process. I for one am very hungry for more.

Conclusion [9 out of 10]

The worst part of this film is that it doesn’t come with some of the food you see cooked onscreen. If you are a fan of character driven films, cooking shows, the art and passion of cooking, or just a heartfelt father and son connection, you will love this film.