DISCLAIMER: The Master Chef is currently unavailable for viewing due to it currently waiting for a complete and updated soundtrack.
At a fancy New York restaurant one night, the unthinkable becomes reality. As the head maestro (Dan Conrad) prepares to complete a dish for one of the guests, he comes to the realization that the dish is not complete. With the entirety of the restaurant in an uproar, unsure of how to proceed, The Master Chef (David Thomas Crowe) will attempt to come to the rescue and complete the unfinished dish.
There was a time (maybe a few years ago) that the Food Network was often on my television, as I enjoyed watching shows like Chopped, Cutthroat Kitchen, and Beat Bobby Flay. It was always fun learning new things and getting to watch professional chefs compete against one another in a battle of talent, speed, and wit. Something that always bothered me, however, was the fact that tiny, irrelevant details to the plates would cost contestants the competition. A lack of salt (THERE’S SALT ON THE TABLE!) or a lack of garnish always played a role in whether or not a contestant moved on to the next round or won an exorbitant amount of money. The Master Chef is the perfect representation of how infuriating these aspects of those aforementioned shows were. Intentional or not, The Master Chef resonated with me, as it allowed me to see that I wasn’t alone when watching the Food Network, and that others possess the same sort of frustration when watching the judging portion of those shows.
Acting doesn’t necessarily play a role in The Master Chef, as nearly every moment of the film is exaggerated. Beyond those food-related competition shows, The Master Chef uses an exaggerated tone throughout to enlighten viewers on the reality that we overreact to the little things in life. There’s a life lesson that lives just beneath the surface of Abi Varghese’s film, and that is to relax. Understanding that there are things in life which are out of our control is necessary in the real world, and The Master Chef expresses that through an over-the-top restaurant crew.
Regardless of the validity of the food being made in The Master Chef (I’m not sure if anything on screen tastes good), the film’s aesthetic attracts viewers. Outside of the existentialism and the metaphor, The Master Chef is visually endearing, providing viewers another reason to appreciate the film. As I salivated at the seemingly delectable courses being produced on screen, I was pulled even further into the narrative as the many layers of the film converge and entertain.
The silly narrative, the important and necessary messages, and the beauty of The Master Chef pair so well together and make something mouthwatering. Every part of this film marries beautifully and creates a wonderfully entertaining spectacle. It doesn’t matter what walk of life you are from, whether you love a film with a hidden message, or if you love food, The Master Chef has something for everyone. The Master Chef is ultimately delicious and bound to leave viewers satisfied.
Directed by Abi Varghese.
Written by Dan Conrad & Greg Vorob.
Starring David Thomas Crowe, Dan Conrad, Greg Vorob, Marc Seidenstein, Paul White, Adrian Christian, Michael Jabin, Sergio Velez, Ian Campbell Dunn, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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