Chef
2017 · Directed by Raja Menon
Original language: Hindi
- drama
- comedy
- family
The story
Roshan Kalra is a three-star Michelin chef who gets fired from New York's Gulli restaurant after he punches a customer. Forced to take a break, he flies to Kochi to spend time with his son, Armaan and his estranged wife Radha Menon. It's a fruitful trip because he manages to mend broken family ties. In a bid to help him get his mojo back, his wife suggests he put up his own food truck and begin afresh.
What it’s like
Warm, sunlit and unhurried, with bright tropical daylight over Kochi's waterside streets and the sizzle and steam of busy kitchens filling the frame. The palette leans toward saffron, turmeric and sun-bleached greens, cooling into harder, busier restaurant tones for the New York flashbacks. The camera stays relaxed and conversational, with close, appetising shots of cooking and plating that let the food carry much of the mood, and a bright, easygoing score with light percussion and gentle pop. The vibe is feel-good comedy with a tender undercurrent, well suited to a lazy weekend afternoon, a comfort rewatch, or a meal-time watch. Pacing is loose and episodic, and the emotional core follows a bruised chef slowly rebuilding trust with his young son and his estranged former wife while he finds his footing again. Intensity is low: one brief punch thrown in anger early on, otherwise no gore, no sexual content and little menace. It is for people who want warm family drama, food-centred comfort and a story of second chances without heavy darkness.
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