The Rich Food and Relationships in "Chef"

I have a lot of opinions about movies. Film is one of my favorite expressions of art and preferred storytelling platforms. I can totally geek out over film analysis and discussion, so I am excited to start posting my opinions and ideas on my favorite films from time to time.

*Spoilers ahead 


As soon as I saw the trailer for Chef I knew I would love it. Most movies that revolve around food get a high approval rating from me. But I was pleasantly surprised when I watched this movie and realized that while the main motifs center around cooking and food, the character and relationship development is so rich.

Jon Favreau has always been a favorite of mine. The holiday classic, Elf, sealed the deal for me, but he has also directed and starred in a number of other films that have gained him notoriety in recent years (the Iron Man trilogy being among them). While he tends towards the flashy, audience-pleaser type genre, there has always been a way about him that hints at greater depth and a creative eye. I've come to appreciate this about him and my assumptions were confirmed in this movie which he wrote, directed, and starred in.

Besides the fact that I was drooling during most of the movie because of the artistically stunning creation and display of food, I also enjoyed the parallels between the food Carl prepared and the type of character he developed into. 

The story opens with this tension apparent in Carl's relationship with cooking and his desire to be an extraordinary chef and more directly his relationship with his boss, Riva. Dustin Hoffman, The high-end Southern California restaurant owner, was brilliantly cast and acts as a roadblock to Carl being the chef he wants to be. Hoffman characterizes a leader who calls the shots, but leaves no room for creative freedom or risk. When Carl is fired for refusing to play it safe by cooking his most popular dishes on the night a famous food blogger and reviewer visits the restaurant, his humbling journey of self-discovery and self-sacrifice begins.

After a dramatic turn of events in the form of an embarrassing viral video leads him to travel to Miami with his son and ex-wife played by Sofia Vergara (another favorite of mine), he is provided an opportunity to put his creative culinary vision on display by running a food truck. Meanwhile we are being set up for a significant shift in his relationship with his ten year old son, Percy. The constant disappointment that his son experiences at the beginning of the story because of Carl's spotty commitment to spend time with him, begins to transform into a deeper appreciation for his dad and for his dad's passion: cooking. 

The mold-ridden, smelly food truck provided by Carl's ex-wife's ex-husband, hilariously played by Robert Downy Jr., is given a major scrub down and there is a clear comparison between Carl's life which has become dilapidated and in need of a major overhaul and the truck. The purging process involves a cross country road trip with Percy and Carl's former sous chef and friend, Martin. The story takes on some awesome healing and redemptive themes and one aspect that I really liked: simplicity.

Carl goes from preparing elaborate dishes in a polished environment, to assembling Cuban sandwiches in a truck. The simple act of recreating his favorite street food, which fueled his passion for cooking and food in the first place, helped him to realize that creating good food is really about the community it creates and the creativity that it inspires.

I thought Favreau did a great job making the story relevant and timely. While his relationship with his son goes deeper on the long road trip during which they make stops in several major cities to sell their food to the masses, Percy takes on the role of line chef and quasi social media marketer, documenting their trip and tweeting their adventures along the way. Long lines of hungry people are waiting for them at each location as Percy tips them off to their next stop. This creative and modern twist to the story reinforces Carl's realization that his son is not just a great addition to their team, but valuable as a visionary himself, playing to Carl's weaknesses and helping the food truck become the success that it is.

Chef is a feel good movie but part of what makes it such a great story is that it is not only a crowd pleaser, but also an honest portrayal of what it looks like to pursue your passion and experience relational restoration in the process. Maybe the real storytelling feat in this movie is Favreau's ability to communicate to the audience that when his passion for family matches his passion for food, he is able to enjoy life in a way that is unmatched.

I'm also a bit partial to this movie because of the strong Latin ties and cultural nods. The music, general loudness, and Spanish sprinkled throughout made me want to call my abuela and invite her over for a cooking party.

I give it an A (meaning you should absolutely see this movie. If you don't you'll regret it. Make sure to eat before. And maybe after too. Basically this movie is going to want to make you eat really good food.)

Media Roundup: Apps to Simplify Your Life, Quirky Thanksgiving Day Workouts, Daniel Radcliff Raps, and More

Happy Monday! Only 10 days until Thanksgiving and 45 days until Christmas! And as the famous meme goes, "hang in there baby!"

I am not someone who likes to play Christmas music before Thanksgiving. I really want to get excited for Turkey day and then get excited for Christmas. If I don't pace myself I will get overwhelmed with all of the holiday madness and all that there is to do. But that's just me :)

Even though I'm not blasting the Christmas tunes yet, I am still anxiously anticipating the holiday season as I'm sure you all are. Here is a little pre-holiday funk to peruse while you try to stay on task and force yourself to be productive even though time off is on the horizon.

1. 8 Apps to Help you Get More Done in Less Time

Speaking of productivity, I found this article from Mashable to be extremely helpful in identifying some good digital tools to help you save some time and work towards achieving a healthy work/life balance -- an issue I know I am constantly dealing with.

The research has already been done, so the only question is, which app, if any, works best for you?

2. Quirky Thanksgiving Workouts

I personally associate Thanksgiving with overeating delicious food and then laying on the couch (or ground) moaning about how much I overate, but I guess there are people out there who look for ways to get some exercise on Thanksgiving. Again, I am not one of those people.

I had to mention the article though because Seattle is on the list of cities that offers quirky workouts on Thanksgiving Day. A full marathon is apparently offered through the streets of Seattle. I must not have known about it because I was indoors. Eating mashed potatoes and gravy. :)

3. Daniel Radcliff Raps

You probably had no idea that Harry Potter is also a rapping wizard, and so prepare for your mind to be blown by the magic you are about to witness in this video.

4. 31 Ways to Be Creative

No matter what you do, working towards being a more creative individual both personally and professionally can be a benefit for a number of reasons, some of which are mentioned in this article.

Maybe in your time off in the next couple of weeks you want to tackle a project that you haven't had time for. Whatever you plan to do, get out there and create!

5. Helpful Tips for a Job Interview

I know this post is a bit selfish and mostly directed at me. Actually I know that it is :) 

I am in the throws of job searching right now and am walking through the dreaded interview stage. Or at least I dread it. There are some weirdos out there (like my husband) who likes to interview. Whether you love it or hate it, check out these helpful interview tips from Mashable.

Why Grown Adults Would Own Two Small Rodents...

This past weekend JD and I spent the majority of our Sunday making some tweaks to what we have deemed the "piggy palace." My father-in-law and JD worked tirelessly to build this indoor hutch for our little piggies over the summer and we are quite happy with the outcome...

You may be wondering why, in our limited time, we would want to spend the better part of a weekend working on making our guinea pigs more comfortable in their little home. 

You may be wondering why two adults would own guinea pigs in the first place. I have asked myself the same question when they wake us up at night with their squeaks, but they have become a part of our little family and even though we've talked about it on several occasions we just can't bring ourselves to give them away. Here are a few reasons why we keep Camila and Lulu around...

They are Great Apartment Pets

I have wanted a dog for a long time, but besides the fact that they are expensive, it is hard to find an apartment in Seattle that allows dogs. Small animals, however are welcome in most places and they require a lot less time and money. 

When we go out of town we can leave them for several days at a time, and the times that we have been gone for longer our friends or family can just drop in and give them some food and water and they are set for a few more days. Low maintenance pets are perfect for our lifestyle in this season.

It's an Opportunity to Care for Something Besides Ourselves

Guinea pigs by no means require the same level of commitment as a baby or even a dog, but it's good for JD and I to be responsible for something small and dependent on us. In some ways it prepares us for future responsibility.

There are nights when I do not want to clean their hutch or I do not want to spend the extra couple of minutes feeding them in the morning before I head to work, but it's good to be good stewards of the little lives we have been entrusted with, even if they don't appreciate it.

Let's face it, They're Adorable

JD and I both owned guinea pigs growing up and think they are super cute and fun to have around. Their little squeaks and mannerisms really are adorable. We both love animals, even the small, skittish kind.

There's Actually a Surprising Number of People Who Love Them

Guinea pigs are actually becoming more popular, even for adults. There are a number of people who chronicle their piggy adventures on Instagram such as stephsguineapigtures - one of my favorites.

And then there was the amazing Hyundai World Cup commercial where Tony the Wiz predicted the outcome of the Mexico v. Croatia game. He ended up being wrong, but hey he's a guinea pig. You can't expect too much.

And I have come across more and more articles about guinea pigs, like this Buzzfeed one of guinea pigs dressed like superheroes. 

And then there's Booboo the famous guinea pig, which my friend introduced me to a few months back. I mean come on. You've got to have a heart of stone if you don't think these pictures are cute.

You may not be rushing out to buy guinea pigs after reading this, but if I've nudged you in the direction of coming to appreciate this cute little animal, then my job here is done.

Easy Weeknight Side: Asparagus and Yellow Pepper Salad

An exciting thing happened last week. I created a side dish that was delicious and was thrown together with everything I already had in my refrigerator! I am not even kidding. It came from my own brain.

I still have a long way to go when it comes to being a chef and so my side dishes are usually pretty uninspiring: roasted veggies, fruit salads, etc. But last week I wanted to try something different and made something I had never tried before. I didn't even base it off of a recipe. This is huge for me, friends. And so I had to share.

Here is my recipe for a delicious, quick, weeknight salad that pairs great with a pasta dish.

Ingredients:

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips (this can definitely be a different pepper. Yellow is just what I had on hand)
1/2 pound of asparagus, ends trimmed and cut at a bias into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup of pine nuts, toasted
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more to coat veggies for cooking
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, or another deliciously salty, shreddable cheese
salt & pepper to taste

First heat your oven to broil. I think mine was at 500 or so. After prepping all of the veggies, coat them with a bit of olive oil and pop them in the oven. While that cooks make your vinaigrette. To make the dressing combine the lemon juice, olive oil and then add salt and pepper to taste (you could also add a squeeze of honey if you wanted to make it a bit sweeter, but bell peppers are already pretty sweet)

Combine the bell pepper, asparagus, and pine nuts in a bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Top with cheese and serve!

I served mine alongside some homemade baked manicotti which was divine also. It was a good night in the Lorence house.The buttery-ness of the pine nuts was so lovely with the buttery/saltiness of the parmesan. Yum!

Enjoy!