Chef

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2:45

Chef

R

Released May 9, 2014

1h 55m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

87%

Tomatometer

187 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

After a controlling owner (Dustin Hoffman) pushes him too far, chef Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) quits his position at a prestigious Los Angeles restaurant. As he tries to figure out what his next step should be, he finds himself in Miami. Carl joins forces with his ex-wife (Sofía Vergara), best friend (John Leguizamo) and son (Emjay Anthony) to launch a food-truck business, and the venture provides a chance to reignite his passion for cooking -- as well as his zest for life and love.

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Critics Consensus

Chef's charming cast and sharp, funny script add enough spice to make this feel-good comedy a flavorful -- if familiar -- treat.

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Liz Braun

Toronto Sun

It's such a treat to see such an endearing slice o' life in the middle of this blockbuster season. There's not a single comic book character in sight.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jan 5, 2015

Full Review

Laurence Phelan

Independent (UK)

The result is a small, unashamedly feel-good film that makes up for what it lacks in dramatic jeopardy with gentle comedy, heartwarming family scenes, ladles of food porn, and time spent among characters you like.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 7, 2014

Full Review

Kate Muir

Times (UK)

Chef is a foodie-gasm of a film, directed by and starring Jon Favreau as a designer cook past his sell-by date, who goes on a road trip from Miami to Los Angeles to find his soul -- and soul food.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 7, 2014

Full Review

Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

Coming on the heels of Iron Man 2, filmmaker Jon Favreau delivers his most personal film yet as a chef responds to a food critic by going back to his roots in 2014's Chef.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 31, 2024

Full Review

Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

A lightweight, but enjoyable film; an amuse bouche that may leave you hungry for something more substantial but still manages to satisfy.

Rated: 3.5/5

Feb 1, 2021

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

When every conflict is quashed within minutes and the predicaments barely register concern, the power to affect audiences dwindles.

Rated: 4/10

Dec 4, 2020

Full Review

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Audience Member

I just love this film, so much fun and good music and a man trying to do the right thing by his son..and well casted ✨👍❤️

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/18/25

Full Review

Pongo K

So so so so sweeeeet! A father / son comedy drama where the whole family comes together again at the end. Whaaaat a surprise... A twitter and cuban food advertisement. See it if you really want to.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/15/25

Full Review

Huggy B

This movie was recommended by IMDb as a feel-good film, but what a disappointment! The gags are outdated and unfunny, the dialogue is excessively verbose and repetitive, and the editing is horrendous—each scene drags on at least five minutes longer than necessary. What’s baffling is how the critics gave it an 87% rating. This highlights how out of touch critics can be with general audiences. Rotten Tomatoes should address this disconnect to ensure critics' reviews align more closely with audience preferences; otherwise, it risks becoming a platform where critics only cater to one another.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/02/25

Full Review

Samuel W

Jon Favreau shines as the star of his own movie as a chef that aspires to be greater than he is. When he argues with a food critic and accidentally starts a war between him and the critic, his life turns around in an unexpected way as he, his son, and the talented John Leguizamo decide to take their business to the next level by taking themselves down just a peg. A beautifully done story of a father who wants to be more than what is laid out in front of him and so he takes his chances and trusts the right people, whether he likes it or not, so that he may have the future he’s always wanted. With talent like Scarlett Johannson, Jon Favreau, John Leguizamo, Sofia Vergara, Robert Downey Jr. and so many, many other wonderful actors, and wonderful looking food crafted and cared for by famous real-life chef, Roy Choi, it's hard not to love something about this movie.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/01/25

Full Review

Orla M

Unexpected little gem of a movie! For me it had everything... a great story, great cast and so beautifully acted, sincere and true to life story... have watched twice already.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/22/24

Full Review

W. D

As someone who loves cooking, this is one of my all time favorite movies. Great cast, lots of laughs. Every now and then you just want a feel-good movie. I watch this every time it's on.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/14/24

Full Review

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Jon Favreau

Director

Jon Favreau

Carl Casper

Sofía Vergara

Inez

John Leguizamo

Martin

Scarlett Johansson

Molly

Dustin Hoffman

Riva

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Chef: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

After a controlling owner (Dustin Hoffman) pushes him too far, chef Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) quits his position at a prestigious Los Angeles restaurant. As he tries to figure out what his next step should be, he finds himself in Miami. Carl joins forces with his ex-wife (Sofía Vergara), best friend (John Leguizamo) and son (Emjay Anthony) to launch a food-truck business, and the venture provides a chance to reignite his passion for cooking -- as well as his zest for life and love.

Director: Jon Favreau
Producer: Sergei Bespalov, Jon Favreau
Screenwriter: Jon Favreau
Distributor: Open Road
Production Co: Aldamisa Entertainment
Rating: R (Some Suggestive References|Language)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 9, 2014, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $31.2M
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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