Chef (2014) | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

87%

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186 Reviews

85%

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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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Chef

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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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Critics Reviews

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Brent McKnight

The Last Thing I See

The first time you do something it might be fresh and risky, but the tenth, twentieth, you risk becoming repetitive and bland. "Chef" is about a creative personality trying to break free from a system that fosters this repetition and stagnation.

Rated: B+

Jul 8, 2020

Full Review

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LUCAS B Great film, great story. Just not an absolute cinematic masterpiece. 9.5/10 Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/06/24 Full Review Audience Member This movie is soooo good. Very satisfying and i love cooking lol Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/04/24 Full Review Nick R A great feel-good comedy with lots of heart that will make you hungry. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/04/24 Full Review Glen M Is this supposed to be a movie with a story or an episode of Hell's Kitchen without the hell part - where all the drama (though there's very little drama) is cutely caked in tinsel and fluffy marshmallows? Either way, it definitely fires up one's tastebuds but fails miserably as a movie. Retitled as a fun documentary with nice people might do it. Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 09/23/24 Full Review Jonathan K This is a solid feel-good affair. But the second half was markedly less exciting than the first. There was something about the energy of the restaurant at the beginning and the tension for the characters that was more compelling than the food truck adventure it became, transforming into more of a father/son drama. Which honestly was fine, and the kid was great in it. But the high-end restaurant chef drama had higher stakes and pull, translating to more spiritedness, and a snappier script. In the end though, it is pretty touching, with a not-too-hollywood happy ending. It just felt a little like two different movies. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/09/24 Full Review Bahad j The idea behind this movie moved me a lot, but it was a movie with really satisfying expectations Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/05/24 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

Jon Favreau Director Jon Favreau Carl Casper Sofía Vergara Inez John Leguizamo Martin Scarlett Johansson Molly Dustin Hoffman Riva

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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