Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Padmapriya Janakirama, Svar Kamble,
Direction: Raja Krishna Menon
Writer: Ritesh Shah
Screenplay: Suresh Nair
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Duration: 2h 10m

Chef, directed by Raja Krishna Menon is adapted from the Hollywood film Chef of self-starrer and director Jon Favreau.

Somewhere there was a great anticipation in terms of matching the performance delivered by Jon Favreau in the Hollywood film that was released in 2004. And this also came with the burden of meeting the deliverables. But Chef has something new to offer - we’ve never seen movies revolve around the idea of having food as the integral part of it. 

Overall, the story is of a famed chef with excellent culinary skills who engages in a fight with a customer who criticizes his food. And the video clip of him hitting the customer goes viral. Which ultimately ends up with him having no job, incarcerated for two days and thus, destroying his career. Chef Roshan Kalra (Saif Ali Khan) is known for his rising from the ashes story. So, he decides to begin again, and start with a mobile food truck. Along with that he also gets a chance to reunite with his ex-wife and his son.

The narrative is written beautifully. But executed at a very slow pace, post interval it really makes you question that, why? Each and every actor’s role is crafted very well. May it be Radha performed by Padmapriya Janakiraman and Biju by Milind Soman. whatever time he had on screen, he had us all melting! And the young kid Arman played by Svar Kamble was every bit natural. The best thing about the movie is, it doesn’t have plenty of irrelevant and unnecessary songs. And only one that stays in your mind is Raghu Dixit’s ‘Shugal Laga Le’. Chandan Roy Sanyal does every justice to the role of Nazrul given to him in this movie. Either that be a gangster or a hardworking chef.

The most beautiful message the film gives out is about the kids with couples who’ve been divorced. Radha explains to Roshan that the divorce is between both of them and not their son. And equation between the son and father most of the times comes out natural and affecting.

The background score of the movie is beautiful, down south the luscious green landscapes and Kerala Backwater. It is optically amazing, the entire journey from Kerala, Goa and Delhi. My understanding of the movie Chef was seeing a lot of food! That too, cooked by Saif Ali khan. I can count on my fingers; surprisingly Saif Ali Khan’s culinary skills were shown just thrice! That’s it.

It’s a decent movie, and Saif Ali Khan does reasonably good job at being witty. Padmapriya Janakiraman looks pretty with all the attires that given to her. Exactly what suites to the demand of the character of a woman who’s around 30 and plus. Overall you must watch the movie if you like gleeful movies. Only if it had more food..!