# Chef's Table

Chef's Table is an American documentary series created by David Gelb, which premiered on video streaming service Netflix on April 26, 2015. The series takes viewers inside both the lives and kitchens of a variety of acclaimed and successful international chefs, with each episode placing the spotlight on a single chef and exploring the unique lives, talents and passions which influence their style of cooking. The series has been nominated for and awarded a variety of awards, including 8 Emmy nominations. Season 7 was released on November 27, 2024 and season 8 entitled "Legends" is planned to be released in 2025, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the show.

## Background

Each episode of the series focuses on a specific chef, and explores their personal philosophies and approach to cooking. Creator David Gelb considers it a follow-up to his documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi. He teamed up with Brian McGinn to develop Chef's Table with Boardwalk Pictures and Netflix became interested in it. Both documentaries make use of cinematography and production techniques based on traditional filmmaking rather than reality television.

## Episodes

| Volume | Episodes | Episodes | Originally released | Originally released |
| 1 | 6 | 6 | April 26, 2015 (2015-4-26) | April 26, 2015 (2015-4-26) |
| 2 | 6 | 6 | May 27, 2016 (2016-5-27) | May 27, 2016 (2016-5-27) |
| France | 4 | 4 | September 2, 2016 (2016-9-02) | September 2, 2016 (2016-9-02) |
| 3 | 6 | 6 | February 17, 2017 (2017-2-17) | February 17, 2017 (2017-2-17) |
| 4: Pastry | 4 | 4 | April 13, 2018 (2018-4-13) | April 13, 2018 (2018-4-13) |
| 5 | 4 | 4 | September 28, 2018 (2018-9-28) | September 28, 2018 (2018-9-28) |
| 6 | 4 | 4 | February 22, 2019 (2019-02-22) | February 22, 2019 (2019-02-22) |
| BBQ | 4 | 4 | September 2, 2020 (2020-09-02) | September 2, 2020 (2020-09-02) |
| Pizza | 6 | 6 | September 7, 2022 (2022-09-07) | September 7, 2022 (2022-09-07) |
| Noodles | 4 | 4 | October 2, 2024 (2024-10-02) | October 2, 2024 (2024-10-02) |
| 7 | 4 | 4 | November 27, 2024 (2024-11-27) | November 27, 2024 (2024-11-27) |

### Volume 1 (2015)

| No. overall | No. in season | Chef | Restaurant | Directed by | Original release date |
| 1 | 1 | Massimo Bottura | Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy | David Gelb | April 26, 2015 (2015-4-26) |
| 2 | 2 | Dan Barber | Blue Hill Restaurant in New York City and Stone Barns (Pocantico Hills, New York), United States | Clay Jeter | April 26, 2015 (2015-4-26) |
| 3 | 3 | Francis Mallmann | Patagonia Sur in Buenos Aires, Argentina | Clay Jeter | April 26, 2015 (2015-4-26) |
| 4 | 4 | Niki Nakayama | n/naka in Los Angeles, United States | Andrew Fried | April 26, 2015 (2015-4-26) |
| 5 | 5 | Ben Shewry | Attica in Melbourne, Australia | Brian McGinn | April 26, 2015 (2015-4-26) |
| 6 | 6 | Magnus Nilsson | Fäviken in Järpen, Sweden | Brian McGinn | April 26, 2015 (2015-4-26) |

### Volume 2 (2016)

| No. overall | No. in season | Chef | Restaurant | Directed by | Original release date |
| 7 | 1 | Grant Achatz | Alinea in Chicago, United States | Brian McGinn | May 27, 2016 (2016-5-27) |
| 8 | 2 | Alex Atala | D.O.M. in São Paulo, Brazil | Clay Jeter | May 27, 2016 (2016-5-27) |
| 9 | 3 | Dominique Crenn | Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, United States | Andrew Fried | May 27, 2016 (2016-5-27) |
| 10 | 4 | Enrique Olvera | Pujol in Mexico City, Mexico | Clay Jeter | May 27, 2016 (2016-5-27) |
| 11 | 5 | Ana Roš | Hiša Franko in Kobarid, Slovenia | Abigail Fuller | May 27, 2016 (2016-5-27) |
| 12 | 6 | Gaggan Anand | Gaggan in Bangkok, Thailand | David Gelb | May 27, 2016 (2016-5-27) |

### Chef's Table: France (2016)

The first spin-off, titled Chef's Table: France premiered on September 1, 2016.
| No. overall | No. in season | Chef | Restaurant | Directed by | Original release date |
| 13 | 1 | Alain Passard | L'Arpège in Paris, France | David Gelb | September 2, 2016 (2016-9-02) |
| 14 | 2 | Alexandre Couillon | La Marine in Noirmoutier-en-l'Île, France | Clay Jeter | September 2, 2016 (2016-9-02) |
| 15 | 3 | Adeline Grattard | Yam’Tcha in Paris, France | Andrew Fried | September 2, 2016 (2016-9-02) |
| 16 | 4 | Michel Troisgros | La Maison Troisgros in Roanne, France | David Gelb | September 2, 2016 (2016-9-02) |

### Volume 3 (2017)

| No. overall | No. in season | Chef | Restaurant | Directed by | Original release date |
| 17 | 1 | Jeong Kwan | Chunjinam Hermitage at Baekyangsa in Jangseong County, South Korea | David Gelb | February 17, 2017 (2017-2-17) |
| 18 | 2 | Vladimir Mukhin | White Rabbit in Moscow, Russia | Brian McGinn | February 17, 2017 (2017-2-17) |
| 19 | 3 | Nancy Silverton | Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles, United States | Andrew Fried | February 17, 2017 (2017-2-17) |
| 20 | 4 | Ivan Orkin | Ivan Ramen in Tokyo, Japan closed in New York City, United States | David Gelb | February 17, 2017 (2017-2-17) |
| 21 | 5 | Tim Raue | Restaurant Tim Raue in Berlin, Germany | Abigail Fuller | February 17, 2017 (2017-2-17) |
| 22 | 6 | Virgilio Martínez | Central in Lima, Peru | Clay Jeter | February 17, 2017 (2017-2-17) |

### Volume 4: Pastry (2018)

| No. overall | No. in season | Chef | Restaurant | Directed by | Original release date |
| 23 | 1 | Christina Tosi | Milk Bar in New York City, United States | Andrew Fried | April 13, 2018 (2018-4-13) |
| 24 | 2 | Corrado Assenza | Caffè Sicilia in Noto, Italy | Brian McGinn | April 13, 2018 (2018-4-13) |
| 25 | 3 | Jordi Roca | El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain | David Gelb | April 13, 2018 (2018-4-13) |
| 26 | 4 | Will Goldfarb | Room 4 Dessert in Ubud, Indonesia | Brian McGinn | April 13, 2018 (2018-4-13) |

### Volume 5 (2018)

| No. overall | No. in season | Chef | Restaurant | Directed by | Original release date |
| 27 | 1 | Cristina Martinez | South Philly Barbacoa in Philadelphia, United States | Abigail Fuller | September 28, 2018 (2018-9-28) |
| 28 | 2 | Musa Dağdeviren | Çiya in Istanbul, Turkey | Clay Jeter | September 28, 2018 (2018-9-28) |
| 29 | 3 | Bo Songvisava | Bo.lan in Bangkok, Thailand | Andrew Fried | September 28, 2018 (2018-9-28) |
| 30 | 4 | Albert Adrià | Tickets in Barcelona, Spain | Jim Goldblum | September 28, 2018 (2018-9-28) |

### Volume 6 (2019)

| No. overall | No. in season | Chef | Restaurant | Directed by | Original release date |
| 31 | 1 | Mashama Bailey | The Grey in Savannah, Georgia, United States | Abigail Fuller | February 22, 2019 (2019-02-22) |
| 32 | 2 | Dario Cecchini | Solociccia in Panzano, Tuscany, Italy | Jim Goldblum | February 22, 2019 (2019-02-22) |
| 33 | 3 | Asma Khan | Darjeeling Express in London, United Kingdom | Zia Mandviwalla | February 22, 2019 (2019-02-22) |
| 34 | 4 | Sean Brock | Husk in Charleston, South Carolina, United States | Clay Jeter | February 22, 2019 (2019-02-22) |

### Chef's Table: BBQ (2020)

A second spin-off, titled Chef's Table: BBQ premiered on September 2, 2020.
| No. overall | No. in season | Chef | Restaurant | Directed by | Original release date |
| 35 | 1 | Tootsie Tomanetz | Snow's BBQ in Lexington, Texas, United States | Zia Mandviwalla | September 2, 2020 (2020-09-02) |
| 36 | 2 | Lennox Hastie | Firedoor in Sydney, Australia | Brian McGinn | September 2, 2020 (2020-09-02) |
| 37 | 3 | Rodney Scott | Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ in Charleston, South Carolina, United States | Clay Jeter | September 2, 2020 (2020-09-02) |
| 38 | 4 | Rosalia Chay Chuc | Cochinita Pibil in Yaxuná, Mexico | Zia Mandviwalla | September 2, 2020 (2020-09-02) |

### Chef's Table: Pizza (2022)

A third spin-off, titled Chef's Table: Pizza premiered on September 7, 2022.
| No. overall | No. in season | Chef | Restaurant | Directed by | Original release date |
| 39 | 1 | Chris Bianco | Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, Arizona, United States | Clay Jeter | September 7, 2022 (2022-09-07) |
| 40 | 2 | Gabriele Bonci | Pizzarium Bonci in Rome, Italy | Brian McGinn | September 7, 2022 (2022-09-07) |
| 41 | 3 | Ann Kim | Pizzeria Lola in Minneapolis, United States | Zia Mandviwalla | September 7, 2022 (2022-09-07) |
| 42 | 4 | Franco Pepe | Pepe in Grani in Caiazzo, Italy | Brian McGinn | September 7, 2022 (2022-09-07) |
| 43 | 5 | Yoshihiro Imai | Monk in Kyoto, Japan | Abigail Fuller | September 7, 2022 (2022-09-07) |
| 44 | 6 | Sarah Minnick | Lovely's Fifty Fifty in Portland, Oregon, United States | Danny O'Malley | September 7, 2022 (2022-09-07) |

### Chef's Table: Noodles (2024)

A fourth spin-off, titled Chef's Table: Noodles premiered on October 2, 2024.
| No. overall | No. in season | Chef | Restaurant | Directed by | Original release date |
| 45 | 1 | Evan Funke | Funke in Los Angeles, United States | Brian McGinn | October 2, 2024 (2024-10-02) |
| 46 | 2 | Guirong Wei | Master Wei in London, United Kingdom | Clay Jeter | October 2, 2024 (2024-10-02) |
| 47 | 3 | Peppe Guida | Antica Osteria Nonna Rosa in Sorrento, Italy | Zia Mandviwalla | October 2, 2024 (2024-10-02) |
| 48 | 4 | Nite Yun | Nyum Bai in Oakland, California, United States | Rayka Zehtabchi | October 2, 2024 (2024-10-02) |

### Volume 7 (2024)

| No. overall | No. in season | Chef | Restaurant | Directed by | Original release date |
| 49 | 1 | Nok Suntaranon | Kalaya in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | Brian McGinn | November 27, 2024 (2024-11-27) |
| 50 | 2 | Kwame Onwuachi | Tatiana By Kwame Onwuachi in New York City, New York, United States | Kevin Wilson, Jr. | November 27, 2024 (2024-11-27) |
| 51 | 3 | Ángel León | Aponiente in Cádiz, Spain | Brian McGinn | November 27, 2024 (2024-11-27) |
| 52 | 4 | Norma Listman and Saqib Keval | Masala y Maíz and Marigold in Mexico City, Mexico | Danny O'Malley | November 27, 2024 (2024-11-27) |

## Reception

The series has been well received since it aired in 2015 and has been praised for its cinematography, score, and production.
Chef's Table has been parodied numerous times. Gods of Food, which satirizes Chef's Table and the restaurant industry, was created Rekha Shankar for by the YouTube comedy channel CollegeHumor. The IFC series Portlandia parodied the series in an episode about an airport sushi chef.

## Awards

| Year | Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
| Season 1 ||||||
| 2015 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) | Duncan Thum for "Francis Mallmann" | Nominated |
| 2015 | International Documentary Association Awards | Best Episodic Series | Chef's Table | Won |
| 2016 | James Beard Foundation Award | Visual and Technical Excellence | Chef's Table | Won |
| Season 2 ||||||
| 2016 | MPSE Golden Reel Awards | Best Sound Editing - Short Form Documentary in Television | William McGuigan | Nominated |
| 2016 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series | Chef's Table | Nominated |
| 2016 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Directing for a Nonfiction Program | David Gelb for "Gaggan Anand" | Nominated |
| 2016 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) | Duncan Thum for "Grant Achatz" | Nominated |
| 2016 | International Documentary Association Awards | Best Episodic Series | Chef's Table | Nominated |
| 2017 | James Beard Foundation Award | Best Television Program, on Location | Chef's Table | Won |
| Season 3 ||||||
| 2017 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series | Chef's Table | Nominated |
| 2017 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program | Will Basanta for "Virgilio Martinez" | Nominated |
| 2018 | James Beard Foundation Award | Best Television Program, on Location | "Jeong Kwan" | Won |
| Season 4 ||||||
| 2018 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program | Adam Bricker for "Corrado Assenza" | Nominated |