The Chef Show Season 1 Episode 3: Remembering Jonathan Gold Review

The Chef Show on Netflix via Media Center – Episode 3

The third episode of Jon Favreau and Roy Choi’s The Chef Show is a trip down memory lane as the duo honour the late food reviewer, Jonathan Gold.

The third episode of Jon Favreau and Roy Choi’s The Chef Show is all about the food that late reviewer Jonathan Gold loved. Gold, who passed away in July 2018, was a visionary in the food industry, whose reviews were known for changing the fortunes of small establishments. Gold was one of the early reviewers of Choi’s Kogi food truck—visiting the truck within barely three months of the truck opening–and soon after, became a close friend. According to Choi, Gold understood food as more than just something to eat—he understood the story behind it. His reviews changed lives, not just Choi’s, but also of a number of small, mom-and-pop restaurants.

While making Chef, on which The Chef Show is based, Choi advised Favreau to meet with Gold to understand how food criticism worked, as the film prominently features a food critic, played by Oliver Platt. Unlike the food critic in Chef, who eviscerated the protagonist’s cooking in his review, Favreau explains that Gold was always more focused on spotlighting small eateries with great food, rather than about destroying places with bad food because he didn’t like the food. Gold left an indelible mark on all those he encountered and this episode proves to be a touching tribute to him.