The Chef (film) (original) (raw)

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2012 French film

Like a Chef
Film poster
French Comme un chef
Directed by Daniel Cohen
Written by Daniel Cohen
Produced by Sidonie Dumas
Starring Jean RenoMichaël YounRaphaëlle AgoguéJulien BoisselierSantiago SeguraSalomé StéveninPierre VernierSantiago SeguraGeneviève Casile
Cinematography Robert Fraisse
Edited by Géraldine Rétif
Music by Nicola Piovani
Distributed by Gaumont
Release date 7 March 2012 (2012-03-07)
Running time 84 minutes
Country France
Language French

Le Chef (French: Comme un chef) is a 2012 French comedy film, directed by Daniel Cohen and starring Jean Reno and Michaël Youn. The film had its International premiere at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival in 2012.[1]

Jacky Bonnot (Michaël Youn) is a young Frenchman living with his pregnant girlfriend (Raphaëlle Agogué). After being fired from a restaurant, he becomes worried about the birth of his child and decides to get any job he can despite his passion for haute cuisine. After accepting a job as a painter at a home for the elderly, he makes friends with the establishment's cooks and helps them improve their menu. These improvements eventually reach the ears of Alexandre Lagarde (Jean Reno), who is also in a precarious situation: as the renowned chef of the Cargo Lagarde restaurant, he has to improve his entire menu. If he cannot achieve this, the place will lose a star from its rating and Stanislas Matter (Julien Boisselier) will convert it into a molecular kitchen, with Alexandre and all the cooks losing their jobs. Jacky initially rejects the offer to work with Alexandre, because the position is an unpaid internship, but after hesitation, he accepts. The next day, both Jacky and Alexandre start cooking together but as soon as they begin, Jacky's finickiness and Alexandre's stubbornness leads to an argument that results in Jacky being fired.

Alexandre regrets his decision and sends someone to search and take Jacky back to the Cargo Lagarde ranks. They reconcile and start to plan improvements to the restaurant's menu. As Jacky works as an unpaid intern, he lies to his girlfriend about searching for jobs. However, she goes to where he started as a painter and finds herself in the kitchen of the interns, who are having a video call with Jacky. She discovers him lying and their relationship breaks down. Alexandre offers him a glass of wine that Jacky accepts, and they keep tasting bottles of wine until both of them become slightly drunk. Alexandre tells Jacky that food critics that prefer molecular cuisine will be dining soon at his restaurant, and it will result in a loss of one star from his restaurants rating. Jacky, drunk, calls his friend Juan for help. Jacky plans to reconcile with his girlfriend with the help of Alexandre, but the plan fails as she gets mad at his clumsy proposal. Alexandre offers Jacky a room in his house to spend the night, where Alexandre tries to talk with his daughter who is resentful over her dad's indifference to her thesis and degree. Jackie recruits the team of cooks from the home of the elderly to help him and Alexandre in finding a new cuisine. When all efforts fail, they travel in disguise to Cyril restaurant and steal his ingredients. On the day of critic visit Alexandre stays back to help his daughter. Alexandre boss berates Jacky before the staff. Jacky learns from Beatrice she delivered a girl child which motivates him to try something new.

The critics are extremely impressed with combination of traditional and molecular. They consider giving Alexandre 4 stars. Alexandre feels proud about the achievement. He announces Jacky responsible for the success single handedly. Calls him his successor, resigns and gives Jacky his job. Jacky gets a contract, signing amount, owners car. He reunites with his girlfriend. He starts a new show with Alexandre. All his dreams come true.

  1. ^ "The Chef". unifrance.org. Retrieved 2015-08-01.