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Chef!

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BBC (ended 1996)

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7.3

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SHOW REVIEWS
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Show Summary

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Gareth Blackstock (Lenny Henry) is a master chef with an obsessive drive for culinary perfection, with no friends or outside interests other than his wife Janice, (Caroline Lee-Johnson) and remarkable verbal talents used primarily to creatively abuse his unfortunate staff of assistant cooks, although he is perfectly prepared to give the same treatment to waiters, management, suppliers, bankers, and, occasionally, customers.

Episode Guide

S 4 : Ep 1	A Bird in the Hand (Christmas Special)	Aired 12/24/93
S 3 : Ep 6	Episode 6 - Chef!, season 3	Aired 12/30/96
S 3 : Ep 6	Paris or Jamaica?	Aired 12/30/96
S 3 : Ep 5	Episode 5 - Chef!, season 3	Aired 12/23/96
S 3 : Ep 5	Rochelle	Aired 12/23/96

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Cast & Crew

EDIT

Tim Matthews	Crispin [ 2 ]
Hilary Lyon	Alice [ 2 ]
Lorelei King	Savanna [ 3 ]
Elizabeth Bennett	Lola [ 1 ]
Erkan Mustafa	Otto [ 1 ]
Lenny Henry	Gareth Blackstock

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Chef! Listings

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Fan Reviews (3)

Food and Comedy= A Great Mixture!

9.3

By snoopy_319, Oct 07, 2006

I first saw Chef! awhile ago on PBS. And I was only able to see the first two seasons. It was such a hilarious show. Lenny Henry was perfect as Gareth Blackstock. Even though he was sarcastic and always yelling, Chef! was also very likeable. The way he shouted out orders. It was such a laugh to see the goings on in the kitchen as they made the best food in England. Gareth's wife Janice and Everton brought a sort of tranquility to the show. I can not name a favourite episode because all of them are funny and perfect in their own way.moreless
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A culinary comedy that makes you laugh as much as it makes you hungry! Foodies unite!

9.5

By VerityJackson, Aug 14, 2005

I am not quite what some call a foodie, a person who is , or is becoming, a person familiar and fond of food and drink,period. This has to be as close to a perfect comedy as tv has produced.

The life of a head chef, how he comes to own his own restaurant, has his wife manage the business, and the daily doings of the kitchen, as well as how one becomes a celebrity chef are explored. Just a bit of family drama here and there, some marital hijinx, the staff and how they work together and learn from Gareth Blackstock, our head chef and star, smartly played by Lenny Henry.

We meet Janice, his long-suffering wife, Lola the maitre'd, various waitstaff and food suppliers, and many staff cooks, the most stalwart being Everton, who knows Janice and went to school, long ago with Gareth. We also meet Gareth's father a couple of times, but both visits are memorable.

While I strongly dislike the third season over all, the first and last episodes are good. I adore the first two seasons, yet I would recommend the whole series to anyone curious because Gareth and Everton are strong enough characters to carry some through what I happen to dislike.

It is worth a look, if it's on a PBS or BBC channel near you, or the upcoming complete boxed set. After watching it, you may feel like you could try the dishes yourself, or at least order out for something!

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Hilarious

7.5

By gophone, Jul 08, 2005

Chef is a hilarious show from the BBC. It only lasted three years, but Lenny Henry's portrayal of the short-tempered, egotistical, but excellent Chef Gareth Blackstock is very funny. Chef' is about a man who is not afraid to vent his sarcastic comments and scathing remarks with his staff, his wife, and of course any customer who wants to put salt on his creations. The series is set at the Chateau Anglais in the English countryside. The humor is rapid-fire and intelligent, as Chef verbally eviscerates anyone who dares to come between him and a perfectly prepared plate of food. Caroline Lee Johnson plays his wife, Janice, who understands how difficult he can be in his never-ending quest for the perfect dish. Chef’s life is cooking. His hobbies seems to be fly fishing, and thinking up new creations to stun the customers.

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Forums: Chef!

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Which of The Three Series Do/Did You Prefer?
My favorite series of all is the first one. The second series is okay, but without Lucinda, while understandable, made the kitc...

By VerityJackson, Dec 23, 2005

04/25/08

9
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The Kitchen Staff and Others
I liked many of Gareth's staff, primarily Lucinda; I think I am still in mourning of a sort. *g* Still I also enjoyed Lola and ...

By VerityJackson, Mar 16, 2006

04/21/08

3
Reply
"Chef" Contribution Guide
"Chef" Contribution GuideBelow you'll find details regarding the types of submissions that you can make for "Chef" and any format ...

By VillaFan, Jul 14, 2006

07/14/06

1
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Everton-Diamond In The Rough or Just Rough?
I dug Everton and felt protective of him from episode One, as I suspect we were supposed to feel. Still, just because you aren'...

By VerityJackson, Dec 23, 2005

02/22/06

4
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Janice-Misused By Gareth Or The Writer(s)?
I make no bones about my dislike of Series Three, but I still adore the character of Janice Blackstock! Here was a woman who su...

By VerityJackson, Dec 23, 2005

02/21/06

2
Reply