If anything that everyone has tried their hands on during this lockdown, it definitely has to be cooking or baking. Binge watchers tend to be binge eaters at times (or may be all the time) and whether you are a good cook or not, watching a good food based show is always a treat to the eyes. Netflix is unarguably one of the premier spots to watch food and/or food competition shows. There are a lot of options for a wide range of tastes. Satisfy your binge-watch appetite with these baking and cooking shows on Netflix.
1. Chef’s Table: 7 Seasons, 31 Episodes
With sweeping cinematography, dramatic musical cues, and seemingly unlimited access to the world’s fine dining stars, Chef’s Table is Netflix’s gold standard in food series. The thrust of the series is a look at a chef, baker, butcher, or cook who has devoted their lives to food. There’s also a travel element at play here. Giving a voyeuristic appeal, the series offers behind-the-scenes glimpses at some of the world’s most sought-after dining experiences. Some of the most renowned chefs in the world share their deeply personal stories, inspirations, and unique styles. Chef’s Table offers valuable insights into the major culinary movements that are blooming around the world.
2. The Great British Baking Show: 7 Collections, 70 Episodes
In this reality show, a talented batch of amateur bakers face off in a 10-week competition, whipping up their best dishes in the hopes of being named the U.K.’s best. The show has it all — from catty judges to ridiculous recipes to all the drama as the ovens heat up and flour flies. All in all, this is a very easy and fun watch.
3. The Chef Show (2019): 3 Volumes, 20 Episodes
Jon Favreau and chef Roy Choi created this great cooking travelogue show based around Favreau’s hit movie, Chef(2014). They travel to different locales around the world and celebrate different flavors, cultures and people. They experiment with their favorite recipes and techniques, collaborating with some of the biggest names in the entertainment and culinary industries. On the journey, the duo also shares a meal with members of the “Avengers” cast in Atlanta.
4. Samurai Gourmet (2017): 1 Season, 12 Episodes
Samurai Gourmet is a show about eating, but not in the way you might expect. The fictional series follows a 60-year-old Japanese retiree named Takeshi Kasumi who spends his free time wanting to eat things and then eating them. He’s adrift without work and anxious about everything. In every episode, a vision of a samurai appears to him and convinces him to do the thing he wants to do. Often, that leads to drinking a beer in the middle of the day or saying yes to another serving of rice. There’s tranquil food porn aplenty in this mostly solitary journey inside the head of our guy Takashi.
5. Cooked (2016): 1 Season, 4 Episodes
This four-part docuseries based on Michael Pollan’s book of the same name centers each episode around nature’s elements and how they help us create the food and flavors we know and love. The series looks at how fire, water, air, and the earth affect the way we cook around the world without going behind the deep science that might have made it difficult to understand. This is the sort of show for food lovers who want to have a better understanding of what it is that makes food cultures worldwide or through history so incredibly unique.
6. Somebody Feed Phil (2018): 2 Seasons, 12 Episodes
The way Phil Rosenthal looks at the beautiful food from around the world is something that makes this show gripping. In this series, he takes viewers on a wonderful eating tour of the world. He is joined by friends and family, while visiting cities that include Tel Aviv, Mexico City, New Orleans and Bangkok to get a taste of the local cuisine and culture at each stop on his journey. You really want to be at the table with him as he dives into amazing looking dishes found all over the world.
7. Rotten (2018): 2 Seasons, 12 Episodes
This docuseries travels deep into the heart of the food supply chain to reveal unsavory truths and expose hidden forces that shape what we eat. In season one, you can find explorations of garlic, honey, milk, and more. Season two deals with topics like avocados and sugar. This isn’t a feel-good series, but it is worth a watch. Unafraid to show the nasty realities behind large-scale food processing industry, the series is a stark reminder that there are usually larger forces at play than what we’re led to believe.
8. Street Food (2019): 1 Season, 9 Episodes
Street Food is a project from the makers of Chef’s Table where a glimpse is offered into the lives and craft of street food chefs and vendors. Each of the nine episodes in the first season takes place in a different Asian country, bringing viewers to some of the world’s most vibrant cities, where the rich culture of street food is explored. From the hawker stalls of Singapore to the food carts of India, episodes highlight the stories of perseverance and culture that bring life to various countries’ cuisine. The second season of this series will explore Latin America and will premier on July 21.
9. Meat Eater (2019): 2 Seasons, 16 Episodes
MeatEater follows Steven Rinella and other hunters as they travel across America to hunt, fish and cook. He pursues a wide variety of prey during his thrill-ride and challenging adventures. This show is unflinching and deeply informational. Each episode ends with a mouthwatering meal cooked, often in nature, of what the crew has recently hunted. Following the “field to plate” philosophy — nothing killed on “MeatEater” goes to waste.
10. Ugly Delicious (2018): 2 Seasons, 12 Episodes
This series follows James Beard Award-winning chef David Chang’s exploration of foods from across the globe that are often overlooked. He is joined by writers, activists, artists and other chefs on this journey to break down cultural barriers and tackle misconceptions. In the second season Chang takes you into his family’s home as his first child is born and ponders food for kids before heading off to India and Australia.
11. Taco Chronicles (2019): 1 Season, 6 Episodes
Taco Chronicles is a Spanish-language series that explores different types of tacos in every episode. The look and feel of the show are outstanding. Each 30-minute episode takes you into a sub-culture of tacos across Mexico exploring the little known, long and rich history behind them.
12. Salt Fat Acid Heat (2018): 1 Season, 4 Episodes
Salt Fat Acid Heat is based on as well as hosted by James Beard Award-winning author Samin Nosrat. The four-part series is based on Nosrat’s book of the same name and will see the host travel the world, exploring how salt, fat, acid, and heat change food and all the ways these elements differ across cultures. What differentiates this show from others is the breaking down of things to the elementary level, infusing it with demonstrations, human conversation, and a whole lot of charm.
13. The Final Table (2018): 1 Season, 10 Episodes
“The Final Table” is one of the most ambitious culinary competitions in the genre. The first season features 12 pairs of chefs from around the world preparing national dishes from a number of nations, including Mexico, Spain, England, Japan, India and the U.S. Each episode puts the focus on a specific country, with celebrity ambassadors, food critics and the country’s greatest chef judging the competitors and eliminating the least successful duo. When it’s all said and done, only one hopeful earns the show’s ultimate prize – a spot at the table with the nine culinary icons.
14. Nailed It! (2018): 6 Seasons, 42 Episodes
This show brings together totally unqualified bakers into a dessert-decorating competition and that makes it extremely entertaining. In each episode, three contestants try their hand at re-creating edible masterpieces in order to win $10,000 in cash. This culinary competition is hosted by Comic Nicole Byer and renowned pastry chef Jacques Torres. The best part of the show is that it keeps you engaged throughout.
15. The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell (2018): 1 Season, 6 Episodes
In this Netflix original, baker and artist Christine McConnell invites viewers into her house of horrors where she crafts spooky sweets and creations with the help of her otherworldly muppet-like friends, but her creations may not be appropriate for children. The show is very odd in the best ways possible, the delicacies will haunt you with their insanely intricate aesthetics, and McConnell is a spellbinding host.
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