From The Last Dance to Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness, Netflix is home to the most captivating and talked-about documentaries in the world. Documentaries uncover hidden truths, teach us something new and tell human stories in a way that no other medium can.
Netflix food documentaries are in a league of their own, the cinematography, music, and writing make these non-fiction films and series something truly remarkable. To say they are just about food would be doing them a huge injustice, these documentaries are about the human spirit, race, culture, gender, parenthood and so much more.
Ugly Delicious
David Chang is renowned for being one of the best chefs in the world. He is the founder of the two Michelin star restaurant Momofuku Ko, a New York Times Best Selling author and winner of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, he also has a lot of interesting friends, many of whom appear in his Netflix docuseries Ugly Delicious. Amongst writers, academics, and distinguished food critics, other special guests include Aziz Ansari, David Choe, Jimmy Kimmel, Gillian Jacobs, and Danny McBride.
Each episode of Ugly Delicious is special whether it covers a cuisine, a cooking style, or a cut of meat David goes so deep into the topic that you can't help but be completely beguiled. A true highlight of the series is 'Kids Menu' an episode that follows expectant parents David and his wife Grace on an emotional journey as they learn, through food, what it takes to be a parent.
Chef's Table
Chef's Table will have you hooked from the first bar of its iconic score, Antonio Vivaldi's "Winter, The Four Seasons (Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, RV 297)", recomposed by Max Richter. In its six seasons, it has covered some of the biggest names in food from Massimo Bottura to Nancy Silverton, and taken viewers on a journey around the world.
It is the passion, the way these incredibly talented chefs and cooks talk about food, that sucks you into each episode, listening to Milk Bar's Christina Tosi talk about her 'Crack Pie' is like poetry. Stories like Asma Khan's and Grant Achatz' will leave you feeling especially inspired while every installment will have you hungry for more and yearning to travel the world in pursuit of these restaurants.
The Chef Show
Is there anything Jon Favreau can't do? He acts, directs, produces, writes, and now he can cook. The quadruple threat's 2014 film Chef, was the inspiration behind the hit Netflix docuseries, The Chef Show. Alongside Roy Choi of Kogi fame, Jon takes viewers on a culinary journey, visiting restaurants and cooking with Chefs around America.
As well as discovering delectable new dishes, and getting tips from chefs like Wolfgang Puck, the show is packed with superstar guests including Seth Rogen, Bill Burr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tom Holland, and Robert Downey Jr.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
David Chang is back with more celebrity friends, this time for the Netflix original docuseries Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner. The four-part series features a stellar selection of guests that each takes David on an unforgettable tour of their hometowns and favorite cities, featuring all the best places to eat along the way.
Every episode offers something different. Funnyman and all-round nice guy, Seth Rogen showcases his hometown of Vancouver, while comedian and SNL alum Kate McKinnon takes David around one of her favorite places, Phnom Penh. Lena Waithe's Los Angeles episode is a must-see for anyone who is new to the city and wants to discover some hidden gems.
André and His Olive Tree
André and His Olive Tree follows award-winning chef André Chiang as he closes down his two Michelin star restaurant, Restaurant André. At the time of announcing the restaurants' closure, Chef Andrè is at the peak of his career, Restaurant André is the number one restaurant in Singapore and the second-best in all of Asia, so it comes as no surprise that his staff and the culinary world are left in shock, so why do it?
André and His Olive Tree is a unique story of a man who simply decided to move on when the time was right, but it's the story of his journey and his staff that makes it so captivating.
A Tale Of Two Kitchens
A Tale Of Two Kitchens is twenty-nine joyous minutes long, it tells the story of chef Gabriela Amaura and her two restaurants Contramar and Cala. Contramar, located in Mexico City is one of the country's best restaurants, with a staff that regards each other as family, Cala, its sister restaurant in San Francisco is renowned not only for its food but for its second chance philosophy, offering positions to the formerly incarcerated.
Though Cala is currently closed with Massimo Bottura's non-profit Refettorio San Francisco, currently in its place, the documentary is an insightful look into Mexican culture and migrant workers in the US.
Chef's Table: BBQ
Chef's Table: BBQ is about so much more than food, it's about love, loss, and dreams, and it will break your heart in ways you didn't think a documentary about meat could.
Chef's Table is unmatched in its ability to tell a human's story through food and that sentiment carries on in Chef's Table: BBQ as it takes a deep dive into the careers and lives of four very different chefs. While each subject has an equally interesting story, Tootsie Tomanetz' will have you reaching for the tissues as you learn of how the 85-year-olds found, in BBQ, a community and ultimately a reason to carry on after unimaginable loss. Pitmaster, Rodney Scott's story of perseverance as he works his way to being named the Southeast's Best Chef by the James Beard Foundation will leave you with a lump in your throat and a fire in your belly.
Taco Chronicles
Netflix's Taco Chronicles is required viewing for any foodie with each episode dedicated to a different type of taco. From the barbacoa to the burrito each dish is honored with a half-hour celebration and investigation into its origins.
Taco Chronicles is vibrant, fun, at times emotional, always mouth-watering, and will have you wanting to jump on the next plane to Mexico to do a tasting tour of your own.
High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America
High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America is based on the book by American culinary historian Dr. Jessica B. Harris and hosted by food writer Stephen Satterfield. In this moving four-part docuseries, Stephen traces the origins of African American dishes, their ties to slavery, and what they mean to the people who cook them.
Winner of the African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) award for best docuseries, High on the Hog is a thoughtful exploration into America's culinary history, it is beautifully shot and features delicious food. Stephen's emotional connection to the subject is what really resonates in this revolutionary series that has the potential to change perspectives around the world, which is exactly what a good documentary should do.
Salt Fat Acid Heat
Netflix's Salt Fat Acid Heat is based on the multi-award-winning, best-selling cookbook by Samin Nosrat. Samin takes viewers around the world on her mission to teach the four basic elements required for any good dish. Each episode is set in a different country and focuses on one element, 'Fat' is filmed in Italy, 'Salt' in Japan, 'Acid' in Mexico, and 'Heat' in California.
Samin's curious nature and infectious laugh make for wholesome viewing. There is so much to be learned about ingredients and elements from this delightful series as well as little cooking tips and tricks to pick up along the way.