Chef (2014)
Kernel Score: 78% · 3,568 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Comedy
Released: 2014-05-08
Runtime: 114 minutes
Is Chef worth watching?
Worth watching. A chef quits his restaurant after a bruising clash and starts over with a food truck. It's an easy, warm road-trip comedy with appealing cooking scenes. Light and low on stakes, but very likeable.
Watch it if you
- love food on screen
- like gentle feel-good comedies
- enjoy father-and-son road-trip stories
Skip it if you
- want strong dramatic stakes
- get hungry easily and have nothing to eat
Best for: Relaxed night in
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch Chef
- Stream: Prime Video, Fubo
- Free with ads: Kanopy, YouTube Free, Xumo Play
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-22.
Overview
When Chef Carl Casper suddenly quits his job at a prominent Los Angeles restaurant after refusing to compromise his creative integrity for its controlling owner, he is left to figure out what's next. Finding himself in Miami, he teams up with his ex-wife, his friend and his son to launch a food truck. Taking to the road, Chef Carl goes back to his roots to reignite his passion for the kitchen -- and zest for life and love.
Chef parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that Chef is an R-rated comedy-drama about a chef rebuilding his career and family relationships through a food truck.
- Violence & scariness: None — No violent content indicated in the signals.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Chef
If you liked Chef, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) — 79%: Classic family road-trip comedy full of mishaps.
- Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) — 86%: Cooking and family tangled together with warmth.
- Tampopo (1985) — 87%: Joyful comedy that treats food as a way of living.
- Hunger (2023) — 82%: Chef drama set in the pressure of a fine-dining kitchen.
- Sweet Bean (2015) — 83%: Quiet, tender film about food and an unlikely friendship.
- Delicious (2021) — 73%: Period comedy-drama about the birth of the restaurant.
Director
Cast
- Jon Favreau as Carl Casper
- John Leguizamo as Martin
- Bobby Cannavale as Tony
- Emjay Anthony as Percy
- Scarlett Johansson as Molly
- Dustin Hoffman as Riva
- Sofía Vergara as Inez
- Oliver Platt as Ramsey Michel
- Amy Sedaris as Jen
- Robert Downey Jr. as Marvin
Chef FAQ
Is Chef worth watching?
Worth watching. A chef quits his restaurant after a bruising clash and starts over with a food truck. It's an easy, warm road-trip comedy with appealing cooking scenes. Light and low on stakes, but very likeable.
Where can I watch Chef?
In the US you can stream Chef on Prime Video and Fubo, watch it free with ads on Kanopy, YouTube Free and Xumo Play and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is Chef OK for kids?
Chef is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that Chef is an R-rated comedy-drama about a chef rebuilding his career and family relationships through a food truck.
What movies are like Chef?
If you liked Chef, try National Lampoon's Vacation, Eat Drink Man Woman, Tampopo and Hunger.