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IMDbPro

Chef!

  • TV Series
  • 1993–1996
  • TV-MA
  • 30m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
Lenny Henry in Chef! (1993)
SitcomComedy

Famous chef Gareth Blackstock struggles with dividing time between wife Janice and the restaurant. It's a good thing he can let off steam with his remarks.Famous chef Gareth Blackstock struggles with dividing time between wife Janice and the restaurant. It's a good thing he can let off steam with his remarks.Famous chef Gareth Blackstock struggles with dividing time between wife Janice and the restaurant. It's a good thing he can let off steam with his remarks.

  • Stars
    • Lenny Henry
    • Roger Griffiths
    • Caroline Lee-Johnson
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.1/10
    1.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Stars
      • Lenny Henry
      • Roger Griffiths
      • Caroline Lee-Johnson
    • 28User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 1 nomination total

    Episodes20

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    Photos29

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    Top cast85

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    Lenny Henry
    Lenny Henry
    • Gareth
    • 1993–1996
    Roger Griffiths
    • Everton
    • 1993–1996
    Caroline Lee-Johnson
    Caroline Lee-Johnson
    • Janice
    • 1993–1996
    Claire Skinner
    Claire Skinner
    • Lucinda
    • 1993
    Gary Parker
    • Piers
    • 1993
    Gary Bakewell
    Gary Bakewell
    • Donald
    • 1994
    Pui Fan Lee
    Pui Fan Lee
    • Debra
    • 1994
    Erkan Mustafa
    • Otto
    • 1993
    Dave Hill
    Dave Hill
    • Cyril
    • 1996
    Jeff Nuttall
    • Gustav
    • 1996
    Lorelei King
    Lorelei King
    • Savanna
    • 1996
    Tim Matthews
    Tim Matthews
    • Crispin
    • 1994
    Jean Luc Rebaliati
    • Alphonse
    • 1994
    Sophie Walker
    • Renee
    • 1996
    Elizabeth Bennett
    • Lola
    • 1993
    Ian McNeice
    Ian McNeice
    • Gustave
    • 1994
    Vincent Walsh
    Vincent Walsh
    • Vincenzo
    • 1996
    Geoffrey McGivern
    Geoffrey McGivern
    • Bank Manager
    • 1993–1994
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews28

    8.11.6K
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    Featured reviews

    riggy001

    A Chef's point of view:

    I have worked my way up in the kitchen brigade over the last ten years and am now Chef-Patissiere at a four-star (US system) establishment and must say that I see many similarities with my profession and this series. Granted, Gareth Blackstock (Lenny Henry) exaggerates the tension for the purpose of comedy, but truly good humour is rooted in truth. I only wish I were as quick-witted about my sarcastic comments and scathing remarks as he. It's a slightly exaggerated, comedic portrayal of actual kitchen antics, and I think it is well represented. The characters are all believable, with the exceptions of Cyril and Reneé. The only character lacking is the slow-witted scullion (dish machine operator). I love the show! I give it four and a half of five stars.
    tamra_66

    What I think of Chef!

    I think Chef! is one of the best BBC shows I have seen. It will make you laugh like crazy. Chef is cranky but very lovable. His wife is something else. His staff consists of several younger cooks all hoping to learn his secrets. His method of cursing out his staff is hilarious, not using traditional curse words, but thing you would never think of. If you know and love someone that is temperamental and boisterous, you will probably enjoy this even more. I own the first two VHS tapes of this series and we watch them periodically and laugh again. Chef is very entertaining and I can't wait for the full season DVD's to be released in August.
    8Sylviastel

    Before there were the real Chefs!

    You have to say that Lenny Henry CBE was always worth watching in this series about egotistical British chef of Jamaican descent who is the head chef at Château Anglais which is translated into Château England. The cast of supporting characters don't really hold up to Gareth Blackstock. Henry just steals the show from under them. Anyway his wife is played by a great actress. I loved Lola played by Elizabeth Bennett as the hungry hostess who devours food as well as comments on Blackstock's genius. This show is well written, acted, and directed with an inviting group of supporting players. Blackstock gets his jollies by being cruel, critical, and sometimes mean to his staff long before there was Simon Cowell, Gordon Ramsay, or anybody else. Blackstock seeks utter perfection in creating the finest cuisine to be matched by those listed in Michelin and Cuisine magazines. Sometimes being a genius can make others weary of your presence as if God entered the room. But in Blackstock's kitchen, he's the Godlike presence, demanding, and critical.
    macpro75

    A chef's quest for perfection leads to hilarity....

    Chef Gareth Blackstock cares about nothing so much as preparing the finest meals for the guests at his restaurant, often to the frustration of his beautiful, intelligent wife and long-suffering staff. Chef understands how difficult he can be in his never-ending quest to be the best. He describes himself as knowing nothing else: he has no hobbies, doesn't help out friends, or go out at night. In fact, he (loudly) describes himself as "a personality problem under a silly white hat." 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. Lenny Henry is acerbic perfection as Chef Blackstock, exhibiting both broad humor and extremely dry, biting wit, and still remaining a sympathetic character. Highly recommended for Brit-com lovers and anyone who enjoys sly, rapier sharp, lightning fast wit!
    8seoulless

    Lessons in cooking and rhetoric

    Gareth Blackstock is the absolute monarch of his own little domain, the kitchen of an exclusive restaurant, 'Le Château Anglais'. He is a reasonable, patient man - as long as the dishes prepared by his staff are perfect. When they aren't, sit back and enjoy. The man turns into a Shakespeare of insults, an endlessly inventive master of invectives. Unfavorable comparisons, comments and suggestions (never descending to R-rated cursing) erupt from his fertile brain and verbally flay the unfortunate target of his ire. No one is immune, not his customers, not his long-suffering employees, not even his boss. Nothing stands in the way of his all-consuming passion for cooking, except (sometimes) his wife Janice. If you enjoyed Fawlty Towers, have any interest in cooking, or wish to hone your insults to the highest levels, this is your cup of tea.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Gareth Blackstock was meant to be based on Chef Aldo zilli
    • Quotes

      Gareth: [while preparing vegetables] Somebody bring me a knife, very long and razor sharp. I need to castrate the person who made this sauce and I don't want to cause any unecessary suffering. I'm not a vindictive man, I'm not out to cause pain, but with this man's DNA in the gene pool, humanity is doomed.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Funny Ladies of British Comedy (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      Serious Profession
      (theme song)

      Performed by Omar

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    FAQ18

    • How many seasons does Chef! have?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 28, 1993 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Шеф-повар!
    • Filming locations
      • Nether Winchendon House, Nether Winchendon, Buckinghamshire, England, UK(as Le Chateau Anglais exteriors)
    • Production companies
      • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
      • Crucial Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 30m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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