It’s a pleasant surprise to see a remake, actually work hard to get things right. Padmapriya takes on the role of the estranged ex-wife maturely, and Kalra is portrayed at its best by Saif. Svar, in the role of Armaan, Roshan Kalra’s son shows a lot of scopes when it comes to his performance. The story, however, needed a few tweaks when it came to details. Apart from a few left out details, Chef, starring Saif Ali Khan, is a respectable effort at Indianising Jon Favreau’s 2014 hit Hollywood movie by the same name.

Raja Krishna Menon’s Chef is an official adaptation of Jon Fravreau’s 2014 film by the same name - while the original was an endearing slice of life drama which managed to impress food lovers with the mouth-watering visuals, Menon’s adaptation is flavourless in comparison. Another problem with Chef is its clunky story. Whether it is Roshan fighting with a restaurant customer or his trip to Kochi or his decision to finally take the plunge and start his own food truck -- everything happens arbitrarily. These are not sudden twists, just haphazardly placed without a context. There are a few moments, nonetheless, that bring a smile on your face. In a few sequences that showcase the bond between Roshan and his son, one where he interacts with his ex-wife and almost every single moment Milind Soman is in the frame – you warm up to the characters. But it appears the filmmaker didn’t want audience empathising with the characters for every time a scene touches the heart, the narrative moves to a different, less engaging sequence. Saif’s self referential comments may bring a smile to your face at times; especially his references to Dil Chahta Hai. Padmapriya, who plays Saif’s former wife and a dance teacher in the film, is a beautiful addition and a glimpse of her dance left us yearning for at least a few minutes of a proper dance performance. Chandan Roy Sanyal, who essays the role of Roshan’s friend who quits his job to support the “Chef”, is fun to watch. Milind Soman is a surprise and he gives a remarkable performance despite a limited screen time. We will not reveal Milind’s character, to avoid spoiling it for you in case you want to watch the film. Chef offers moments of brilliance which, if weaved in a more organised manner, may have given us a light, affable film. But a lazy and rather uninterested narrative takes away the pleasure.

Raja Krishna Menon's remake of Jon Favreau's Chef is one of the most boring films that I have seen this year. The perfect adjective to describe this movie would be - nothing. Chef, however, is that pattagobhi with extra haldi that you are stuck with when you are famished, the kind of meal you regret having instantly, once you go ahead with the terrible decision of eating it. The father-son equation in the films also doesn't work, the kid acts like his dad is his senior from college and his father seems to be an actor hired to play the part. The film fails as a family drama; there is no real communication, no real emotion between the lead characters. I have seen more engaging play reading sessions. Saif Ali Khan totally submits himself to the role, but the direction lets him down. This script is too bland to indulge in. You find yourself yawning and tempted to check out Facebook on your phone midway through the film. To be honest, I was looking forward to this film for one particular reason and that is to watch our vagabond culinary expert prepare some mouth-watering dishes. A detailed account of cooking several delicious treats, various cuisines with close ups of all the ingredients. The veggies, the meat, the sauces, the masala, the works. All absent, just random dishes prepared in blink and miss scenes. Is food too much to ask for in a film titled Chef?

Raja Krishna Menon's remake of Jon Favreau's Chef may not contain much fresh-off-the-oven food for takeaway thought, but the film does radiate enough warmth, intelligence and energy to make for a worthwhile cinematic repast. This is an elegantly mounted film that stresses the importance of the human touch that makes all the difference between a truly mouth-watering meal and a passable one - a rule that be might applied equally to movie-making - while it underscores how second chances, when tapped right, can turn things around. It does both without resorting to heavy-handed means. Chef delivers its wares with gentle flair and without self-consciously calling attention to its methods. Written by the director himself in collaboration with Ritesh Shah and Suresh Nair, Chef, a smartly indigenized version of the American original, adds up to a lively smorgasbord that is worth digging into and savouring. It is emotionally fulfilling, consistently peppy and laced with genteel humour. Chef serves up a feast garnished with subtle spices. Its aroma is mild and delicate, but the after-taste lingers on for long. Watch it: Chef is a film that is easy to fall in love with.

‘Chef’ is a good-looking film, with good-looking people. The ingredients have been carefully assembled. Khan is ripe for real difference, playing a divorced, middle-aged man and a father to a young boy (Kamble), who is a natural. The leading lady (Janakiraman) has a smile that reaches her eyes: she feels organic in a way no one else does. And there’s a solid supporting cast: we see Chandan Roy Sanyal having fun, and an all-too brief turn by the deliciously salt-and-pepper Milind Soman. There are some interesting flavours here, but ‘Chef’ feels derivative, and doesn’t come together as a fully satisfactory dish. And that’s got to do with the uneven, stodgy writing. The smoothness that should have been part of a first-rate spread is evident only in some parts: the others are awkward and stilted and contrived, and that impacts the entire film. Still, this is where Saif Ali Khan needs to be, this zone, where he can be a flawed person in search of his true self. Here he plays, variously, a failed husband, a father not very good at parenting, and a man not knowing what he wants. And he could have made a meal of it, if this was a better realized film. This Saif Ali Khan film doesn’t come together as a fully satisfactory dish.

Taking inspiration from Hollywood's delectable film of the same name made by Jon Favreau in 2014, director Raja Krishna Menon gives us a slice-of-life film that satiates the palette and tugs at your heartstrings. Chef works on two levels. First, it takes you on a gastronomical adventure; one in which the protagonist's culinary skills will have you reaching out for your apron, knives and heading to the kitchen in a bid to try making some of the finger-licking food shown on screen. But most importantly, the film is an emotional journey that ties up all the loose ends between fathers and sons, whose ideologies may differ but who still share a deep bond that is impossible to shake off. This is handled so deftly; it leaves you teary-eyed on occasion. Chef also throws up the merits of co-parenting, which is a constant state in today's urban society. The film takes you on a fun-filled road trip with food and family as the focus. There are few dramatic confrontations but Ritesh Shah's dialogues are smart and witty. The pace though is a bit slow; the feeling is similar to the one where you are sitting famished at the lunch table and the order arrives after a part of your hunger has dissipated. So what's the final take? Well, though, Chef is predictable in parts, the journey is an enjoyable one. Choose what you wish to eat while watching it. Popcorn or some of that delicious pasta which Roshan K whips up in a jiffy.