On the eve of its release, anticipation filled the air as
people lined up to see a sneak peek of Jon Favreau's latest directorial effort,
Chef. The aroma coming from the Aero’s popcorn machine was especially
tantalizing, a sign of what was to come this night at the theatre. Favreau wrote,
directed, and starred in the film and was also on hand for a Q&A.
Interviewed by journalist Jeff Boucher, Favreau talked about how
excited he was for the movie to come out in theatres.
"Kitchens are R-rated places,” he said. Before
production, Favreau spent a lot of time training in the kitchen with
renowned professionals in the field, and - as you might imagine - goofing off.
When Chef Casper is in charge, be it a gourmet restaurant or food truck,
workers are constantly joking around, using colorful language. “Any chef will
tell you that a kitchen without those words is BS,” he said.
The term “food porn” was repeatedly thrown around about
regarding Chef, because the food being prepared really looks that good on the
screen.
He chatted with the audience about the film and discussed
some of the decisions made for this production. It’s an independent film, made
outside of the studio system, and rated R - a deliberate choice for someone who
knows his way around the Hollywood blockbuster cycle.
An audience member asked if he really did the lightning-fast
chopping and dicing himself, or if it was somehow enhanced with visual
effects.
"I am the dude who did Iron
Man,” Favreau laughed, and said he couldn’t refrain from using some
“low tech tricks.” But he also said he was a guest on a talk show, was put on the
spot to chop, and was able to hold his own. Boucher commented that it was a
good thing Favreau dedicated so much time sharpening his own culinary
skills, because in real life "you can’t CGI your fingers back on."
Creating a feeling of reality in relationships was also
very important. The story includes Chef Carl Casper, a divorced dad, bonding
with his young son, and he wanted to allow for “uncomfortable and raw moments.”
He said that these sentiments and pace are best expressed in a smaller-budget
film.
Both Favreau and audience members fondly
referenced Swingers, a hugely popular indie buddy film that he wrote and
starred in back in 1996, alongside Vince Vaughn. The two films have some
overlap in themes, with Swingers and Chef including bonding and friendships.
And “bingers,” added Boucher.
Favreau demonstrates his devotion to the art of
cooking and the importance of having fun, and Chef does get raunchy. Spice
is added to the stellar cast with Scarlett Johansson playing a hot hostess and
Sofia Vergara as Casper's ex-wife.
Today’s influence of food critics and social media on the
success of a restaurant is another important theme in Chef. As the film did
not have a studio’s advertising budget for billboards and the like, Favreau said
he hoped good reviews of the movie would travel via social media which in
itself is “a cool experiment” for him as a filmmaker.
Favreau said his parents were divorced and as a kid,
his dad would take him to see movies in his New York neighborhood. Commenting
on taking his own children to the Aero many times to see Mary Poppins, The
Wizard of Oz, Daffy Duck cartoons and The Seventh Seal, he said, “you have to
show them what’s good and what’s worthwhile.”
Another question from the audience was about Dinner for
Five. “A predecessor to podcasts” is what he called it, a program which
featured Favreau and celebrities having dinner at a restaurant. He
said he loved the theme of it and said, “The magic of food and how it changes
conversations….some people are always thinking about food.”
As the evening wound down, the Kogi BBQ Truck (the
brainchild of Roy Choi, whose career influenced the film) was waiting outside
the theatre for people to enjoy - a delicious end to a great evening.