Chef's Table: Pizza

Honestly what I love best about Chef's Table are the stories. I am always interested and touched by their journeys. I appreciate them more because I have been a cook.

The cinematography and music may be a little formulaic, but I still enjoy it and the shots still make me want to try each and every dish.

Finally pizza. It is my favorite because it can literally be anything you want it to be. I am so excited to try new things after seeing this series. If you think pizza is simple, you really don't get pizza at all. It is cooking and baking, and as much effort can go into the process and flavor as any high end restaurant food.

This is perhaps the most pretentious piece of television I have ever seen. The classical music overlaid on the basic, boring interviews of these chefs that use "raw ingredients", juxtaposed by the modern art critic explaning why they are so sophisticated is nauseating. It's a bit embarrassing, and honestly feels like satire.

This isn't to say that the food that these people making isn't good. But to showcase a few chefs and act like they are "Michelangelo" is silly. "I was the first one to bring dough and pizza to television." Give me a break.. You can get good pizza similar to any of these depicted in almost any large city.

If you are looking for comedy, which I only have to assume is their aim, stick to a more approachable and less self-aggrandizing show like 'Nailed It', or 'Is It Cake?'.

Finally!! With the boom that the last decade has seen in the culinary arts coming to the forefront of television and entertainment, and just exposure in general, this is a truly SUPERB production. The first three episodes evoke so much raw emotion - the passion that drives these chefs (often bordering on varying degrees of insanity) is simply breathtaking. Diving deep into these chefs' stories, shedding light on how they're wired and how their genius has been developed over time and at what cost. The level of sheer focus (obsession) is beyond inspiring. And most episodes I've seen always touch on the importance of doing things differently today - with a focus on sustainability, quality, and local sourcing of food items and ingredients.

A food documentary in which I bawl my face off?!? (Chris Bianco) Very memorable.

Why does the dub over not match the subtitles? It's super annoying. There are two voices and it's distracting.

It's the only downside to an interesting show.

Why does the dub over not match the subtitles? It's super annoying. There are two voices and it's distracting.

It's the only downside to an interesting show.

Why does the dub over not match the subtitles? It's super annoying. There are two voices and it's distracting.

It's the only downside to an interesting show.

Why does the dub over not match the subtitles? It's super annoying. There are two voices and it's distracting.

It's the only downside to an interesting show.

The episodes where people are speaking for themselves are pretty good, although I do find the origin stories rather sad and whiny throughout - and the chefs unlikeable except for the first episode. The worst part is that they use voice translations instead of subtitles - and they frickin' play the original dialog (eg Italian) loudly in the background - while at the same time playing a stilted American voiceover from someone who sounds like they read and speak at a third grade level. No emotion or inflection whatsoever. It's unbearable. I would rather hear the people speaking in their own language - some of which I'll understand - and read subtitles - than hear a horrible American actor who doesn't even sound like the people in the film look. (Blind people, by the way, have their own adaptive equipment so don't say this is more inclusive.) It sucks balls of mozzarella and ruins the series.