The Cook of Castamar

Good storyline and fabulous set and costumes. Actors are wonderful. I'm confused as to why they did not cast a younger, more charismatic Lord Diego who's closer to Clara's age. It is such an odd pairing.

A lovely spanish series that ticked all of the boxes. The characters were well cast and well acted, the leads had good chemistry. The storylines were well developed and just the right amount of too much. Costuming was very well done throughout.

I found this series by accident and I've quite enjoyed watching Clara and Diego fall in love over food. I love the scenery, the costumes, the supporting cast, and the plots that keep me wanting more. This is a delightful show. So many twists and turns.

Why can't we have more engrossing television like this?

If you like period pieces, this series is worth the watch. That said, keep in mind that unless you speak Spanish you will need to rely on English subtitles. Most of the characters are typical archetypes (villain, clueless do-gooder, envious maid, etc.). However, the series was quite engaging though also very predictable and drawn to an obvious conclusion. The biggest hurdle for me was the casting which was way off, and the main reason I gave the series 6 stars. Roberto Enríquez, who played the role of Diego Duke of Castamar is a good actor. However, he should NOT have been cast as the lead romantic role for the series. Even with make up, he looked closer in age to an older brother (or even possibly Clara's father). This makes sense since there is an 18-year age difference between Roberto Enríquez (the Duke) and Michelle Jenner (Clara Belmonte). A better option for the Duke's role would have been Maxi Iglesias, who sadly was relegated to playing Francisco Marlango. There were other casting mishaps too, though not quite as egregious as the main romantic leads. If you want to be entertained, and don't mind watching a May-December romance, then this series is well worth your time.

Addictive series with beautiful costumes and production value, a compelling central love story, generally strong acting, and food! The cooking scenes with the voiceovers are reminiscent of "Like Water For Chocolate."

I loved the main actress playing Clara. She's very good at the "slow simmer," the passionate woman beneath the serene surface. The romantic male lead is a little less impressive. He's a stalwart, honorable aristocrat with a soft side, but spends a little too much time looking pained and pensive. No matter, they have good chemistry.

There is a lot happening with intrigue and side characters, sometimes too much. The Duke's adoptive brother, Gabriel, is charming but his side plot with Amelia is not fully baked (sorry). The mother is superb and most of the servant characters are well played and endearing.

My biggest issue with the series is the ending. It is rushed and too much is left unexplained. It's not entirely unsatisfying, but it could have been so much better. It feels like they ran out of time and had to write/film it really quickly or something?

Anyway, worth watching. And it was fun practicing my Spanish.