Replacing Chef Chico

This show gives empowerment to women and people of LGBTQ community. It's shows being in a kitchen is no easy feat and having the right competency to cook. I feel this show dedicates to the pinoy men & women in service and food industry. The characters are well selected to bring out the dialogue to life. It's great start of being the first of many shows to come out of the Philippines to Netflix. I must point out that there were some cringy scenes here and there though. I had really hope they had emphasize more on the cooking aspect instead of the love story aspect. Overall it's a good show to binge on a Sunday! It was a good attempt to take on the "The Bear". Hoping for more shows like this from The Philippines.

What an empowering, thoughtful and wonderful show! It's both gentle and captivating and I enjoyed every episode. L I loved how all of the characters gained depth and nuance as the show progressed and I especially loved seeing Chef Ella find her voice and own her talents. I also really enjoyed how each episode centered on a specific event happening in the restaurant showcasing tender-hearted stories from all walks of life. There is some verbal/emotional abuse from the chef that Ella steps in to replace but it is shown to be as such and the show deals with it in an appropriate and healing way. I highly recommend it if you enjoy thoughtful storytelling with a gorgeous soundtrack.

The series is commendable for its authentic representation of Filipino cuisine, which serves as a cultural touchstone, inviting viewers to explore the rich culinary traditions of the Philippines. It's a celebration of heritage and provides a sensory experience that is often underrepresented on screen.

The narrative threads of women's empowerment are particularly poignant. The series portrays strong, multidimensional female characters who navigate a variety of life's challenges. This portrayal not only inspires but also reflects the shifting societal norms towards gender equality.

The stories of various groups-families, women, the marginalized-are interwoven to create a tapestry of human experience that is both unique to the Filipino context and universal in its themes of struggle, resilience, and the fight for equality.

While the series excels in many areas, it falters in its repetitive use of scenes depicting smoking, cursing, and verbal-violence. Such portrayals, if not handled carefully, might risk normalizing these behaviors, especially if they are not critically framed or challenged by the narrative.

The actors deliver compelling performances, bringing depth and authenticity to their roles. However, there seems to be a disconnect between the talent of the cast and the strength of the script. The series would benefit from a script that avoids clichés and develops its plotlines in more innovative and nuanced ways.

I wished the series Introduced more variety in conflict resolution without relying on aggressive behaviors,developed subplots that challenge the status quo and provide constructive discussions around the issues of smoking and verbal aggression, enhanced character arcs to show growth and change, especially in their coping mechanisms and lastly utilized the strong performances by giving the actors more challenging material that requires a range of emotions and depth.

Overall, the series is a significant step in the right direction for representing Filipino culture and highlighting important social issues. With some adjustments to avoid glorifying negative behaviors and a stronger, more original script, the series has the potential to not only entertain but also educate and inspire its audience.

Overall I think it's a missed opportunity to be something better. I like the focus on the customers and how it shows why Hain is special and not just a restaurant serving good food and fine dining. The perspective is really nice, a nice back and forth focus between the kitchen and the customers, but the delivery was pretty cringey. The love stories and the conversations were sometimes just too long and unnecessary. The constant background music was also pretty annoying. This is a typical kind of Filipino telenovela/drama which is not something necessarily negative, but I have my doubts it will be popular for the good characteristics in the west.

The movie has a good plot. Good theme and motive. Except for their chosen leading lady. She doesnt fit the role.. she is emotion-less.. like a sociopath with no feelings. She cannot act. And considering there's 2 of the most handsome and best actors. Why did they even choose this actress? It made the series undesirable. It ruined the greatness of the story. Sorry to be harsh but that's my honest opinion. I mean even the other characters were really good! The restaurant characters were better actors/actresses than the leading lady! But the story and plot were good. Just the leading actress is yuck.