Replacing Chef Chico

Alright, let's talk about Alessandra De Rossi and this weird series. De Rossi rose to leading-lady status after the success of "Kita Kita", a film that dominated the local box office. So following its triumph, she seemed to develop a sense of entitlement, assuming she'd be inundated with similar role offers afterwards, sadly none of it happened to her. To make matters worse, a tensions arose between her and Arci Muñoz after ABS-CBN allegedly reneged on its promise to cast her as a leading lady for a TV show. She was so mad to that. So to ease her frustration, she pivoted to producing her own films, with dashing leading men and narratives seemingly tailored to make her feel desirable that she also written. Lol.

Anyway, we decided to binge this Filipino series that was blatantly trying to emulate the Golden-Globe Winning Series "Bear". Sadly instead the series delving into the intricacies of meals, the show veered into an indulgent exploration of De Rossi's character personal struggles. As if that weren't bad enough, some characters are spewing overly theatrical Tagalog monologues too explaining the menu in some scenes, an absurdity that would never occur in a legitimate fine dining restaurants lol. It was soooo cringeworthy.

And then, of course, there was this preposterous love triangle tension involving Sam Milby and Piolo Pascual's character, pffft! De Rossi as the romantic focal point?! Hilarious! First, the pairing was physically unconvincing. Second, her character oscillated between grating and insufferable. And let's be honest, the concept, along with several key elements, was shamelessly ripped-off from the series "Bear"!

So, I believe I am on the third episode. How absolutely repellent and gross. We live in a modern world, and it has been so for decades, but perhaps the men in your country don't understand or accept what that means.. It is entirely unacceptable to treat a female professional, a genuis, in this manner. You cannot simultaneously laud the success of a chef, and gutter it at the same time. I suppose that as a male dominated country, you hope to turn back time. I have seen people in my own country who hope to do the same. This attitude is ARCANE.

There is not a woman I know who would subborn this type of behavior. It will be a cold day in Hell before I ever visit your country.

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.

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.

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.