Jon Favreau has taken a break from big-budget action-adventure films to tell a more personal story with CHEF, the delightful new indie releasing this weekend. In the film, Favreau plays an arrogant chef who is cut down to size when he loses his job and credibility after an unfortunate encounter with a food critic goes viral. The film is, in my opinion, the best Favreau has ever made – sweet, funny and brimming with all the obvious trademarks of a true passion project.
And the passion hasn’t subsided at all, as you’ll see during my interview with Favreau below. It was the day of the New York premiere of the film, and Favreau was clearly still feeling good about what he had accomplished, not to mention the fact that he was hours away from taking his parents to enjoy his latest feature, which explores the importance of family and friendship. (And, of course, food.) It was a genuine pleasure to chat with Favreau, if for only a little bit, about what is currently my favorite movie of the year.
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