(From syracusenewtimes.com)
There is no such thing as dabbling in social media.
Or fatherhood.
Or running the menu of an L.A. restaurant.
So learns Carl Casper, the very hard way, in the movie “Chef.”
It’s a total creation from Jon Favreau, producer, director, writer, star, and it’s quite fabulous, a little movie that’s hugely satisfying.
When you were 10 years old, do you think you might have liked it if your father spiffed up a food truck, enlisted his best friend, decided to cook Cuban sandwiches, let you join them, and drove from Miami to Los Angeles with stops in New Orleans and Austin?
I thought so.
If you’d like to read my review of ‘Chef’ on the Syracuse New Times site, click the link below.
http://www.syracusenewtimes.com/food-trucking-with-favreau-is-a-fabulous-road-trip/
Did you ever take a cross-country drive with just one of your parents? Do you eat from a food truck? What food? Do you prefer ‘Swingers’ or the ‘Iron Man’ series?
Mark Bialczak 
Very happy to read about his movie getting a great review from you.
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Great knowing this is a movie worth seeing! While I never drove across country with one of my parents we took a family trip from Iowa to Colorado and somehow managed to be in the car more than we were in one town the entire four day excursion. I’m a teeny tiny bit leery of food trucks but when push comes to shove, I’ll eat wherever I can!
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I think these days food trucks are really, really good, CBXB. I wouldn’t be leery of them at all. Top of the line, from what I can see on these TV shows, anyway. They are starting to make their way into Syracuse now. Hey, I always ate from hot dog carts from way back! I bet the Iowa to Colorado car trip was an exciting excursion for the family!
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I ate at a food truck last night in Nashville and it was delish! And clean. And I wasn’t leery in the slightest!
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Let the food truckery begin, CBXB. What did you get?
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Korean tacos. So off my bland food path and I was scared to try but they were divine!
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Sounds delicious, CBXB!
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My kind of movie. Way back in the fifties when we picked cotton, there was a food truck that followed along and I always wanted to try their food, but my Mom always made our lunch. Once in a great while my dad would buy me one of those pre packaged lemon pies. At that age it tasted so good, actually I still like them.
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I know, pre-packaged lemon pies are very good, Dora. I agree. Wow, you picked cotton with your parents. That is some memory in life, my friend.
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Oh yes, we did grapes also and this was pre Cesar Chavez. At the time it was not fun, but now they are sweet memories.
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You must have worked so hard, Dora. Wow. I respect that very much.
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When Erik and I were just friends we worked together at a company that was frequently visited by a roach coach (before they became upscale and trendy) one morning I mentioned I was late and didn’t have time for breakfast. When the coach visited he bought me a breakfast burrito and a snapple without asking. He brought it to my cube and I was so smitten. Best damned burrito I’ve ever had! Checking out your review next Mark, thx!
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And that’s how Erik went from friend zone to suitor of our friend Sandra. Smart man, hubby Erik! Wonderful work gesture. I love that story, Sandra.
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We have a thing downtown here once a month where all the local food truck vendors come and park around the park and they play loud music (from a station, not live) and people go and eat outside. Most of them look and smell pretty good, though some do look suspicious. 🙂
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Are you talking about the vendors or the food, Rachel? I am confused here. 🙂
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LOL! Um, maybe a bit of each? 😉 The food of course. I try not to get close enough to the vendors to smell them. 😉
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OK, if that’s how your are, Rachel. 🙂
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LOL!
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I have been telling my youngest daughter to ‘kidnap’ my son, her brother, since he is a chef. They need brother sister time together. So glad you say it is hugely satisfying! I am always grateful for what my Dad did in his government job at NASA, but would like to be part of a home town, small restaurant, where I could be the greeter and hostess, my oldest daughter the dessert maker and baker, my youngest daughter would be the manager and use her financial planning and marketing experiences and of course, James Matthew Crain would be Head Chef (and bottle washer!) Smiles, Robin (I would not want him to run a food cart or truck, just would like to see him have a ‘home base.’)
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Oh, I meant to say kidnap her brother and take him to see the movie! Oops! Thanks, Mark for the recommendation of this movie! I saw the ads when we saw that other marvelous movie, “The Other Woman!”
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That is a great plan, Robin. I would eat at J.M. Crain if I were in town!
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oh i can’t wait to see this! i love food trucks and my fav are taco trucks and korean dumpling trucks. i’ve never done a cross country with one parent, but have done up north trips w my daughters – does that count? )
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Yes, that does count, Beth. Of course! I bet those trips were memorable for all. You must see this one. It is the type of film you like. And I think I would really like to try a Korean dumpling food truck.
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I’ve not eaten from a food truck, but I would if given the chance and it was food I wanted to eat.
No I’ve never taken a cross country road trip with one parent or any one at all. However Husband and I often discuss it as a “wanna do”.
What is ‘Swingers?’
And I have now seen #2 Iron Man. So right now HE’S my favorite. And if I do a side profile drawing of Husband it is eerily and WONDERFULLY similar to Robert Downey Jr in Iron Man. 😉
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OK. So. “Swingers” is the movie that Jon Favreau made 20 years ago that put him onto the film map and a special writer and director and actor. He also produced and directed the “Iron Man” series. Thus, that either/or quesiton, Colleen.
How cool that your hubby is a sideways Robert Downey Jr., for both of you!!!
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Thank you for the “Swingers” education. 🙂 So without seeing the Swingers I choose Iron Man by default.
And yes to the RDJ comparison. I used it this weekend on some friends. They could not argue me out of believing I was married to RDJ. HA! :0
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It is a good and solid comparison if you enjoy it, Colleen. That is the main thing!
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You haven’t led me astray yet. Did YOU like Swingers?
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Very much. It was hip and dorky at the same time, Colleen.
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I can’t relate to hip, but dorky I get. 😉
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🙂
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I had seen this trailer and have been drooling ever since! I will kill for a ‘cubano’ sandwich! So yummy and cheesy and greasy and fatty all at once. The pickle is the key. Ahhhh….I want one now! Nice review. I will definitely see this one.
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I like the way the mere thought of a Cubano gets you ready to eat … and see this movie, Mrs. B. Wait until you see them make these babies on ‘El Jefe.’ Ummmmmm.
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I don’t need to read your review bc Hoda and Kathy Lee already told me the movie was good this morning. But I read it anyway. You nailed Favreau with sweaty neuroses. That’s him in a bug luggy netshell. With relatives in Miami, Austin, and New Orleans, I guess I have to go see it. Food trucks are enormously popular in Austin, that is true. And I’ve eaten a few Cubanos in my day. However, I can’t believe Vergara could be toned-down on any level.
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The Vergara tone-down was wonderfully surprising, Kerbey. And thanks for giving my review a shot after already hearing from Hoda and Kathy Lee. Those Cubanos sure looked tasty to me, too.
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Yes to all your questions. Food trucks are super popular in TX. Austin especially, but Houston has some great ones. My dad and I, along with his brother, took a road trip to Springfield, MO when I was in college. He wanted to visit the ginormous Bass Pro Shop there and purchase a boat. Road trips are the best.
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Cool road trip with the pops, it sounds like, Audrey. Did he buy the boat? Did you get to go home via waterway?
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Oh it was full of adventure. We drove all night to get there by the opening of the doors. I hung with him for a while and then found myself on the second floor of their building at McDonalds. In a booth. ..asleep. Well, they found me… haha. Drooling on my cold fries. See what you have to look forward to with Elisabeth? 🙂
Yes, got the boat, the membership card and the lasting memories. Via water in the midwest…lol. Sadly, no. Giggle.
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There I go with my geographically challenged comments again. Oy.
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We would have to carry the boat a fair distance. That would get ugly quick, Mark.
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Yeah. Never mind.
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New Yorkers… 😉
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Yes, I have crossed the country wih one parent. Unfortunately we did it in a motorhome (rented) so we prepared most of our own meals (necessary to afford the gas). However, that was 40 years ago, so food trucks weren’t as prevalent as they are today. For a while in my life, I owned/operated a tractor-trailer, and frequented food trucks as often as possible as I travelled from Eastern Canada to LA and everywhere in between. I always found the food awesome as the owner fequently ran it him/herself and took the quality pesonally. My biggest problem was that there often wasn’t enugh space to park a tractor-tailer nearby. I used to haul a lot into and out of the Port of New Jersey (Canadian smoked fish for export and vehicle parts, etc as imports) Oddly enough it was clean and safe in the port and there were numerous food trucks on the huge premises. The breakfast and lucnch food was to die for. A Philly steak sandwich, made with fresh grilled steak and fresh cheese plus condiments – was a speciality and was delicious.
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Long hauling, quite a way to make a living, sir. I bet the high quality of a food truck surely was as welcome as an extra large parking spot. A fresh Philly cheesesteak sounds good anytime. Yum!
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