Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars (Season 1)
- 3 minutes ago
- 3 min read
A visually stunning trip through London, Mexico City, Ireland, Denmark and America, KNIFE EDGE: CHASING MICHELIN STARS pulls you into the highs & lows in some of the most spectacular restaurants in the world.
You don't have to be a foodie to enjoy this great, 8-episode documentary detailing, for the first time, the secretive world of Michelin inspectors and the Chefs chasing them.
The CIA level tactics they use to keep the anonymity is a lot of fun to watch, as are the secret, face-obscured interviews with inspectors.
My wife and I have been fortunate to enjoy the experience at some incredible restaurants around the world, but I am definitely more on the "foodie" scale than she is.
We had an incredible evening at La Pergola, the only Three Michelin Star restaurant in Rome a couple years ago. It's a night we'll never forget. Each piece of food was absolute art. I only wish I had seen this series beforehand to see just how much those 3 stars actually mean and what LaPergola Chef Heinz Beck has done to earn them, each and every year.
Each episode is hosted by the effortlessly charming Jesse Burgess, who serves as our to-camera narrator and surrogate taster at these wild locations.
Some of the restaurants are established, stellar and successful spots chasing their second or that very rare third star, while some are small establishments just trying to survive in one of the most challenging business ventures possible.
Each episode introduces you to a couple of restaurants, the chefs behind them and often their families. You learn each of their quests and connect with them on a more intimate level than just watching them prep and hand out food.
But that food!
WOW.
Apple TV has shot the entire series with incredible 4K photography that sweeps through each of the international locations, and dives right into tight photography of these incredible creations on each plate.
We found ourselves saying " Wait, I want that!" and noting the names and locations of these spots, hoping for future visits.
The end of each episode features the annual Michelin Award ceremonies in their cities, where we watch along with Jesse to see if they win the much coveted star.
The Michelin Star isn't just gratification or an ego boost, each one had a dramatic effect on the reservations and longevity of every restaurant. It's a fascinating world and it really pulls you into this arena.
There are some wild restaurants featured. Episode 1 details a NYC Subway Station restaurant whose entrance is so obscure it's like a secret entrance to Hogwarts. Once inside, its hard to imagine you're underground near the tracks!
Episode 4 looks at a stunning location in the Swedish forests that is incredibly worth the drive, especially thanks to jaw dropping drone camerawork dropping you into one of the most stunning locations I've ever seen. They are chasing their second star.
If you're expecting every Chef to be a loud, shouting character, you'll find a few that resemble the show's Executive Producer, Gordon Ramsay. But you'll also find plenty of different approaches to staff in these diverse kitchens. One of the chefs even demands near silence in the kitchen, which is pretty fascinating to watch.
Episode 7 details a Chef on the absolute cutting edge of modern food, creating microscopic ravioli that fit 20 tiny, complete pasta in each serving spoon. His old school Mom says, 'they look ridiculous put taste delicious' and declares it worthy for the menu.
This is a great documentary series. If you love superb global dinner spots, human drama or stunning photography, you're going to love this show.
I was very happy to hear that it's been renewed for another season.
That will give me even more restaurants to add to our gastronomic global bucket list!
KNIFE EDGE SEASON 1 gets a delicious A.
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