Chef: A Satisfying Plate for the Foodie Film Hungry

Food and film often finds themselves combined and served together as a blue plate special. Sometimes that recipe works – sometimes not.  Chef, the light comedy written, co-produced and starring Jon Favreau that opens nationwide today is one film whose recipe works.  The boiled down synopsis: Chef Carl Casper (Jon Faveau) a talent chef whose culinary passion and reputation has been comprised working for an unadventurous restaurateur quits his job and lands in a food truck. The result: He reignites his passion for food and life with the help his friends, ex-wife,10-year old son and  the menu’s special, the cubano sandwich.

Like the film’s featured food, Chef is a mix of uncompleted ingredients done well and seasoned with a subtle complexity that’s served up fresh.  Granted, this isn’t an epic and nothing gets blow-up on the food truck. In fact some might consider Chef mindless entertainment. Not me, I’m a foodie and food professional who not like most foodies and food professionals can appreciate a simple concept done well. The reason I could ask for second helping (screening).

Just one thing; after this film I was craving a cubano. Thankfully, Chef’s producers knew foodies would want the recipes, which are courtesy of Food and Wine Magazine’s newly appointed Best New Chef, Roy Choi. Chef Choi was the film’s culinary consultant and teacher who taught the Favreau and his co-stars how to handle knifes and authentically cook.

Chef’s Cubano Sandwich

Recipe by Roy Choi

6 ounces thinly sliced boiled ham

softened butter, for brushing

six 6-inch long soft baguettes or heroes rolls, spilt lengthwise

yellow mustard, fro brushing

3/4 pound thinly sliced Mojo-Marinated Prok Shoulder, or store bought roast pork

1/2 pound thinly sliced Swiss Cheese

3 half-sour pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise

1 Heat a large cast iron griddle or panini press. Add the ham slices to the griddle and cook over medium heat, turning once, until browned in spots, about 1 minutes. Transfer the ham to a plate.

2: Generously butter the cut sides of each baguette and toast on griddle over a moderate heat, until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to work surface and generously butter the cut sides with mustard. Layer then ham, pork, Swiss and pickles on the baguettes and close the sandwiches.

3: Generously brush outside of sandwiches with butter and set them on the griddle or press; if using a griddle top sandwich with a buttered baking sheet and it weight it down with a heavy can or skillet.  Cook sandwiches over moderate heat until browned and crisp on the outside and the cheese is melted, 3 minutes per side. Cut the cubano in half and serve.