Hello friends!

We want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who has listened, subscribed, or even thought of our podcast, The Cinema Chefs! It’s been a crazy journey spawning from an Instagram post to a fully recorded TEN episodes of our show. In a world where so much seems created purely for shock value or the 3-second hook, we truly value the time you have taken out of your busy schedules to enter our world of cooking and film for a small part of your day. We are ecstatic when we meet up with a friend for drinks or dinner, and they tell us that they love the podcast or that they learned something while listening. While it is true that we are having the time of our lives (listen for a Jenn snort, the summa cum laude of response from her), recording these episodes, we are committed to teaching people to cook, empowering people in the kitchen, and entertaining them along the way.

While a movie can tell a story or multiple stories, food also has a way of telling a story. It is by learning the culture, ingredients, and techniques behind them that we gain a better understanding of the dishes and ultimately ourselves. In our Old Boy episode, we discussed Chinese dumplings and quickly pointed out that most cultures have some sort of filled dough. The Forrest Gump episode taught us much about shrimp and how this beloved shellfish is enjoyed all over the world. The Menu episode let us all know that the best food shouldn’t only be reserved for the wealthiest folks, and sometimes the best dishes are the ones available to everyone. Good food should be accessible to all, and we believe that learning to cook is a key step in making that a reality.

Stay tuned for Season 2! In the meantime, this space is where you can support the show. Your subscription funds our production costs and allows us to hire folks. You can expect bonus videos, chat episodes, cooking advice, and more.

Sincerely,

Your chef BFFs, Jenn de la Vega and Clara Park

The Cinema Chefs podcast, hosted by chefs Jenn de la Vega and Clara Park, focuses on culinary education through the lens of iconic dishes from your favorite movies. These picks are for food-loving cinephiles who want to recreate dishes from famous flicks. 

Clara: The single greatest thing you can do to become a better cook is get a high-quality chef knife. The knives from Misen are of great quality and won't break the bank.

Jenn: An indispensable tool in the kitchen is a pastry brush. Don’t let the name fool you, it’s not just for pastry! You can baste meat roasts, barbecue, apply butter to sides of salmon, as well as glaze baked goods, toast, and evenly grease your pans before you bake.

Clara: I didn't know what a microplane was until I went to culinary school. It is the tool found in every chef's knife roll and every Michelin-starred kitchen. Grate Parmigiano-Reggiano, garlic, ginger, chocolate, truffles, or citrus zest (but not all at once!) to maximize flavor with maximum efficiency. 

Jenn: One of the first dishes we’ve analyzed on The Cinema Chefs is the Cubano sandwich from the film Chef, starring Jon Favreau. Besides the pastry brush I mentioned before, you’ll also want to get a cast-iron grill press to simulate the effect of a hot panini press at home. You can also use it to make the perfect smash burger like Ralph Fiennes in The Menu. It’s not a unitasker, either. I love it for crisping up bacon and searing chicken for perfect crispy skin.

Clara: For those looking to get more serious about their cooking, premium spices are the way to go! I love this Burlap & Barrel collection because it is so versatile. Smoked paprika can transform your chili or tacos. Cinnamon is great for baking, Middle Eastern cooking, or perking up your coffee. There's never a bad time for thyme...  

Clara: Add a touch of elegance to breakfast or brunch with this amazing tabletop accessory, a toast rack. As we learned from The Phantom Thread, every aspect of your meal can be served with style, even toast. 

Jenn: Why is it a helpful tool? When you toast bread, the heat creates a little steam. When you lay hot toast flat on a plate, it steams one side. Serving them upright in a toast stand ensures both sides stay crisp.

Happy holidays from your chef BFFs,

Jenn de la Vega & Clara Park

Disclosure: When you buy through our affiliate links, we may earn a commission. We have not been compensated otherwise for our recommendations.