The Grand Chef

Synopsis:
Discover the beauty and complexity of Korean cuisine in The Grand Chef, the 2008 breakthrough drama featuring some of the biggest names in Korean dramas.

Korean heartthrob Kim Rae Won (What Planet Are You From?, My Little Bride) stars as Sung-Chan, the warm-hearted chef-in-training who loves to cook. In his culinary education, he befriends Jin-Soo (Nam Sang-Mi, Sweet Spy) a headstrong country girl who dreams of becoming a food critic. Although Sung-Chan and Jin-soo don’t get along at first, the two quickly join forces in order to make both their dreams come true.

But life gets complicated for Sung-Chan when his step-father learns of his culinary talents and rethinks the inheritance of the family restaurant, creating a newfound sibling rivalry between himself and his chef step-brother, Kwon Oh Joong (Damo). The two brothers begin an intense culinary battle to become top chef of the family business and to discover for once and for all, whose cuisine will reign supreme!



Touted as the highest rated show in Korea of 2008 I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Considering it was just broadcast late in the year it was still very new and the buzz still strong. Again, a show about cuisine and the importance of how cuisine introduces and influences acculturation.

Someone asked me if I liked Kim Rae Won in it. I thought about it for a moment and said "I like him like I wish he could be my younger brother, but not like I could have a crush on him." And..it doesn't have anything to do with his age. Trust me, I'm totally comfortable having crushes on younger men.

Anyway, it's solid, clean and fulfilling. It doesn't leave you exhausted and wrecked with emotion.
I caught myself smiling almost throughout all 24 episodes. Seriously, to the point where my cheeks hurt.

Enjoy!