Many of us had big dreams when we were young. It was like anything was possible! Then reality sets in, and we give up our lofty expectations to fulfill our duties to our loved ones. When that happens, which aspirations should you let go? What dreams must you still pursue?
The first ever original Filipino Netflix series Replacing Chef Chico portrays how sous chef Ella discovered the answer to this dilemma when she became the interim head chef of Hain, a struggling fine dining restaurant. Overall, I enjoyed this show, and it’s definitely bingeable. The series was done well technically for the most part. The script was focused and fast-paced. The set design was great! The acting was decent, and a few actors stood out for their thespian abilities. It also had nice cinematography. But before I go into detail about what I enjoyed the most about this series, let me explain what I disliked about it.
Some Shortcomings
One of the things that didn’t work for me is the love triangle among Ella (Alessandra De Rossi), head chef Chico (Sam Milby), and management consultant Raymond (Piolo Pascual). It felt forced because the series did not allot enough time for Chico’s and Raymond’s back stories to unfold. Doing so would’ve helped the audience empathize more with their need to pursue a romantic relationship with Ella. Instead, Chico and Raymond felt like plot devices, not fully-fleshed out individual characters.
The supporting characters’ reactions to Ella’s relationships with both men were also bizarre. It didn’t make sense for the protagonist’s colleagues to forgive her flirtatious behaviors that easily because she could’ve been gaining career advantages over them by being in “situationships” with Raymond and Chico. In relation to that, I feel like Ella barely reaped the negative consequences of her bad decisions when it comes to how she related with these men, which borders on Mary Sue territory. But maybe we’ll get that in Season 2 if there will be one?
Finally, what I disliked the most about this series is that it propagandized about its low view of marriage. I don’t mind watching shows that portray people with lifestyles that I disagree with. My favorite Filipino series is Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank 3, and it did a masterful job of portraying gay men as being more creative and level-headed than the straight female protagonist. That’s because the homosexual characters all behaved consistently with their individual psychological profiles within a believable story world. In Replacing Chef Chico, both the heterosexuals and the LGBT people acted out of character to push the creators’ woke vision of marriage. Whenever they did that, the plot became too cheap and melodramatic. The lesson here is, just tell a story when you’re writing fiction. Don’t use it to force your beliefs on other people!
What I Love About This Series
Despite its flaws, this series is enjoyable overall. Here are the top four things that I like about it:
# 4 Interesting supporting characters
It was great that the supporting characters had good back stories that compelled them to behave in believable ways which made the plot more exciting. Their personal struggles added depth to the themes explored in this series. Joel Saracho’s portrayal of the frustrated chef de partie is superb! I think he has an awesome acting range because I also liked him in Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank 3, wherein he portrayed a restrained yet quietly confident costume designer. I hope he’ll get acting awards soon!
# 3 Elevated Filipino cuisine
This series made me feel incredibly proud of our unique local ingredients! I also love that they presented classic Filipino dishes in a modernized way. Hopefully, this will inspire Filipino chefs all the more to aim for world-class recognition for our cuisine.
# 2 A compassionate and driven yet flawed protagonist
The character of Ella definitely carried this series. She’s someone whom Filipinos can relate to: she initially insists on staying within her comfort zone because she’s a people pleaser. But in the process of innovating dishes to prevent Hain from closing, she discovers that challenging the status quo is what will bring the best out of her colleagues even if change may be difficult for them at first.
# 1 The story has a clever way of resolving the dilemma of whether or not we should give up our dreams for the people we love.
One of the best things about this series is that it shows that your employees/subordinates and customers are not merely statistics. They are people with real emotions and complex problems. That’s why when we pursue our dreams, we ought to do so in a way that elevates the well-being of the people around us, especially if they’re helping us to succeed.
It doesn’t mean that you should sacrifice your welfare just to please others. However, it does mean that there ought to be different ways of measuring success for society to become reasonably inclusive. For example, being successful might mean excelling in more rigorous work environments abroad. A few will thrive better as entrepreneurs. On the other hand, it’s also crucial for some excellent employees to stay within their work establishments to help them flourish lest many people lose their jobs.
When I was young, my dream was to work abroad and bring back to the Philippines what I would learn in high-income countries. It’s quite possible that I might no longer be able to fulfill that. Still, I don’t regret giving up opportunities to practice my profession in the West to help take care of my grandparents. I’m also very thankful for the work experiences that I’ve had here in my country. They definitely enriched me on a professional and personal level. I wish though that our local health system will be more open to positive changes. Changes that will improve patient outcomes without sacrificing the welfare of healthcare workers.
One of the ways to enjoy a story is close scrutiny of the characters' depth ( or lack thereof)! 😉