Secret Chef (2023– ) User Reviews

This show could be so great. The animated nonsense and terrible sound effects ruin it

[dereliche · 6/10 · 5 July 2023]

I love the premise of this show. It could be, or could have been, absolutely top quality. Stop trying to "reality tv" everything?? Just the premise that they are reviewing themselves and each other and working blind is SO FUN. It is absolutely destroyed by the brutally grating animated glove and sound effects. Grab a chef host, a real one, and replace those two things and you have a winner. As it stands right now I don't know that I even *can* finish these episodes. The buzzer noise that they play over and over are awful. I think I would like the 80's electro sound effects if that's all there was to contend with. I think the animated "Cheffy" and the included voice over are just straight bad television.

Cheffie...

[pdc15725 · 7/10 · 16 August 2023]

Is dang annoying. And after seeing a picture of the actress behind the voice (I know it's altered a bit), I'm wondering why they didn't just have her there in person. Please. Do it for season 2 if there is one.

The premise of the show is pretty good. Some chefs anonymously prepare food for each other then get rated on it.

I will also say, because I have 241 characters left, that I didn't like the elimination on episode one. At least one person gets unfairly eliminated in my opinion. I don't want to spoil it, 82 characters left, but unfair it was. 42.

So in conclusion, this is a show that is good. Fin.

liked it less and less episode by episode

[meganjrichardson-74454 · 7/10 · 1 July 2023]

I started out quite enjoying it, a bit of a different concept. Quickly some of the contestants became quite unlikeable. I like food shows and there are shows out there that show that whilst it is a competition you don't have to tear down other contestants or strategise against them, pity nobody told some of these jerks. I kept watching to hope those ones would be eliminated.

I do wonder how much is scripted or they are given a role to play on screen, Just when they got rid of some of the jerks they sadly reappeared in various episodes, a couple were insufferable. Social media success does not always translate well to tv. The wrong person wins in my opinion.

Refreshing!

[craftingwithmacgyver · 10/10 · 2 July 2023]

What sets this show apart is not.just the wacky challenges. The most refreshing aspect was the mutual support of the chefs. Cooking shows have become so cutthroat. In typical cooking shows (and competition shows in general), it's become routine for players and hosts to attack and humiliate each other. Secret Chef brings out the best in its players-even the most competitive among them is shown appreciating the food of other contestants. The twist of having the contestants judge each other's food adds to this dynamic-we get to watch a cast with diverse culinary backgrounds appreciating one another's dishes. The show also highlights the importance of improvisation, adaptability and ingenuity. I have my fingers crossed for a Season 2!

Fun, different, but...

[WanderingEvelyn · 6/10 · 9 August 2023]

Like with most cooking shows, if you can get through the silly commentary, overdramatizing, and the obviously scripted parts, it's fine. Overall the concept of the show is interesting. I think having the chefs rate each other brings a unique spin to a competition because chefs can use different strategies in the challenges (like getting to choose which dish someone has to make or which ingredient someone has to use). I also like the more mysterious challenges, where chefs have to use whatever they're given to make a dish. It makes it more interesting because you don't know what's going to happen or what people will end up making.

However I think a lot of integrity is lost by bringing back an eliminated chef and then eliminating one of the top chefs in the same episode. I know it's a competition show and the makers want to keep people watching, but it really wasn't fair and didn't do anything for the competition. It was like they just swapped out one of the top chefs that earned their spot in the top 4 and replaced them with someone who already lost. It's far more satisfying to see competitors make the final rounds who actually deserve to be there and I don't think we got that with this series.

Left me on my feet as I could not guess the different twists

[screename-83634 · 9/10 · 1 July 2023]

So I started watching this the day it came out, just about 2 days ago & I have already watched all 10 episodes of this amazing show. I rated it a 9 as it was still entertaining, funny & kept me on my seat never knowing how to predict things would ultimately turn out. I deducted slightly as it's fucus was more directed at the challenges & making it different from every other cooking show (which was nailed incredibly well), but I just felt it lacked directions & instructions on how each of the dishes were made themselves. Ultimately it's something that might be a bit cheesy to some, but if you like cooking shows & watch to change it up, this is definitely the show that'll do it. Even if you don't normally like cooking shows, I feel this might be a great show to bridge that gap of entertaining yet food related that I feel would open the doors to be willing to give culinary shows a second look. I'm happy to have come across this gem, but I'm already wishing (and looked online) if there's going to be a second season. Suggestions, just come at this show & watched the first 1-2 episodes, give it a chance & I feel you'll end up finishing it as I did.

Needs a real, live Host

[justjudy01 · 7/10 · 4 September 2023]

I love cooking shows - Top Chef, Master Chef, etc., which is why I thought I'd like this. I liked most of it. Animated "Chefy" almost made me quit this show - so annoying & silly. I liked the cooking challenges but found the "Reviews" section confusing & too fast to fully comprehend. I also didn't see the point of everyone having an Alias - Chef Donut, Chef Arugula, etc.. The White Elephant challenge was probably the best.... who knew it was possible to cook with a clothing steamer or iron?

If there's a Season 2: get rid of animated "Chefy", and still give everyone a printout of the reviews - all without aliases or names.

Quirky and different

[qzzbqt · 9/10 · 2 October 2023]

I really enjoyed this show, and I've watched a lot of cooking shows over the years. I thought the addition of "Cheffy" was brilliant - comes across as almost psychopathic at times, and I loved it. There was a bit of a post-apocalyptic feel to it somehow, and I thought there were a lot of unique qualities that kept me guessing throughout.

I really hope there's another series because it was refreshing to watch and I binged the whole thing in two days.

Only thing I'd like to add is I'd love to see more plant-based cooking in these shows, because there could be so much creativity potential there and I think it would help keep that edge.

I love cooking shows

[efoxrox · 6/10 · 30 June 2023]

I love all cooking shows. The idea behind the show is different, but not sure it's sustainable. Chefy has a very annoying voice and is an annoying element. Prefer a real host. Other than that, loved the chefs and seeing what they created! Perhaps adding more chefs would make it harder to figure out who is who. The cool throwbacks of decor to different time periods is most appreciated. It would be neat to see them cook with era specific equipment, similar to the episode where they used alternate heating elements to cook. With that being said, I am off to see who wins. And do they all sleep in the same housing area? Perhaps we could see some after filming on set videos.

Potentially good format but 'Cheffy' is highly annoying

[trinjon · 5/10 · 4 July 2023]

Good idea with some twists, but it needs a real presenter not a stupid cartoon chef hat. It felt really childish and patronising and kind of frustrated me as I watched the show. The contestants were great though.

I liked the fact they blind taste stuff as it removes bias and gets entertaining as they figure out who is who

I had a favourite chef and was rooting for them and it was cool to see how home cooks did against the professionals too.

It's would be kind of fun to do a celebrity chef version of the show to see what they say about each other lol!

I think 5/10 is fair since the format needs work.

Refreshing and Fun, but....

[tomjackson-65632 · 9/10 · 1 January 2024]

I don't like most cooking competition shows because the contestants are cut throat and they have overly serious celeb judges. Secret Chef is a show I really enjoyed, the challenges are unique and the contestants are like-able. The editing is well done, I was never bored, things move right along. I do agree, as most reviewers have stated, that the animated Cheffy character is super annoying. They should replace Cheffy with a live host. I was disappointed in the winner, who was my least favorite chef and not all that skilled in my opinion, but that's life. I hope they do a season 2, preferably with a live host.

Overall, I liked it!

[jarquinnat · 7/10 · 7 December 2023]

I thought it was super entertaining and i binged watched it all in like a day and a half. I would deff watch season 2. Was it fantastic? No. Entertaining enough? Yes! I thought Cheffy was super cute and i loved the animation. It was fun to see. I also liked how they all secretly judged each others meal.

However, I was disappointed in the finale and the ending with David Chang was weird to me. Why was he looking throughaathe window as the last two cooks were cooking? His personality wasn't pleasant either. He was constantly cratiquiag at the last two contestants (Don't want to spoil the names.)

Good premise but way to cartoonish.

[hdtj-29500 · 3/10 · 4 July 2023]

I really like the way the show is set up. Blind cooking and judging while not knowing which chef is which among the contestants. Great idea. Where the show just completely fails is it comes across way too cartoonish or game show like. That ridiculous "cheffy" cartoon character has got to go. If they would make this show less childish I think it has great potential. I've watched many David Chang shows in the past and always found them well done and enjoyable. I really wouldn't have expected David Chang to produce a show like this. There's a reason why all the most popular cooking shows don't have cartoon characters in them. Secret Chef should take note of that.

People are so harsh.

[maivindeb · 10/10 · 16 August 2023]

Too many people pick on things calling them juvenile or silly, being so quick to judge, but... I found the show to be fun and entertaining and Cheffy is sweet! I hope is gets more seasons. My Hubby was a well renowned Executive Chef for 30 + years and he would have thoroughly enjoyed watching this show! It's fun, lighthearted and easy to watch and it has plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested. The format of the show gives everyone, (whether they are a home Chef or professional) a fair chance at the prize. It is also a good example of how hard people can be on themselves. Many of the Chefs would make something that didn't quite come out the way they wanted it (because of a plot twist) and were rather down on themselves, but the others didn't know it didn't follow the creators dream... and rated it high.

Some mysteries are better left unsolved

[camyers959 · 7/10 · 29 August 2023]

The conceit of Secret Chef is fun, but dissolves by the fifth episode with the final twists and turns feeling more and more scripted and less and less surprising.

They'd do well to have a real host instead of a cartoon hat... the VA is fantastic but she's a legitimate actress and would have been much more fun in person.

In a world with dozens of Celebrity Chef shows and dozens of cooking challenges, the main draw of this series is the style and the uniqueness of its premise - but that just doesn't hold your attention very long.

It also commits a reality show cardinal sin and doesn't let the cast interact outside of very tightly scripted moments with their alter-egos - who are these people? Why don't we get to learn about them? Why can't they hang out together in that fantastic set, instead of hiding for HOURS in their own little rooms?

I hope the second season (if they get one...) corrects these easily corrected flaws and gets a new cast of interesting contestants and guest stars.

Blind Judging is the way to go!

[acwhite923 · 10/10 · 1 October 2023]

This was a refreshing change from many cooking shows! Chefs and cooks from a variety of backgrounds compete fairly by blind judging their competitors dishes. There was no extra drama between contestants that often takes away from the cooking. Cheffy was weird at first but I don't think a cartoon chef hat host detracts from the show - it added just enough sassiness in an impersonal way without being annoying. Cheffy added a dimension of fun. The contestants were all great too.

It was interesting to see home cooks compete against professional chefs and to see how each contestant tried to figure out whose dish was from a professional or not was very entertaining.

I hope there is a season 2!

Competitive, yes. Cheesy, yes.

[mondaysgirl · 6/10 · 9 August 2023]

I agree with most other reviews in the fact they need to ditch Cheffy. I feel it brings the quality of the show.

What I like is the fact that it's not the same as typical cooking competitions. The overall format is refreshing, why not let other competitors critique, anonymously, the food? Does it always have to be a "professional judge"? I like that they had different levels, that kept me interested. Even though it took me a few episodes to commit to the show.

Aside from cartoonish elements... I didn't like the unfairness of the first challenge, you can't help who you are teamed with, ditch that. And yes the secret sauce of Secret Chef does have to do with not knowing who the others are but I didn't enjoy the overemphasis on them trying to figure out who was who(m). I found it kinda annoying.

Worth watching but the show has some work to do.

An Intriguing twist to Cooking Shows

[ronlpitts · 10/10 · 10 July 2023]

Settled in to binge the new HULU cooking show "Secret Chef"... my wife watches all of them, she is a fine cook herself, and so that adds to the entertainment as she almost always tips me off on interesting things. And this show had more than its share. We loved the fast pace, and nice sets. The contestants not knowing who they were competing against was a very good twist. The chefs having their own kitchen to use and decorate was a part of the show that I really enjoyed. As we all enjoy our kitchens "just so" when we cook. Compelling recipes and contestants and sets that please the eye (I hope) ensure there is more than enough here for HULU to mine here for a second season.

Cheffy is annoying.

[scarte3 · 6/10 · 11 February 2024]

The show would be pretty decent if not for the cartoony features such as "cheffy" and her terribly lame jokes. It makes the show seem like it's for kids, which would be fine if the entire show seemed that way. It's super weird. Would like to see what the show would be like without that component. It's otherwise an interesting concept for a culinary competition. The challenges are unique. Haven't seen some of them other shows. But the teamwork challenge seems so unfair as it eliminated a great chef because his novice partner ruined the dish. We lost the executive in the first episode which just didn't seem right.

Needed a real host

[schmuelio75 · 5/10 · 21 July 2023]

So much of what makes competition cooking shows watchable is the host(s). When you're relying on civilians for your charisma you're already betting on long-shots. The central gimmick to this was good enough to grow from, but it just gets hindered over and over again by its own ostensibly clever machinations. And the biggest wart for me was how the challenges were so often unachievable by the competitors in the time allotted. Which leads me to the other reason to watch cooking competitions-to be educated/inspired. Since the completed dishes on this show were very often less than presentable, they definitely weren't inspiring and since a lot of the methods involved in preparing the dishes were rushed and constrained by bizarre parameters they also were rarely educational or edifying.

A somewhat entertaining spectacle but it needs retooling to become worth making another season.

Love it ! So goofy and different :)

[shannonkimbrell · 10/10 · 19 July 2023]

I really enjoyed this. I smiled so much and really enjoyed the comradery between the contestants! It took a little bit to get into it, but once I got into it - I ended up binging it. I watch all sorts of cooking shows and really hope they renew this one :) I have read reviews that Cheffy is annoying - and yes - she is supposed to be. If the audience feels annoyed, imagine the contestants and the stress they are under with a weird little smart ass tv cartoon picking on you and making your life hell, while trying to keep yourself composed - I found it humorous!! I think a good spin on this would be to do a panel of celebrity chefs !!!

Too childish but fixable

[acorderojr-61951 · 6/10 · 2 April 2024]

The premise of the show is good. It is definitely a different kind of twist to food shows. The reason I gave it only 3 stars is because the child like "chefs" with the annoying voice.

It was bad enough to make me consider not watching anymore.

They need to tweak it and make it a bit more adult friendly.

Get rid of the voice and the chef hat. Use a blurred out image instead. Make the changes and you have a winner. It may be possible to add some more contests and a few challenges that can help in separating the professional chefs from the home chefs.

The last bad thing as if it wasn't enough, is having the "chefy" on two tvs instead of one.🙄

Juvenile Format

[debbie-60179 · 4/10 · 8 July 2023]

The idea of having the contestants judge each other through blind taste testing is a refreshing change, however the way it is done is very childish and more suited to a junior chef cooking competition with children. The dumb cartoon chef's hat and annoying sound effects ruined the whole show and made it difficult to watch at times. I was very disturbed by the cook with all of the long flowing hair flying all over the food while she was cooking. Anyone who calls themselves a cook knows that you don't cook with long hair hanging loose over your food. I would not have eaten one thing that she cooked. The show could definitely stand a reboot to give it a more professional and adult format.

Better shows out there

[bqxmjzrgmd · 5/10 · 9 July 2023]

This show is good. I liked the concept. Was enjoying the chefs and challenges. I could only sit thru 2 episodes though. They use a CGI/AI host that gets irritating quickly. Definitely an AI wrote this because the jokes are horrible. Also the voice is high pitched I think it's that sound only dogs can hear. I couldn't take another minute of the cheffy host. If you're looking for a cooking show there are much better shows out there. If you do decide to watch you will probably need to mute the sound during the cheffy segments. I hope AI isn't the way tv is going because I won't watch. And no I'm not in the industry.

An interesting character study into the dangers of spite

[rmmil · 4/10 · 10 September 2023]

I'll say upfront my rating of "4" overall for the series as a whole is due to the incredibly annoying voice host and some of the repetitive sound effects.

It's not a cartoon, it's a real voice actor behind a cartoonish character. I don't have a problem with that per se. But unfortunately it's just played out in a slightly too childish way. Either it needs to be removed entirely or made much stranger. And that alarm sound when the conveyor belt moves plays way too often. It's terrible.

But the headline of this review, isn't so much about my rating, it's my own personal commentary on the finale (and this outcome did not affect my overall rating, it's just an observation).

It's interesting to me how the finale was structured the game intentionally or unintentionally subverted the expectations of the players themselves.

Lanky, the eventual winner, was the only player in this game who wasn't self editing his reviews, he was willing to be "mean", and by the end of the game clearly the other players wanted Leon to win.

I think off-the-screen discussions were made between the ex-contestants (the finale judges) at the finale, that they were going to discern which dishes were made by Leon, and vote him the winner. I believe this decision was made before the dishes were even judged.

Ultimately, due to his "meanness" in his voting, Lanky drew the ire of the other contestants so much so they decided to vote Leon the winner by default. The only problem with this strategy was that they guessed the wrong player.

Ironically, if the ex-contestants had voted based on the merit of the dishes alone, Leon, their preferred winner, would have won, because he actually made the better dishes, but the spite of the judges caused them to vote emotionally, causing the opposite result that they had intended.

It's a kind of garbage show, but the finale did contain a Poe-ish twist of irony. So there's that.