4 Docu-Series that you should watch now on Netflix

This week on Ricesome, I offer you one of my secret recipes for writing opinions which I find enticing. They are not really secrets cause everything that I know about food is available online. So, today I am merely giving you good recommendations as your friend. (I hope we are friends) I am not saying it lightly when I say that these documentaries changed my life. These recommendations are not your average variety of food documentaries, shows, or series. You might have heard about them and if you did.......you can still keep on reading. No need to make this awkward.

Even if you didn't watch these, I am gonna try my best to promote these because these docu-series not only deal with food cultures but also explore the lives of the people affected by them. (Read the 2nd recommendation if you are a fan of food porn in movies)

I think documentaries have been perceived by people as "lullabies"; something to have as background noise while they sleep. Netflix offers a wide variety of docu-series. Other media platforms do have culinary-centric documentaries on their website, but Netflix is ubiquitous. Netflix caters to everyone. It has managed to reach a global audience with movies, shows, and various other forms of infotainment suiting its audience's sensibilities and preferences. We will take a look at some of the series which helped me learn about the food world, and honestly, inspire me to write about gastronomy.

Without further ado, HERE WE GO!

1. UGLY DELICIOUS

If you have read my blog for any length of time, you already know that this is going to be the first one on my list. Ugly Delicious is a documentary series produced and hosted by James Beard award-winning chef David Chang, who along with other celebrities, activists, writers, etc, explores the perceptions and misconceptions involved with food culture. There are 2 seasons available and each episode has a specific theme to it such as a dish, a cooking style, or a place. This show combines travel, talk, and food into a neat little package for our viewing.

I have recommended this series so many times in my other posts. This docu-series showed me a side to the culinary experience which I never thought existed and now that I know about it, I know how important it is. It taught me to understand the roots of our cuisine and to question everything that is associated with it. Chef Chang offers a wide variety of opinions on various topics and he talks about things that are culturally perceived to be taboo. Definitely a must-watch for any upcoming chef, cook, foodie, or anyone who is interested in different cultures across the world. There are so many genres that this show covers, I think it is for anyone to watch. This definitely deserves a number-one spot on my list.

2. The Chef Show

The Chef show is hosted by Jon Favreau, a famous American filmmaker, and celebrity chef Roy Choi. (Roy Choi was actually featured in one of the episodes of Ugly Delicious) The Chef Show consists of Jon Favreau and Roy Choi cooking recipes, traveling to different restaurants, and eating their famous dishes along with other celebrities who share their passion for food and art. Roy Choi worked as an executive producer on the sets of the movie "Chef", which is one of the movies I referenced in my Culinary Cinema blog post. (Read it if you haven't already) This show is based on the success of the movie and involves both of these foodies traveling and cooking dishes alongside each other.

I enjoy this show every time I sit down to eat anything, I play one of the episodes and just watch as I eat. The Chef Show features famous celebrities such as Robert Downey Jr, Tom Holland, Bill Burr, Seth Rogen, David Chang, Christina Tosi, etc., and many other chefs from different restaurants across America. The series manages to capture the essence of the movie through the friendship of Jon and Chef Roy. Watching Roy Choy cook is very therapeutic. I can listen to him talk about food all day long and then starve myself by watching all the delicious food that he makes.

Watch if you love food or movies, because there are a lot of discussions on both of those.

3. Street Food Asia

Street Food Asia is the most recent one which I discovered on this list. It showcases the lives of street food vendors across the world. They portray cities that are known for having delicious and famous street food and interview the life of one famous street food vendor along with a couple of other popular vendors serving different dishes. This series has one season consisting of 9 episodes, and there are other variations of this docu-series such as Street Food Latin America and Street Food USA.

I have recently started this series.....and the 2nd episode almost made me cry. The struggles of these street food vendors, their backgrounds, their goals, and their achievements take you on an emotional rollercoaster ride. Street food plays an important role in the lives of common people. It is a crucial aspect of many cities' nightlife. People have their own designated street food spots in their own cities, localities, and neighborhoods. This show also portrays that street food is not less than anything that is served in a fine dining restaurant. In fact, many fine dining chefs have taken inspiration from street food vendors. (like Gaggan Anand).

This show has a similar vibe to that of Chef's Table. The cinematography reminds me of Ugly Delicious, and if you like both of these, then you will definitely love this show.

4. Raja, Rasoi Aur Anya Kahaniyaan

Kings, Chefs, and many other stories. This series takes us to the royal kitchens of many kingdoms in history and teaches us the stories of the food that was prepared by the Khansamas (Royal cooks). It also talks about the food culture, geographical influences, climatic changes, political influences, etc. of the cities and those surrounding it. This show has 4 seasons in total, but only the first one is available on Netflix. Each episode comprises a variety of experts on food history and gastronomy, and the show has a very clear and captivating narrating style.

Even though I am embarrassed to say it, I don't know much about Indian food. I feel like as a cook, I should know my own culture's culinary heritage. This show is my go-to browsing section for information on Indian food. I was misconceived that this series was released a couple of years back, but it came out in 2014. It describes the history and recipes of various dishes in every episode, and one is sure to learn many new things. It celebrates the complexity and diversity of Indian cuisine, and I don't think I have seen something like this ever made in India before with such detail. Even my mother likes this series, and my mother isn't even fond of cooking. For anyone who has history homework on Indian royals' food traditions, this is your Wikipedia.

I think food documentaries are, for lack of better words, "really, really cool". We have gone past the age of documentaries being considered boring and you would have to force yourself to sit through one to learn something that you will forget eventually. These docu-series that I have mentioned have the same amount of intensity as watching a good slice-of-life movie, series, anime......you name it. And you also get to learn something in the process which is good, considering our economy. (I don't know, I heard someone using this statement the other day)

That's it, folks! I hope that you will watch this series, get inspired, and will comment below on what you think about them. Suggest me some good ones if you know any. I will be eager to hear your recommendations. Thanks for reading!

See you next week.