The first Filipino Netflix-produced series has finally arrived, and with it comes a much-deserved spotlight on local cuisine.
In Replacing Chef Chico, Alessandra de Rossi plays the devoted sous-chef Ella to the titular character Chico, with Sam Milby sporting the head chef’s toque. Right on the simmering start of a love story, an unfortunate accident strikes when Chico is caught in a car accident that brings him into a coma. Duty-bound, the head role is passed on to an apprehensive Ella, backed up by the restaurant’s business consultant Raymond, played by Piolo Pascual.
The milestone series places Filipino cuisine on center stage, as the fictional restaurant Hain serves up a dynamic menu that tells the stories of its patrons that differ in each episode. Behind the food, at least in-universe, is the skilled chefs that make up Hain, led by Chico and Ella.
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READ: Sam Milby and Alessandra de Rossi’s Culinary Training for “Replacing Chef Chico”
To better fill the shoes of the gastronomy-heavy roles, Alessandra and Sam revealed that they had undergone culinary training before the cameras started rolling.
“We had a crash course for a whole week leading up to our taping,” Sam said during the series’ press con at the Makati Shangri-La. “And it was an experience. It was really fun. But I feel like I forgot everything that I learned,” he joked.
As part of their one week-long training, the two actors performed a restaurant simulation, which involved customers of their own including director Dan Villegas and writer Antoinette Jadaone. “Sila 'yung mga grumpy customer namin, ’yung mga customer na-nag wa-walk out,” Alessandra said in jest.
While Alessandra doesn’t shy away from the kitchen in her personal time—she had the hashtag “#AlessandraDeRossiCookingShow” since 2013, where she snapped her foodie creations—the actress expressed the difficulty of having it as a professional career. “It was seriously stressful. I'm sure I don't want to be a [head] chef. Gusto ko maging sous-chef,” she said. “My respect for [head] chefs, but it’s hard!”
READ: Dan Villegas and Antoinette Jadaone on Researching for “Replacing Chef Chico”
For the minds behind the screen Dan Villegas and Antoinette Jadaone, pre-production for Replacing Chef Chico revolved vigorous research. Aside from religiously watching cooking YouTube channels with the likes of Jamie Oliver and Binging with Babish, the preparation also involved personally immersing themselves in the food and beverage industry.
“Me and Dan, sobrang mahilig kami sa mga tasting menus, mga degustation,” Antoinette said. “For the preparation, we interviewed a lot of [male and female] chefs, and they invited us into their kitchens. Para makita kung gaano ka -stressful talaga sa kitchen.”
Aside from the cooking side of things, the series also delves into the human emotion of its customers. “There's an episode with [someone who has] Alzheimer’s, so we had to really interview a doctor and someone who has Alzheimer's, or a family member. We know how important it is for chefs [and people] in real life to see that the show is very authentic.”
Filipino cuisine might be the backdrop of the story, but its underlying universal themes packed with homegrown traits stand at the core of it all. “’Yung Filipino food, lalo siyang sumasarap kasi kinakain natin siya with the people we love. At ’yun ’yung lalabas in every episode of Replacing Chef Chico,” she said. “Yes, we feature Filipino cuisine–laing, adobo, kare-kare–pero in every episode, mayroong story na kasama ka sa hapag kainan. Hindi ka lang audience, kasama ka sa hapag kainan ng guests doon sa restaurant na Hain.”
Watch the trailer for “Replacing Chef Chico” below:
Replacing Chef Chico is streaming on Netflix.
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