DIRECTED BY: CAMERON YATES/2018
KINO LORBER STREET DATE: MARCH 12, 2019
Touted as “a real-life Ratatouille”, this documentary from director Cameron Yates (no relation) follows the story of Flynn McGarry, a “teen chef” who chose to forgo the interests of his peers to pursue his passion of cooking. While television shows like Chopped, Jr. features kids and teens having a shot at showing off their “chops” in the kitchen for an episode or two, the story of Chef Flynn is something beyond anything you’ve seen from such bite-sized television morsels.
As the film is described in the packaging, by age 12, Flynn was preparing his own menu and serving family and friends in his own supper clubs. Soon, he found himself being covered by the New York Times Magazine. By the time he was 16 he had presented his talents in some of the top restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, and in Europe. Whenever you are succeeding, however, this is when the critics come to feast. Just like in the Pixar film, Ratatouille, it is the critics who seek to derail his meteoric ascent in the culinary world.
The film is a fascinating look at a child who has accomplished more than many in the industry will ever accomplish in their professional career. The true test is how does one handle adversity, and Cameron Yates uniquely captures not just the genius, but also that this genius is a young person who is still trying to figure out how to navigate the pressures that come with the position he has attained that would cause men and women twice his age to buckle under the strain. The fact that Flynn is still pursuing his dream is a feel-good story that everyone can be inspired by.
The bonus features in this Kino Lorber release include KCRW’s “The Document” that asks “What happens when you reach your dream…at Age 19?” with Flynn McGarry, Director Cameron Yates and Producer Laura Coxson (Courtesy of KCRW). Chef Flynn also contains deleted scenes, the film’s trailer, reversible sleeve artwork, and a TEDYouth Talk by Flynn McGarry (2014). Chef Flynn is presented in 1.78:1, 16×9 aspect ratio, with audio in 5.1 Surround/2.0 Stereo. Dialogue is in English with optional Spanish and English SDH subtitles.
