Cooking Movie Reviews

I first noticed Jamie Oliver after hearing the catchy theme song - by Leigh Haggerwood - that begins the 'Oliver's Twist' rollercoaster ride. This DVD contains the best episodes from the first series, full of Jamies enthusiasm and British charm. The recipes are mouth watering, and with all the vibrant colours and London life, it's a joy to watch from beginning to end. My particular favourite is the episode where his band Scarlet Division perform the theme song out on the street and Jamie gives it some on his drum kit. I think everyone will enjoy this DVD!

Jamie Oliver, hands down, is the most entertaining chef on broadcast television. I was completely entertained by this DVD. It allowed me to navigate from recipe to recipe, which was so nice to use when preparing some of his amazingly delicious and simple recipes. After watching this DVD I feel as though I could prepare any gourmet meal for any number of guests. And did I forget to mention how freaking adorable he is. I will admit the first time I watched it I could only focus on his adorable features and charisma and then I watched again and observed his unbelievable uncomplicated style of gourmet cuisine. Oh, and the recipes were great - basically fresh and healthy ingredients with a dash of this and dash of that - that's it. I keep hearing that he is known, as the 'naked chef 'News Flash' sexy chef would be a more appropriate term. He has amazing energy and charisma. My only concern now is - WHEN WILL THE NEXT DVD BE RELEASED!!!!!

Jamie Oliver, hands down, is the most entertaining chef on broadcast television. I was completely entertained by this DVD. It allowed me to navigate from recipe to recipe, which was so nice to use when preparing some of his amazingly delicious and simple recipes. After watching this DVD I feel as though I could prepare any gourmet meal for any number of guests. And did I forget to mention how freaking adorable he is. I will admit the first time I watched it I could only focus on his adorable features and charisma and then I watched again and observed his unbelievable and uncomplicated style of gourmet cuisine. Oh, and the recipes were great - basically fresh and healthy ingredients with a dash of this and dash of that - that's it. ...

I was always looking for away, to make any party I would have better... As for the drinks I would always strike out.. I had no idea on how to put together, or the proper way a drink should be displayed... (glass, etc..) And by having the "SUMMER QUENCHERS DVD" I was able to get all of the answers I needed.. I was always curios about drink mixing. I would find my self looking in books, and hanging out at bars to find out what was the "NEW THING" at any giving date. So by having this DVD... It allows me to go back in time for drinks, and also gives me the flexability to get familiar with the most modern and unique drinks that are out there.. Some of which I had no idea even existed... So I do suggest to anyone who has been looking for all of the answers on drink mixing, this DVD...

Great DVD, carefully explains drink making, ingredients etc. Even shows experienced bartenders the proper way to mix with some great new recipes. I reccomend this as a learning tool for all hotels, bars and home enthusiasts as a way to impress your customers and friends.

How many times have you wondered what wine to choose for your meal, for your friends, or for the special holiday around the corner? This sacramental drink has kept its magical qualities bringing up questions, starting arguments, and ... finding happy solutions in the clinking of two wine glasses!
If you are curious to find out what this wine mystery is all about, you will enjoy the high quality DVD Wine Fundamentals. After watching the DVD with my friend we would definitely say that it is Wine Fundamentals and MUCH MORE, offering in an attractive way knowledge and expertise referring to all aspects of wine - starting from the history, going through the making and the types of wine, the secrets of wine tasting and the smart tips for ordering wine, the intriguing wine terminology and the wine friendly recipes.
The professionals who created the DVD take you on a special trip which can be defined both as educational and entertaining. We surprisingly found out that our wine questions were answered to the brim, and also, our next choice and tasting of wine was completely different! Now we can savor the educated enjoyment and appreciation of wine as all of us should.
C h e e r s!

I ordered this DVD a bit suspiciously because I didn't know nothing about who made it and I had disappointments before about life style/educational DVDs. Many times such DVDs can be unprofessional and amateur like. However, this one was an excellent surprise. It delivered exactly what I wanted: solid basic advice from experts filmed in relevant and appealing locations. There is a narrator, with whom the viewer can identify because he doesn't know much about wine, but he goes on an expedition asking the right questions to experts. A Wine Master, a Wine spectator Wine Maker of the year, Chefs, owners of wine stores, etc. These people explain in a non-overwhelming way the types and sub-types of wine, the categories, the labels, the common terms, how to taste wine (filmed in detail). It is also full of practical advice including advice from restaurant owners about how to order wine in a restaurant, how to choose it in a wine store, most common terms to describe wine to your friends, etc. There are plenty of Italians and French talking about their wines. The locations include restaurants, vyneards, and wine stores. It will be a good use of money if you want to know the fundamentals and have solid advice without being overwhelmed with information. After viewing this DVD I went to a wine tasting event to test my knowledge amidst professionals /long-term wine lovers, and felt very happy about the amount of knowledge I was able to acquire just by watching a simple DVD.

Being a fan of the Baby Gourmet DVDs, my nephew quickly took to the Food Safari series. Not only is this DVD interesting to kids it more than kept my attention with the tours and the Unwrapped style behind orange Juice and Maple Syrup. We both LOVED it! Buy This DVD!

The information and instruction given on the video is simple and straight forward for someone wanting to make simple homemade sushi. It's not a jazzed up, entertaining food show like on the Food Network, but a focused and sometimes slow paced instructional program. Having previously taken a hands-on 3 hour sushi making class at a local kitchen supply store-based cooking school, I can say the video's information seemed accurate and sufficient. Having also recently hosted a large group sushi making party for my first time, I know this video would have been helpful to have on hand to show everyone how to construct the sushi and also how to properly prepare the rice, although this video gives virtually zero information on how to organize, shop for, set up, and host a sushi making party. If you don't have any friends who already know how to make sushi and are willing to show you how, then buy this program. If you do have such friends, save your money and ask them first for their help, because this is an overpriced DVD.

I originally bought the complete kit from the SushiPartyBox website, which included the DVD. I thought it was a terrific deal for all that I received and it definitely feeds a group of six and then some. My fiancee bought another video as a gift for a friend of ours from Amazon - oddly Amazon's price is cheaper for the DVD than direct. The video is meant for sushi
beginners - it is not for advanced sushi experts by any means. In about 30 minutes we learned everything there is to know about rolling your typical sushi rolls. I recommend it if you are getting started and don't have immediate aspirations to become a sushi chef. Good fun!

I had no idea that Sushi....which my boyfriend and I enjoy so much was actually so easy to make. We watched the video and went to their site...bought the rest of the kit and threw a party (where else do you buy all the goodies?)!! We all had a great time and rolled some pretty funny looking sushi (which still tasted great)...we had a great time and are planning on getting together as couples once a month for our sushi FIX!!

The short length of this DVD is an insult, especially for the cost. I don't want to spend $15 bucks-plus for a DVD that lasts about 15 minutes. And not that much was crammed into that period. Some nice shots of the vineyards, some shots of the production, but nothing beyond that. If you don't have enough to make a decent length DVD about a subject, don't do it at all or at least combine with other related topics to stretch out the playing time. The fact that the DVD comes in several different languages is irrelavent. I bought this DVD to get some real information about ice wine, not to learn Spanish, Japanese or another language. I'd wait for this one to come to video - oh, wait, this is the video. Then I'd borrow a friend's copy.

It's not all that long, but very informative. I even sent a copy to my grandfather in Germany - he was impressed that he could watch it in his own language!

I especially like the night shots of the ice wine harvest - I never knew that's how it was done.

I am an avid icewine lover and I found the dvd to be very informative and interesting. In addition to English, I also speak Spanish and German and I was very impressed with the translations. The dvd insert has a map that shows the locations of icewine producers in the Okanagan Vally (it looks like a great place to visit for wine lovers). There are also extra sections that describe serving, storing, VQA standards, and more that I found interesting.I was left with a firm understanding and a deeper appreciation for icewine and the facts behind it's history, harvest and production.

Jamie Oliver is unquestionably creative, and he certainly knows how to cook. But this strange live performance DVD is almost groaningly uncomfortable to watch at times, and makes you wonder what Oliver was thinking when he entered the world of live theater performance.

From the bizarre introductory skit (Jamie orders pizza for the audience--ho, ho, that's a new one), to the unfunny interactions with his adoring fans, there's something strange and unpleasant about all this. One gets the feeling nobody had any idea what to do with this otherwise interesting idea--taking Jamie Oliver's immensely popular TV show and adapting it to live performance. The extraneous trappings just seem forced rather than fun. I bought this DVD to be entertained, but I had to actually stop in midstream simply because I found it hard to watch. That's too bad, because this could have been a lot of fun.

My partner and I have had the pleasure of meeting Jamie twice: Once in Dallas on Jamie's "Happy Days" tour, and the second time was a few weeks ago at Jamie's London restaurant, Fifteen. Jamie Oliver's approachable cooking style, energy and passion is an inspiration to me in the kitchen. Though at times a bit goofy, this DVD is a lot of fun, and you really get to see Jamie do what he does best -- make a big mess, prepare some interesting dishes, all while having a jolly good time!

...

Enjoy!

Foodies and non-foodies alike will enjoy this DVD. It's a two hour extravaganza of Comedy, music, special effects and a fascinating education in cookery!
Jamie interacts with the audience and gets them involved with hilarious results, he even takes to singing about a lamb curry as he's cooking it - which is sooo funny! This is a must have and i'd recommend it to anyone - well done Jamie!

The story is boring, plot-development uninteresting and slow, and the overdramatic cast, especially the younger ones that might benefit from a few years' worth of acting lessons, not worth the while. I just couldn't bring myself to care about the families and their corresponding stories. The actresses, particularly, were unconvincing even in depicting cliches. What a waste of a mediocre idea on lack of talent!

This is a fun premise -- spending the Thanksgiving holiday with four very different LA families -- that is executed very well, with capable direction and a fine cast. Children are coming home and families are setting extra places as friends and members of these families -- one Asian, one Hispanic, one Jewish and one African-American -- get together and face various real-life issues such as parent-child disagreements, meeting the SO's parents, in-laws, adultery, etc. The movie could have been riddled with cliches, but a decent script and excellent cast -- including Mercedes Ruehl, Alfre Woodard, Lanie Kazan, Dennis Haysbert and Joan Chen -- make this an entertaining film that is part drama but mostly comedy. Don't watch this while you're dieting, though, as there are many scenes of the wonderful dinners being prepared.

DVD features include subtitles in English, French or Spanish; a commentary track with writer/director Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Backham) and co-writer Paul Berges; interview segments with the director on the characters and on Thanksgiving, with Kyra Sedgwick on Julianna Margulies, with Mercedes Ruehl on the film's premise, with Dennis Haysbert on Los Angeles, with Joan Chen on food, and with Alfre Woodard on Chadha; and recipes for Vietnamese spring rolls, tamales, rustic (apple) pie, macaroni & cheese, noodle kugel and oyster-shiitake stuffing.

Definitely a worthwhile rental.

Much like her 2003 hit movie "Bend It Like Beckham", Gurinder Chadha's "What's Cooking?" is infused with people who love one another very much, and so even though some tough issues are thrown their way, we know that, because of that love, they will get through life's obstacles ok.

"What's Cooking" centers around four families living on the same block in Los Angeles. They don't know each other, however, and instead, like most modern families, are focused on their own problems and worries. Chadha makes good use of "the American melting pot" idea, as one family is Italian, one is hispanic, one is black, and one is Asian. One of the most wonderful aspects of the movie is that, even though the people are of different ethnicities, they are portrayed respectfully as human beings. We can relate to each of them. They are different, but the same. Isn't that the underlying truth of us all? People are, indeed, people.

There are some nice performances here: Alfre Woodard is great as a stressed, neglected wife. Dennis Haysbert is quiet, cool and simmering as her husband. Mercedes Ruehl shines as the mother of the hispanic family, trying to move on with her life from an ex-husband that just won't understand that it's over between them. Kyra Sedgwick and Julianna Margulies are endearing as a lesbian couple on their first trip to meet the parents. Estelle Harris (of "Seinfeld" fame) is deliciously wicked as the aunt who just keeps pushing the issue. And, of course, there's Lainie Kazan -- always a treat.

I saw this film at Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival in 2003, and it was very well-received. There are dramatic, serious moments, and then there are quite hilarious moments. The theater was filled with laughter a number of times, and deservedly so. In the end, this is a 'feel-good' film. And one which will also have you salivating throughout, as each family is busy cooking and preparing their Thanksgiving dinners.

This is the second Gurinder Chadha movie that I have seen, and from what I have tell, she seems to really believe the best of people. Yes, we fight. Yes, we quarrel. Yes, we disagree. But at the heart of humanity has to be love and understanding, if we are to get along and survive. "What's Cooking" embodies this sentiment wonderfully. It was a joy to watch.

The story is boring, plot-development uninteresting and slow, and the overdramatic cast, especially the younger ones that might benefit from a few years' worth of acting lessons, not worth the while. I just couldn't bring myself to care about the families and their corresponding stories. The actresses, particularly, were unconvincing even in depicting cliches. What a waste of a mediocre idea on lack of talent!

This is a fun premise -- spending the Thanksgiving holiday with four very different LA families -- that is executed very well, with capable direction and a fine cast. Children are coming home and families are setting extra places as friends and members of these families -- one Asian, one Hispanic, one Jewish and one African-American -- get together and face various real-life issues such as parent-child disagreements, meeting the SO's parents, in-laws, adultery, etc. The movie could have been riddled with cliches, but a decent script and excellent cast -- including Mercedes Ruehl, Alfre Woodard, Lanie Kazan, Dennis Haysbert and Joan Chen -- make this an entertaining film that is part drama but mostly comedy. Don't watch this while you're dieting, though, as there are many scenes of the wonderful dinners being prepared.

DVD features include subtitles in English, French or Spanish; a commentary track with writer/director Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Backham) and co-writer Paul Berges; interview segments with the director on the characters and on Thanksgiving, with Kyra Sedgwick on Julianna Margulies, with Mercedes Ruehl on the film's premise, with Dennis Haysbert on Los Angeles, with Joan Chen on food, and with Alfre Woodard on Chadha; and recipes for Vietnamese spring rolls, tamales, rustic (apple) pie, macaroni & cheese, noodle kugel and oyster-shiitake stuffing.

Definitely a worthwhile rental.

Much like her 2003 hit movie "Bend It Like Beckham", Gurinder Chadha's "What's Cooking?" is infused with people who love one another very much, and so even though some tough issues are thrown their way, we know that, because of that love, they will get through life's obstacles ok.

"What's Cooking" centers around four families living on the same block in Los Angeles. They don't know each other, however, and instead, like most modern families, are focused on their own problems and worries. Chadha makes good use of "the American melting pot" idea, as one family is Italian, one is hispanic, one is black, and one is Asian. One of the most wonderful aspects of the movie is that, even though the people are of different ethnicities, they are portrayed respectfully as human beings. We can relate to each of them. They are different, but the same. Isn't that the underlying truth of us all? People are, indeed, people.

There are some nice performances here: Alfre Woodard is great as a stressed, neglected wife. Dennis Haysbert is quiet, cool and simmering as her husband. Mercedes Ruehl shines as the mother of the hispanic family, trying to move on with her life from an ex-husband that just won't understand that it's over between them. Kyra Sedgwick and Julianna Margulies are endearing as a lesbian couple on their first trip to meet the parents. Estelle Harris (of "Seinfeld" fame) is deliciously wicked as the aunt who just keeps pushing the issue. And, of course, there's Lainie Kazan -- always a treat.

I saw this film at Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival in 2003, and it was very well-received. There are dramatic, serious moments, and then there are quite hilarious moments. The theater was filled with laughter a number of times, and deservedly so. In the end, this is a 'feel-good' film. And one which will also have you salivating throughout, as each family is busy cooking and preparing their Thanksgiving dinners.

This is the second Gurinder Chadha movie that I have seen, and from what I have tell, she seems to really believe the best of people. Yes, we fight. Yes, we quarrel. Yes, we disagree. But at the heart of humanity has to be love and understanding, if we are to get along and survive. "What's Cooking" embodies this sentiment wonderfully. It was a joy to watch.

I was expecting a little....Ok, a LOT more action. Although the girls were nude, that was it. It really was a cooking show! Just like the title but I thought it would show more. After the girls were done cooking, the clip ended! And the dude that was interviewing them seemed to never shut up! I recomend you barrow it from a friend rather than buy it. Definitly not worth the money but not a total loss.

I was expecting it to show a little....Ok, a LOT more. It really was a cooking show! Although the girls were naked. The clip ended when the girls were done cooking.......why? Don't get me wrong. If you read the title of the DVD, it says COOKING with porn stars for the Holidays. But I was thinking they could show a LITTLE more than what they did. And I almost had to watch it with the sound off because the dude talked way to much. It's like he was on speed or something. Not a TOTAL waste of money but I would recomend you borrow it from a friend rather than buying it.

We have watched this show for three hours now. It is full of delightful ladies, although I am very disappointed. I have a dog.
My friend thought also that it was stimulating with all the ladies. Although he was very disappointed. Another friend of mine also said that it was just disappointing. Too little flesh in lady-to-lady action. Oh, well.... ok, let's be straight, there are a lot of movies in this world, this movie is the best!! No, pardon! That was my brother writing :) He thought oh, well....he had to be straight, that movie was the best!! But he thought it was a little disappointing. Thankyou america! Plenis.