Plus Healthy Snack and Beverage Ideas for those Netflix and Chill Evenings!
Yes, I do have many sides to my personality, folks. And while my passion for food is one of them, another is my great love of documentaries! One of the upsides of the pandemic is that I happily got to see many more than I normally would have. So, if you’re in the same predicament, and you love watching Netflix, Amazon Prime or other streaming services, if you are a foodie, then there are an astonishing variety of food and drink related documentaries for you to really enjoy.
From what I have seen so far, here is my take on the best food and drink related documentaries on Netflix, in no particular order:
1. Salt Fat Acid Heat
This documentary series features California based, award winning author, cook and teacher, Samin Nosrat, as she travels the world finding out what ingredients truly make food delicious. Beautiful imagery, picturesque places, drool worthy food, all presented in a very simple, down to earth style. Really enjoyable.
2. Street Foods
A terrific series that features the best of the best street food from all over Asia and Latin America. Exotic locales, local traditions and ingredients come together with gifted chefs and loyal customers, to present the most authentic way to get to know a culture. A riot of colours, sights and sounds, and the sheer delight you feel, makes you almost believe you’re right there in every episode!
3. Somebody Feed Phil
This one is great fun! Phil Rosenthal (creator of Everybody Loves Raymond), travels the world, tries all the local food, makes friends and has adventures. He’s funny, interesting and entertaining, and his mother and wife pop up in some episodes.
4. Rotten
This series exposes the fraud and corruption in the food production industry, and how it impacts consumer health. It’s enough to make you shudder in horror and question every mass-produced food item in your pantry. Rotten reveals a common theme in all episodes – It’s the greed for profits that causes dangerous consequences for consumers. Very revealing and definitely worth watching.
5. Sour Grapes
An excellent if somewhat unusual film about a wine fraud! The story is about Rudy Kurniawan, thought to be a wine savant but who actually cheated investors out of millions of dollars in 2006 by selling fake wine at wine auctions. He collected empty bottles and refilled them with cheaper wine, forging the labels.
6. Chef’s Table
This Emmy nominated docuseries is meant for binge watching. It covers the lives, philosophies, approaches and restaurants of the world’s most celebrated chefs. Beautifully presented, each episode is a treasure trove of information, gourmet food, innovation and passion. The astounding success of Chef’s Table has spun off Chef’s Table Pastry, Chef’s Table France and Chef’s Table BBQ with many more to come, I’m sure.
7. Jiro Dreams of Sushi
This story is about 96-year-old Jiro Ono, one of the greatest living sushi craftsmen in the world. To this day, he heads Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, $300-a-head restaurant in a Tokyo subway station. Sadly, Jiro Dreams of Sushi is not yet available on Netflix in India, though I managed to watch it on one of my travels. Do keep a track – this is a must, must watch!
8. Barbecue
A real celebration of barbecuing around the world, and how this everyday ritual bind tradition, community and friendship, A documentary that is so amazingly interesting, informative and colourful, an exploration of the simple concept of shared food bringing people together. It airs in 13 languages, and that just shows you how popular it is.
9. Ugly Delicious
Globe-trotting, award winning Chef of Momofuku, David Chang, goes in search of the best food ever. The show also explores why we respond to certain types of food the way we do. It brings in celebrities, chefs, activists, food writers and artists, who break cultural barriers and share their love of food. Ugly Delicious is so delicious! You’ll get hooked after just one episode!
10. The Taco Chronicles
If you liked Street Foods, you’ll love The Taco Chronicles. It is an encyclopaedia of information on Mexico’s favourite street food, from the astounding variety, to history, unique family traditions and brilliant innovations. It is visually stunning, greatly entertaining and sure to make your tummy rumble. A truly wonderful experience, watching this documentary.
11. The Game Changers
Produced by James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger, this film has James Wilks, an elite Special Forces trainer and The Ultimate Fighter winner, setting out to discover the truth about the link between meat, protein, and strength, debunking many longstanding myths along the way. Thought provoking throughout and shocking at times, one is forced to think about the complications that come with consuming meat and dairy products. Wilks talks to athletes, special ops soldiers and trainers, and there is terrific footage of their awe-inspiring achievements. The film also challenges the credibility of government regulators, independent organizations, and policymakers.
12. Somm
This amazing documentary follows four people in their quest to become a MS, or Master Sommelier, which as you all know, is one of the most difficult degrees to obtain in the world. There’s quite a bit about wine, but it’s really about the people in this film and their passion for wine that fuels them on this truly intense and challenging journey. Do watch it!
Healthy Snacks for a TV Binge Watch
Binge watching a TV show can also unintentionally lead to overeating unhealthy snacks and beverages. When you’re focused on what’s on the screen, you’re less likely to pay attention to what and how much is going into your mouth. So, if you choose to “Netflix and chill here are some healthy snacks and beverages to enjoy without the added guilt.
Quinoa Chips
Protein Chips
Fox Nuts
Baked Chips
Kale Chips
Microwave Popcorn
Trail Mix
Millet Snack
Dark Chocolate Covered Berries
Cold Pressed Juice
Fruit Flavoured Tea
Cold Brew
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A homeschooled chef even before she joined Catering College in Bombay, Christine’s gastronomic journey started with mother and grandmother. Polished with a degree and 10 years of experience in the Hospitality industry, Christine’s love of food, drink and everything gastronomic has been sharpened and honed with travel across the world. Today, she shares the wealth of her foodie experience and adventures across the world with Travel and Food Network, so look forward to much more from Chrsitine!
