A Tale of Two Kitchens (2019) User Reviews

Very good, short documentary.

[tprspan · 7/10 · 25 May 2019]

I just saw this on Netflix. I thought it was very good. It just glossed over both restaurants (with the same owners), one located in San Francisco, and one in Mexico City. As I say it glossed over the restaurants, as this doc was more about the people that work at both places. It was never confusing though, as at all times during the film you know who works where. The film touches on the hot topic of immigration also, and how restaurants across the United States are filled with Mexican and Central American immigrant workers, and it was not mentioned much, but many times those are the only people that restaurants can get to work at their places. In fact, I remember Anthony Bourdain said on one of his travel shows that he once owned or managed a very successful restaurant in New York City, and in all the time he was there, he never had one American kid come in to apply to do basic kitchen work. Stunning. And is this a feel good film? Sure, I guess, but sometimes we need more of those types of films during these times of division and hatred propagated by certain segments of our country. Check it out, on Netflix.

Excellent, I just wanted it to be longer.

[alehfc · 10/10 · 26 May 2019]

My favorite restaurant on screen. Love to see the ownership of employees, I live in same neighborhood and watching it is like being there, opening every day with big enthusiasm and the service is perfect. Mao and the team are the best!!! Is very human what Gabriela Camara does for society in Mexico City and San Francisco.

Generic underdog success story

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 8 July 2019]

"A Tale of Two Kitchens" is an American documentary that is part English, part Spanish from 2019. The director of this Netflix movie is Trisha Ziff and she is a fairly experienced documentary short filmmaker and this one could perhaps turn into her biggest hit if the Oscars take up on it as they have done with other Netflix stuff in this category. We will see. Anyway, like the title says, it is the story of two kitchens. There is not too much I can say about them in particular. The first I found really uninteresting, the second has mostly the reference at its core that it also employy people who spent time in prison or were sentenced by courts previously. Which actually should not be a factor anywhere when looking for a job, but yes it really is, so good for them they do it and also good for the talented people who found work this way because they deserve it and their past did not matter anymore. Still, they turned it too much into a sob story at times for my liking. So overall, this one here is a movie that I was not too impressed watching. It also did not end up triggering my appetite as much as I hope it could, so not really a single perspective from which I was amazed watching this one. Here and there it is okay in terms of how informative it is, but the subject also only gives room for so much there. In the end, it is just about cooking. So basically, this slightly under half an hour deserves not to be seen in my opinion unless you know people working there or maybe ate yourself at one of the two places featured in here. If not, skip the watch and I also don't think it is particularly awards-worthy. It's so generic and never really takes any risks. Watch something else instead.

The best restaurant documentary I have seen

[chefeduardo · 10/10 · 27 May 2019]

I was excited to watch this having eaten at both Contramar and Cala. I was expecting a Chef's Table style doc, talking about the food, ingredients, philosophy, etc. What I ended up seeing was one of the most selfless documentaries about a restaurant and its kitchen I have ever seen. I expected a doc with a lot of Chef Cámara, but in actuality it is about her employees and their stories. It is so beautiful and refreshing to see.

I have worked in restaurants for the past 18 years and spent a lot of time in Mexico City. I have rarely seen, outside of a Michelin started restaurant, the pride and passion the Mexican people have in their service.

This is a must watch.

And to the idiot below that called it "drivel", you're a *bleeping* moron.

More than great food...

[silvasiembra · 10/10 · 31 May 2019]

I really liked this documentary! It was presented in a way that touched me. To see these restaurants, in different parts of the world, operate with the same recipe of unity... brought joy to me. I felt the compassion the employees expressed about their fellow employees (their extended family) and their customers. I saw the owner's love for fresh seafood resulting from childhood memories. I understood too well the feeling of being in between two cultures. I look forward to eating at Cala the next time I'm in San Francisco. It will be a very special experience after watching this touching documentary. A definite must see. Buen provecho!