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The Movie:
In my quest to often review titles that aren't well known(and that aren't always movies), I thought "Great Chefs, Great Cities Cookbook" sounded like an interesting documentary. Although I'm a halfway decent cook, the idea of looking at all sorts of food with the picture quality of DVD certainly was an appealing thought.
Aside from the corny opening with unintentionally hilarious theme music, the separate featurettes that are included here proved to be really interesting to watch, and I would think aspiring or professional chefs might find it even more enjoyable. The main menu is set up into three sections; Appetizers, Entrees and Deserts. Each chef is listed, as well as what dish they are going to make. The viewer can choose to watch the featurette, or read the entire recipe for the dish and a picture of the final product is also included.
There is a wealth of different styles and flavors explored in each of the three sections. In the appetizer section, we watch as dishes like Grilled Chinese Eggplant, Corn Flan with Smoked Salmon, Onion Tart, Italian Flat Bread and others are prepared. Among the dishes presented in the Entrees section are - Pork Confit with Apple, Date and Onion Marmalade, Scallop and Leek Flat, Shrimp Enchiladas and more. And finally, in the deserts section, there are featurettes showing how to make Earl Grey Sorbet with fresh berries, Caramel Cream with Berries and White Chocolate-Rasberry brittle.
Each of the featurettes is several minutes in length, and adequately shows each step of the way in preparing the stunning dishes.
The DVD
VIDEO/AUDIO: The video quality is generally fine, although sometimes there are some minor problems. Originally broadcast on PBS and the Discovery Channel, this probably betters that presentation. The full-frame image, at best, looks excellent, so good that the food looks beautiful and clear enough to reach out and take a bite out of. There are a few shots that look slightly softer, and some that display slight pixelation. This is not a major distraction, and the moments that matter most as the food is shown being prepared look great.
Sound really isn't a consideration on a documentary like this. All that matters is that the chefs instructions as well as the narration is both clear, and that happens here.
MENUS:: A light score plays behind the basic, but easily navigated menus. The menus allow the viewer to choose between the recipe section and the featurette, and list clearly who is the chef and what they will be making.
EXTRAS: The recipies and photos, as well as DVD-Rom features. I was not able to try the DVD-Rom features, but they include the ability to print recipe lists, weblinks and other information about the food offered.
Final Thoughts: If you're at all interested in the preparation of some fancy meals, or especially if you're a chef, the $13.99 price tag for "Great Chefs, Great Cities" at most online stores($19.99 retail) is a definite bargain. Recommended.
Program Grade:A-
Audio Quality Grade:B-
Image Quality Grade:B
Extras Grade:B
Value Grade:B+
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