a fascinating new show

Have you guys seen the Netflix docu-series Chef's Table? It was created by David Gelb, and each episode tells the story of a distinguished chef and his or her restaurants. It has interviews from the chef, their cooks, critics, family and friends, and it shows the intricacies of their restaurants.

I typically don't care much for cooking and food shows, but Adam started watching this one and when I saw it I was instantly hooked. The production is so good, and it's amazing to see how intensely passionate and creative each chef is. Their food isn't just food, it's art. They think about every element — taste, texture, smell, presentation — and put them together in ways you could never imagine.

We started watching the second season last night and the first episode featured Grant Achatz of the restaurant Alinea in Chicago. His story is incredible; Achatz overcame stage four cancer and the loss of his ability to taste(!) and created a restaurant that is all about the experience, using foods to create illusions that trick the guests and make the meal feel like an actual show. Every single episode is captivating, and the shots are so beautifully done. The show was just renewed a couple months ago for two more seasons, and I can't wait to watch all of them.

What are you watching right now? Have you watched Chef's Table yet? Will you? If you have, which episode/chef is your favorite? I'd love to know!

P.S. another great show on Netflix and six movies to see now

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New Netflix binge

Have you heard of the new(ish) Netflix show Grace and Frankie? I'm assuming a lot of you have because it came out in May, but have you watched it yet? I knew I wanted to see it because I love Jane Fonda (plus it's written by the co-creator of Friends!). I finally watched the pilot episode this week, and it's already got me hooked.

For those who don't know the story, it's about two slightly-older-than-middle-aged women who find out their husbands, who have been business partners for years, are leaving them so they can marry each other. Grace and Frankie have known each other for a long time, but they've never exactly gotten along. Grace (Fonda) is the put-together semi-celebrity who wants everything to be perfect, while Frankie (Lily Tomlin) is a free-spirited woman who's more than a bit eccentric. Of course, though they hate each other, they end up getting high on the beach and sharing their pain together.

All these bombs are dropped in the first episode, and it's a touching look at the emotional shock both women face after they find out their husbands have been seeing each other for 20 years. There were some tear-worthy moments, but it was also very funny. I can't wait to watch the rest of this season to see what else they've got in store.

Have you watched it yet? What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts...

P.S. How to Get Away with Murder and 10 shows Netflix should add

Photo via Indie Wire

10 shows Netflix needs to add to its streaming services

Friends
Does this really need any explanation? It's arguably the best long-running TV show ever made. My sister and I have proven that there is an episode relevant to just about every life situation. Even throughout 10 seasons, the writing stayed strong and the jokes kept on rolling, which is proving harder and harder to do in modern TV. And the finale still gets me after all these years.

Full House
I grew up watching this show more than any other, and I still stand by my belief that it taught me everything I needed to know about life. For instance, how to get your whole family on-stage with the Beach Boys. But seriously, Full House is the original Modern Family.

Modern Family
And speaking of which... I've never laughed so hard as I have at so many episodes of this show. All the characters are great, which is hard to find in a lot of shows. The writing for Modern Family is so good; they can take the most mundane, normal situations and turn them into brilliant plots. As Phil Dunphy would say, "When life gives you lemonade, make lemons."

Family Matters
One of the best things to come out of the '80s is probably Steve Urkel from Family Matters. Much like Full House, it's one of the great shows about family values. It goes about half and half on serious issues (racial profiling, gang violence) and comedic relief (how many times can Steve crash into various rooms of their house???). But I still wonder whatever happened to the little Winslow sister...

I Love Lucy
Oh, Lucy. She always had so much 'splainin' to do. I am a long way from seeing all the episodes in the series, so if Netflix were to actually add it I would be binge-watching for days. So many good episodes, but the one in the chocolate factory always comes to mind.

Lizzie McGuire
Hilary Duff was every 9- to 12-year-old's favorite actress in the early 2000s, right? If you were born in the '90s, don't pretend you didn't schedule your evening around new episodes of Lizzie McGuire, own every one of Duff's CDs and beg your parents to buy you The Lizzie McGuire Movie.

Three's Company
This show was big in my mom's generation, and I don't remember how I even came to watch it because I was so young, but I instantly loved it. It's one of the goofiest sitcoms I've ever seen, and I always watched when TV Land used to air reruns at night. Now I'm counting on Netflix to bring it back and remind the world of John Ritters' talent.

Green Acres
I'm really going old school with this one. I'm willing to bet most of my generation has never heard of "Green Acres," which is a cryin' shame in my opinion. The whole show is just one shenanigan after another. Since it aired in the late '60s, it's all cute, wholesome fun, and I miss that in TV today.

Pawn Stars
Not only is this one good for a laugh (mostly at the expense of Chumlee), it's really interesting and filled with history. There's always something to learn, and I'm always down for a contest to see who can guess what the guys will offer and who will cave first. I could (and have) watch this for hours.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
It's "Fresh Prince." Need I say more? Will's crazy patterned pants, Hilary's multitude of hats, Carlton's dancing... I would love to watch the whole series from beginning to end. It's six seasons, so that should only take about... four days?

What shows do you think Netflix should get? What are you watching now? I'd love to hear :)

(Photos via HelloGiggles, Radar Online, Gold Derby, Huffington Post, Evergreen, Disney Channel Wiki, Three's Company, The Red List, Deadline and The Independent)