REVIEW: ‘Selena + Chef,’ Episodes 14-16

With three amazing chefs with amazing recipes in Selena+Chef episodes 14-16, this engaging cooking show steps up its game this week. Featuring chefs Marcus Samuelsson, Kelis Rogers, and Jordan Andino, Selena (and her friends acting as her sous-chefs) make a great variety of more innovative dishes than we’ve seen in previous episodes. Introducing more cooking techniques in the process, this is a fantastic batch of episodes.

Each chef has a unique perspective and experience that enriches the show. Marcus brings the flavors of Harlem to the kitchen. Kelis shows how to make the best use of all your kitchen items (especially the pressure cooker) and Jordan shows the richness of Filipino food, a cuisine which he notes isn’t often featured so prominently as on the show. In this batch of episodes, Selena and the audience get a wider set of cooking lessons and see the use of more complex techniques such as braising. The results are delectable.

It’s all so much more challenging than it has been in previous weeks. And honestly, watching Selena and her friends struggle with mastering these new techniques is entertaining. They have far more of a challenge as Selena continues to “level up” in her cooking, and it feels relatable for any of us who might want to learn these techniques as well. From making the traditional Filipino dish chicken adobo with jasmine rice, to jackfruit and plantain turon, to oxtail yuca poutine, and honey mustard glazed salmon with radicchio bulgur salad and miso broth, and much more, you will very much be enticed to make these recipes yourself.

Once again, the show has reached the stride that gets it to work best. It has a good balance of challenges, interesting and new recipes, humor, and meaningful discussion about how the pandemic is affecting us personally and systemically with food insecurity. All of the chefs this week (as many have before) discuss what they are doing personally to help US populations become more food secure. Every time the show has a balance of these elements, of entertainment, challenging recipes, and serious discussion, that’s when it works best. As always, Selena and the show support charities of the chefs’ choices, including CCAP, Summa Everything, and World Central Kitchen.

And like I mentioned, there’s plenty of hilarity in this batch of episodes. And instead of playing these moments for purely forced awkwardness, as the show has done before, these feel very organically earned in the moment of cooking. From accidentally burning butter to not being able to open or close a pressure cooker correctly, to not knowing which knife to use, the humor is great in this batch of episodes and truly feels relatable for anyone who can get lost in even their own kitchen.

Selena+Chef episodes 14-16 set the bar for the entire show. With a wide variety of recipes, discussions, humor, and some funny hijinks in the kitchen, they are a great showcase that will encourage you to make more challenging recipes in your own home. Overall, it’s a great time watching the food getting made.

You can watch all episodes of Selena+Chef on HBO Max.