David Gelb shares the unifying thread between all the chef stories he tells, interview

From watching Jiro Dreams of Sushi to the newly released Wolfgang Documentary on Disney+, director David Gelb is not just an expert at creating food visuals that captivate the audience’s eyes. At the heart of each story is the chef, the person who transforms humble ingredients into a masterpiece, who sees inspiration when others see a void, and who is willing to peel back the layers and reveal the nuance that creates a chef into visionary.

Although those words may seem as lofty as the stunning images from a Chef’s Table, the reality is that Gelb and his food-centric programs are not about just another cooking demo, recipe instruction or snippet of a travel excursion. Even though each perfectly captured morsel of food makes viewers crave that bite, the reality is that food is only one part of the bigger picture.

At the heart of every Gelb production is the chef. From infamous chef to unknown master, the chef is the person whose story he tells. While that food might be the initial draw, it is the chef’s story that brings them back to the table, again and again.

David Gelb makes an interesting analogy about each chef’s story.

During a recent interview with FoodSided about the Wolfgang Documentary on Disney+, Gelb shared some insight on his storytelling. While Wolfgang Puck allowed Gelb and his production team into that culinary world, the original celebrity chef has a commonality with other chefs that Gelb has profiled.

For Gelb, he believes that the unifying thread among all the chefs is that he “treats them like superheroes who have a special power.” While those chefs might not be flying through the air, those chefs’ special powers are “making something that inspires people.”

In some ways, Gelb “tells that origin story.” Answering questions like “Where did they start out? Where did they first discover their talents and how did they learn to focus it? What were the mistakes that they made that then set them on the right path?” By bringing together all of those answers, the chef and the food becomes one. Just like a composed dish is the sum of its ingredients, a chef’s story is the sum of his background.

Gelb believes that all the chefs that have been highlighted in his productions are connected through their “passion.” Gelb said, “they care deeply, deeply about what they do.” Even as they “take on one of the most difficult, thankless jobs in the world which is trying to be a cook” they strive for more, they look to do better, they long to achieve.

Add on top of that, many of these chefs assume the role of restaurateur, which Gelb said is “one of the riskiest things that you can do. He believes that all of these chefs “truly love what they are doing.”

For Gelb, these stories “inspire everybody.” The stories of “someone who is passionate about what they do” are universal.

Whether people watch a David Gelb film for the chef, the food or maybe to be inspired to see beyond the plate, the reality is that passion drives people to do more, want better and have a life well lived. It might not always be picture perfect, but it will be satisfying.

David Gelb is the director of the new Wolfgang Documentary on Disney+. Also, he is the producer and director of Jiro Dreams of Sushi, Chef’s Table and Street Food.