The Cook and the Chef-Series Two: Spring Delights (2007)

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General		Extras
Category	Documentary	Menu Audio DVD-ROM Extras-Recipes (pdf format) Deleted Scenes-3 extra scenes
Rating
Year Of Production	2007
Running Time	260:50 (Case: 270)
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered Dual Disc Set	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	1,2,3,4,5,6	Directed By	None Given
Studio Distributor	Roadshow Home Entertainment	Starring	Maggie Beer Simon Bryant
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Dual
RPI	$29.95	Music	None Given

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English Dolby Digital 2.0 (256Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	1.78:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	1.78:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

    This cooking show has been a quiet success on the ABC for the past three years and has now reached more than one hundred episodes. So far, five DVD sets have been released from the series but this is the first set featuring episodes from the second season. This set contains ten episodes from 2007 all with a focus on Springtime ingredients and cooking.

    The concept is a little bit different to other cooking shows as rather than being focused on one celebrity chef with a large ego it features (as the title suggests) a cook and a chef. The distinction drawn is that the 'cook', Maggie Beer is a well-known foodie from the Barossa Valley rather than being a professional chef. The 'chef' is Simon Bryant who is the executive chef from a five star hotel in Adelaide. When you first start watching this series they seem like a very strange pairing with the young and funky Bryant, seeming to be out of place in the traditional family kitchen at Maggie Beer's house. However, as the series progresses it is the juxtaposition of styles and backgrounds which really makes the series work, as they introduce different ingredients, techniques and ideas to each other. The more recent episodes being aired now on ABC indicate they have developed an excellent working relationship.

    Each episode tends to feature the two of them taking the same ingredients and cooking them in completely different ways, focusing on local seasonal produce from Australia. Local producers are also featured heavily. Most of the recipes are straightforward and the recipes are included in pdf files on Disc 2. Strangely the first disc includes 7 episodes and the second only 3.Each episode runs for approximately 26 minutes.

    The episodes included are

1. Quails & Momos
2. Truffles
3. Cattle Drive
4. Sunday Night
5. Spatchcocks & Terrines
6. Sugar
7. The Alice
8. Prawns
9. Favourite Dishes
10. Party Time

    This is a good quality low-key cooking series produced locally for the ABC without the need for a celebrity chef. Recommended.

Video

    The video quality is very good.

    The feature is presented in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio 16x9 enhanced which is the original aspect ratio.

    The picture was quite sharp and clear. There was no evidence of low level noise.

    The colour was wonderful, rich and solid throughout.

    The were no noticeable artefacts.

    There are subtitles in English for the hearing impaired. The English subtitles were clear and easy to read.
    

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

    The audio quality is very good.

    This DVD contains an English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo soundtrack encoded at 256 Kb/s.

    Dialogue was clear and easy to understand and there was no problem with audio sync.

    The music by Steve Matters is fine but a little over the top.

    The surround speakers and subwoofer were not used.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

    .

Menu

    The menu was simple but functional.

Recipes

    The second disc of this set includes 10 pdf files featuring full colour versions of the recipes from each show including photos and full instructions. They could easily be printed out and added to your recipe collection.

Deleted & Extended Scenes

    Three extra sequences obviously recorded for the show and then not used are included.

• Simon & Mushroom Varieties (4:36)
• The Facts about Sugar Cane (3:57)
• Beetroot, Blood Orange & Pumpkin Salad (2:53)

     This disc is not available in other regions. The disc is coded for all regions.

    The video quality is very good.

    The audio quality is very good.

    All the recipes are included in pdf files along with some extra scenes.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall