Kitchen Confidential (2005–2006) User Reviews (22)

Can't believe there was only one season

[gussy1125 · 9/10 · 17 January 2008]

I rented it from Netflix because of John Francis Daly (I loved Freaks & Greeks) and I was amazingly surprised by how much I liked the show and spent the first several episodes laughing and wondering how I missed it when it was on T.V. Every episode on the first disc of the DVD set just got funnier and funnier.

Bradley Cooper's character is so different from the character he played on Alias, it was refreshing.

John Francis Daly is all grown up from his Freaks & Geeks days but is still able to nail the comic timing with the delivery of his lines.

Although, Nicholas Brendan has gained some weight since his Xander days on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, he is even funnier as the peacemaking pastry chef of the chic New York Nolita restaurant.

The whole show is apparently based on a book...that I will now have to read.

Not 100 percent

[kitchenappliances · 8/10 · 14 August 2008]

I saw this a few times, and never really worked out why they stopped production. It was witty to a degree for all people, and was the easy watching that makes many another programme successful.

Personally I loved it! The cast were almost perfect for the roles, and Bradley Cooper was great. I hadn't seen much of him before this show and haven't seen an awful lot of him since, but he seemed very natural in this position.

Why did Fox pull the show? I'd like to know if anyone has any idea. I have sent them a letter asking if there is any chance of it appearing again and never got a reply.

What a great show!

[sandkids3 · 6 October 2005]

I recently saw the pilot of this show with the expectations of another lame show that Fox put out to fill a time slot. However, within the first few minutes of the show I became hooked. This ensemble cast is amazing and I love all the characters and stories that this show has to offer. I've never seen a show with a better set of actors who have such an interesting interaction with one another. The teamwork on this show is incredible and these characters together just give off such a wonderful vibe. This show is definitely original and has a pleasantly fresh ora about it. Unfortunately this show is underrated with low ratings. Trust me people, give this show a chance! It has such potential!

Brilliant & Hilarious

[laurakyla · 10/10 · 7 July 2006]

Kitchen confidential is so funny.

A nice engaging break from drama's, not only does it have the gorgeous Bradley Cooper in it as head chef. (check out alias season 1,2 and parts of 4&5) Also has Buffy favourite Nick Brendon as pastry chef completely inept with women.

It is a hilarious look at the restaurant business is new york. The episodes are engaging to watch as individual's or as a complete series. Needs to come out on DVD.

Bradley Cooper also gets his shirt off more times than i thought possible (not that i'm complaining, Its amazing that he has time to cook which strangely enough you don't see him do that often.

The series focuses more on the relationship between the chefs and their day to day lives.

Fox killed KC

[mgurgun · 10/10 · 29 December 2006]

That show was the next Seinfeld. So clever and so fun. 3.5 million people watched its last episode even tho it wasn't regularly broad-casted. Fox is probably the most stupid network on earth for canceling such a bright show. I have friends in Europe, Turkey and UK who are big fans of KC although it was never aired there. There are 3 or 4 episodes which are never aired in the US as well.

Kitchen Confidential, cancelled after 13 episodes. Now thats TV Tragedy! This great show needs to find an audience and make a come back.

The characters were great, especially Nicholas Brendan (aka Xander Harris from Buffy) and John Cho (aka MILF dude from American Pie or Harold from Harold and Kumar) who have an amazing on screen chemistry and really made me and my friends laugh a lot.

Best show they ever canceled

[noway234-1 · 10/10 · 8 December 2007]

Is Fox run by monkeys with no sense of humor? Because that would explain why they canceled such a brilliantly funny series. I never got to see this on TV, instead I shelled out $60 for the DVD, money well spent as it turns out. The series follows the adventures of Jack Bourdain as he tries to make a name for himself again at Nolita. The series is filled with great episodes including "Rabbit Test" where instead of getting pre-killed rabbits Nolita receives a load of live ones, and someone has to kill 'em, "The Robbery" Showing Nolita trying to recover after a armed robbery decimates their business and "Let's Do Brunch" where the staff are forced to do brunch, a meal that's frequented by infants and old people. The whole cast is fantastically funny, but my personal favorite is Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris from Buffy) as Seth the baker, but the entire cast deliver stand out performances that should still be going to this day. When you get a chance, write an angry letter to fox and tell them to give this show another go.

Best Comedy EVER

[copperncherrio · 10/10 · 13 March 2011]

A group of dysfunctional chefs working at a high scale restaurant.

Only 14 episodes, and FOX canceled this show in lieu of baseball season. This is the best comedy of all time (Modern Family is still in contention). It's number one because I rarely see it on any number one list, and it deserves the attention. It's well written, well produced, and has great actors. If you love Scrubs type of humor, you will love this show.

It has a great cast and cast relationship. It has something for everyone of EVERY type of humor. AHH!! FOX I'm so POed at you.

I love this show. It has something for everyone and it's just such a complete humor. It's based on Anthony Bourdain's book Kitchen Confidential.

big stars never worked

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 1 September 2013]

Jack Bourdain (Bradley Cooper) is given a second chance after a spiraling lifestyle. Nolita's owner Pino (Frank Langella) gives him 48 hours to open with his friends' help. Seth Richman (Nicholas Brendon), Jim (John Francis Daley), Teddy Wong (John Cho), and Steven Daedalus (Owain Yeoman) are the chefs. Tanya (Jaime King) is the clueless hostess. Pino's daughter Mimi (Bonnie Somerville) is the head waitress.

This show is supposed to be an insightful look into the world of restaurant eateries. It's based on Anthony Bourdain's book. Sure there're things going into the food that shouldn't be and there is a chopped finger. But the show never gels together. It only filmed 13 episodes. It's a big cast. Maybe it's just too many characters to throw at the audience.

Brilliant comedy!

[geia_25 · 10/10 · 2 September 2007]

"Kitchen Confidential" has to be one of the funniest series I have seen in a long time. Very well-acted and each character is fantastic. The chemistry between all the characters is magic...

Another plus was that it didn't have that ridiculously annoying laugh-track, which I hate (asif we are too stupid to know when we should laugh!!) I cannot believe that this was pulled of after airing 4 episodes - I would've thought that it could easily have material for that many seasons! Having taken the complete series from the DVD store (which was highly recommended btw), I started watching and then saw all the episodes straight through! Really good.

as always, the book is better

[offcenter · 2/10 · 18 June 2007]

I like the actor they chose to play Bourdain, really I do, but Anthony Bourdain he is not. And that is what is wrong with this series. I read the book and was really excited to rent the series, but I should have known better. Someone in TV land decided that Anthony Bourdain is too abrasive, in your face and rude, so the show "softens" Tony and loses all the spirit. Yes, the real Anthony Bourdain is in your face and abrasive and is very much about How Things Really Are. That is the spirit in which Kitchen Confidential (the book) was written. So honest, in fact, that when she gets OLDER, I am going to make my 12-year-old aspiring Chef read it before she decides in fact to spend oodles of money on Culinary school. It is that very in your face honestt that is missing. Tony is nothing more than an alcoholic, excuse me, reformed-alcoholic boy scout. Yawn. Meanwhile the _real_ Anthony Bourdain has a hit show on the Travel Network doing what he does best, telling it like it is.

Way better than expected. Good TV.

[cynmack · 25 June 2005]

I was horrified when I heard of plans to turn Tony Bourdain's excellent book into a TV series. But I just saw a preview and this is pretty good. Not as cool as Tony just being Tony; but a well done show. Not stupid and sitcomy with a laugh track. It's a bit cleaned up from the book, but I do think it keeps the same feel. Not quite as gritty, but good. I laughed out loud more than once. Great supporting cast. How can you go wrong with Xander from Buffy, Harold from Harold and Kumar, Frank Langella and Jamie King? Excellent pairing with Arrested Development, but I'm afraid this show is just a bit too smart for Network TV. Might be more at home on FX. But I loved it.

Bad, Worse, and Offensive

[caramia2002 · 1/10 · 31 December 2021]

I can't believe that this was taken from the book of the same name, by Anthony Bourdain. He would never say lines like this. I guess it was originally an attempt to make a film of it starring Brad Pitt (no wonder he declined, although, of course, could have been a scheduling conflict). It should have stayed dead.

Watching in 2021 and the jokes are very low brow, racial jokes (or any jokes) and stereotypes not funny in the least, bimbos and dumb blondes. And did I say really bad jokes (think a worse Beverly Hillbillies, the series). Bradley Cooper is amazingly not very good, kind of manic and none of the charisma and attitude of Boudain. It's, in other words, a typical Fox TV comedy. Kind of cross between Family Guy and Sex in the City (films, esp latest horror) but falls flat on both counts. And the music is really irritating. I swear the opening notes were copied from Sex in the City. It's all like that, but not near as effective as SITC.

Too bad it got canceled

[grumpel7 · 17 November 2005]

I watched Kitchen Confidential and How I Met Your Mother side by side (taping one, watching the other), and I do not understand how How I Met Your Mother can be considered the better of the two unless some serious finagling is happening in the background. Really too bad, since it's actually a funny sitcom and happening in a kitchen - something that rarely happens and something I did not expect at all. I almost forgot that this was based on the real Anthony Bourdain - the main actor is very sexy and very cute. The storyline about the famous chef who wants to eat himself to death (played by John Laroquette) was the best one so far. Too bad major networks don't have the time anymore to give a rookie sitcom some time to develop an audience.

Reason for cancellation, not confidential

[cblakeJoey · 5/10 · 20 June 2009]

The only thing that felt right about this was it's cancellation.

I was curious about this show so I decided to check out a few episodes and ended up watching them all. While I will openly admit that the show was funny and witty, the show was a little much and ultimately doomed to fail.

Bradley Cooper is pure eye candy. I could stare at him all day. But his character's womanizing got old real quick. The episodes quickly became repetitious and I couldn't possibly imagine where they would take the characters down the road. The humor really reminded me of Scrubs (which I do like).

In fact, I think the lacking aspect that killed this show's dynamic (which separate's it from Scrubs) was the lack of diversity. Everyone except John Cho was white,and he was a recurring character. It made watching it a bit bland and disorienting.

It felt so strange seeing the makeup of the cast. All the characters seemed similar and cliché. It was also a strange mix of actors. I've never minded Jaime King before but I couldn't stand her as the "dumber than a brick wall" hostess. The feminist daughter of the owner who can't keep her bra burning long enough to avoid giving into Jack. The womanizing British guy that made the funny faces. And the (now) pudgy guy from Buffy the vampire slayer who plays the weird dessert chef.

I felt like this show wasn't meant to be and was an atrocity to exist in first place. I don't think I would have continued watching it, even if it did stay on.

Quality television

[nhlgumby · 27 September 2005]

A statement previously thought to be an oxymoron, Kitchen Confidential raises the bell curve for quality television. With no inkling of what the show is about, I watched the series premiere beginning to end, commercials and all, and was delighted with it through the credits. The show is handled with a directorial craftsmanship superb for television. Actors are kept within their boundaries, dialogue is quick but not rushed, and characters are at least likable. The exposition was presented neatly in the first block and gave sufficient personality to each character. A flair for stylish editing and freeze frames is arranged perfectly, and other technical qualities such as lighting, sets, and extras heighten the enjoyability of this show. As a whole, I am excited about watching upcoming episodes and seeing how the show progresses. Kitchen Confidential is a well balanced show that will be a serious contender for the Primetime viewing audience.

A disappointment

[paint9698 · 4/10 · 5 April 2011]

I was expecting a lot from this show-bought the all episode DVD and found a very tame show that seemed to be very at odds with Jack Bourdain's sardonic, eccentric way over the top exploits. The best that can be said is that it's mildly amusing but never really taps into Bourdain's seemingly raucous energy-professional and otherwise.

A big part of the problem is the casting. Bradley Cooper is a fine actor and good in the central role. But his go to men-Owain Yeoman, Nicholas Brendan and John Cho, are not up to scratch-trying too hard and just not that funny. Only Jim Francis Daley, Bonnie Somerville and Sam Pancake (as a gay waiter) provide any spark-unfortunately they are not used nearly enough. Idea was good, not the execution.

The best comedy I have watched in years!

[MissMax · 23 December 2005]

This is the funniest show I have seen in years. Each character and situation funnier than the next. The cast is fantastic, the writing is superb so I guess that is why it was canceled? It is rare that an ensemble cast works so well with one another like they do here. I watched How I Met Your Mother which is in the opposing time slot, and I have to say it was just not funny at all! I had to change the channel after the first 5 minutes because I was just bored. On the contrary I can't stop laughing out loud throughout KC. My great hope is that FOX will just juggle their time schedule a little better and fit this outrageously funny and clever show back in somehow.

Kitchen Confidential is great!

[lusciousxander · 29 September 2005]

I've watched the two episodes of Kitchen Confidential, and I gotta admit that am so not disappointed!

The show is wonderful! KC has a ton of potential, the cast are charming, the lead is so cute and interesting. Bradley Cooper did a nice job in the 1st and 2nd episodes and I think this is the first time I enjoy the lead character. Plus new storyline, sharp wit, and no freaking laugh track!

I'm in for Nick Brendon (Xander), and I have to say that Seth is nothing like Xander I guess, he's way more secure and flirts better with women. Jack is an interesting character and I'm so enjoying Steve's character.

Can't wait for the 3rd episode!!

Much better than expected

[mrfrane · 27 September 2005]

Comedy that isn't sitcom is a plus, in my book. In other words, a comedy that doesn't rely on gags, or on one-liners, or on snappy repartee. I started watching with very low expectations because I love Anthony Bourdain and couldn't imagine the show would capture anything of him. I'm still not sure it does, but it's entertaining on its own.

(I also tuned in because it's one of the three shows appearing with Buffy veterans; this one is by far the best of the three. Allison Hannigan's is a stinker and "Bones" isn't likely to last. It's also one of several shows with veterans from "Freaks & Geeks".) I'm intrigued by the characters and by the background of NYC restaurants. It's not yet "great TV" but there's enough going on to give it a chance to develop. Of course, there's also an inordinate amount of cleavage; I have to wonder how many NY restaurants can sport so much exposed bosom at one time.

Channel 7 Australia

[rtraub · 25 April 2006]

It seems that channel 7 in Australia is showing the rest of the episodes that were not aired after Fox cancelled the show in the USA.

I guess they have a better sense of humor than Fox.

I hope that when they are all aired they put them on DVD for those of us who loved the show. I have seen some of the episodes that were not aired and they were hilarious. There is so much reality cr*p on TV it really upsets me when a network doesn't give a truly smart comedy to gain an audience before pulling it off the air. I understand that Seinfeld almost met the same fate but thank G*d it was allowed to continue to become one of the best comedies ever!!

'Kitchen Confidential' the best show ever!!!

[matthewm-10 · 23 March 2006]

A couple of months back i left work to pursue a different career. I wasn't working for a couple of weeks because i didn't know what to do. I then adapted to my new life on the couch and the TV was my new best friend, because i had no job. I then came across a very interesting show (Kitchen Confidential) i thought it was just another cooking show. (I'm sooooooo over them) But this show was different, Kitchen Confidential inspired me to get back into cooking and now i'm working in one of Melbourne's finest restaurant. I have specifically asked for Fridays off so i am able to enjoy the life story of Jack Bourdain and his team at Nolita. I just want to thank the show, because if it wasn't for it i still would of been glued on the couch lying in front of the TV, instead i'm back out there enjoying the life of a chef. maybe one day i might even be a good as Jack, not only in cooking but with the ladies!!

Total ripoff

[jadesmom · 3 October 2005]

I watched this show tonight, and I am appalled. It is a COMPLETE ripoff of Canada's 'Godiva's'. Are Americans incapable of coming up with their own ideas? They did the same thing with CSI...ripoff of Canada's 'DaVinci's Inquest'...and they've done it with several British shows as well. Such a 'Hollywood' thing to do...come swooping in with their billions of dollars, and leave the little guys wiping the dust out of their eyes...and they don't even do it better! I much prefer Godiva's! If anyone has a chance to catch an episode of 'Godiva's',(the next time you're in Canada!) I encourage you to do so...you won't be disappointed. The creator/writer/producer is Michael MacLennan, who did 'Queer as Folk' as well...brilliant man!