Randy Chandler
In the 2014 film *Chef*, Jon Favreau plays a chef who rediscovers his love for cooking while driving a food truck across the country. One of the film's most memorable scenes involves Favreau's character making a grilled cheese sandwich for his son. The scene sparked a revelation for many viewers, prompting them to recreate the sandwich in their own kitchens. The grilled cheese sandwich in *Chef* uses a blend of four cheeses: white cheddar, yellow cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan. The cheeses are thinly sliced, brought to room temperature, and combined with sourdough bread, butter, and olive oil to create the perfect grilled cheese.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of cheeses | 4 |
| Types of cheese | White cheddar, yellow cheddar, Gruyère, Parmesan |
| Bread | Sourdough |
| Bread texture | Thinly sliced |
| Bread temperature | Room temperature |
| Sides of bread to butter | One |
| Grill temperature | Medium-high heat |
| Grilling technique | Flip several times |
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What You'll Learn
White cheddar
In the 2014 film Chef, Jon Favreau plays a chef who rediscovers his love for cooking while driving a food truck across the country. The grilled cheese sandwich he makes in the film has become iconic, with many viewers wanting to recreate it.
The grilled cheese sandwich in Chef uses a combination of four cheeses: white cheddar, yellow cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan. The key to the perfect grilled cheese, according to Favreau, is to use thinly sliced cheese and to bring it to room temperature before grilling, so it melts evenly. This ensures that the bread doesn't burn or become too dark while waiting for the cheese to melt.
In the film, Favreau uses a flat-top grill to make the sandwich, pouring a bit of olive oil onto the grill before adding two slices of white bread. He then piles on the thinly sliced cheese, using a combination of the four cheeses. The sandwich is grilled until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted, creating a gooey and cheesy texture.
The grilled cheese sandwich in Chef has inspired many viewers to recreate it at home, with some adding their own twists and ingredients. It has become a symbol of the ultimate comfort food, showcasing the simple pleasure of a perfectly grilled cheese sandwich.
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Yellow cheddar
In the 2014 film Chef, Jon Favreau plays a chef who rediscovers his love for cooking while driving a food truck across the country. The grilled cheese sandwich he makes in the film has been described as mouth-watering and perfect.
The grilled cheese sandwich is made with a blend of four cheeses: white cheddar, yellow cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan. The yellow cheddar is a sharp, extra-old variety. The sharpness of the cheddar, along with the nuttiness of the Gruyère and the saltiness of the Parmesan, creates a flavourful and indulgent grilled cheese sandwich.
To make the sandwich, Favreau's character uses thinly sliced cheese, which is brought to room temperature before grilling. This ensures that the cheese melts evenly and at the same rate as the bread toasts. The bread used in the sandwich is sourdough, which is buttered on one side before being placed on a hot grill. The cheese is then added to one slice of bread, and the sandwich is topped with the second slice. The sandwich is flipped several times to ensure even browning.
The grilled cheese sandwich from Chef has inspired many people to recreate it, with some adding their own twists, such as using different types of bread or grating the cheese for faster melting. The combination of cheeses and the precise technique used to make the sandwich have made it a popular and iconic dish.
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Gruyere
In the film Chef, Jon Favreau's character makes a grilled cheese sandwich that inspires many viewers to recreate it. In the Netflix series The Chef Show, Favreau and food truck master Roy Choi demonstrate how to make the grilled cheese sandwich from the film. Choi describes the cheeses used as "two types of cheddar—white cheddar and yellow cheddar—Gruyère cheese, which is like a stinky Swiss, then Parmesan".
Gruyère is a hard Swiss cheese with a distinctive complex flavour. It is made from cow's milk and has a slightly grainy texture. Gruyère has a rich, creamy, and slightly nutty taste, with a hint of sweetness. The cheese is named after a town in Switzerland and has been made in that country for centuries. It is often used in French cuisine, such as in the classic French onion soup or in a croque-madame sandwich. Gruyère is also a popular choice for cheese fondue due to its excellent melting properties. When melted, Gruyère becomes smooth and creamy, making it ideal for grilled cheese sandwiches.
In the context of grilled cheese, Gruyère contributes a strong, savoury flavour and a smooth, creamy texture. It melts easily and blends well with the other cheeses in the sandwich, such as cheddar and Parmesan. The combination of cheeses creates a balance of flavours and textures, resulting in a grilled cheese sandwich that is both tasty and indulgent.
To make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich, it is essential to start with good quality ingredients. The bread should be sliced thinly and brought to room temperature, along with the cheese, before grilling. This ensures that the cheese melts evenly and the bread toasts to a golden brown without burning. Adding butter to the grill or pan creates a crispy, golden crust and enhances the flavour of the sandwich.
The key to a successful grilled cheese sandwich is patience and practice. It is important to cook the sandwich slowly, allowing the heat to permeate the sandwich evenly. This ensures that the cheese melts completely and the bread is toasted to perfection. Cutting the sandwich diagonally also adds to the overall experience, maximising the gooey, stretchy cheese factor.
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Parmesan
In the 2014 film Chef, Jon Favreau plays a disgraced restaurant chef who rediscovers his love for cooking while driving a food truck across the country. The film features mouth-watering recipes, including a simple grilled cheese sandwich that Favreau's character makes for his son.
In the Netflix series The Chef Show, Favreau and food truck master Roy Choi, who consulted on the film, recreate the grilled cheese recipe. Choi starts by spreading butter on a flat-top grill and laying two slices of sourdough bread on it. He then adds white cheddar, yellow cheddar, Gruyere, and Parmesan cheese to one slice. The sandwich is then topped with the second slice of bread and flipped several times to ensure even browning.
According to Favreau, the key to making the perfect grilled cheese is practice. He also offers a few tips, such as adding more butter to the top slice before flipping and cutting the sandwich diagonally for maximum gooeyness. If the outside is golden brown but the cheese isn't fully melted, the grill or pan is too hot.
The Parmesan cheese used in the grilled cheese is likely grated to ensure faster melting and even distribution throughout the sandwich. The combination of cheeses, including Parmesan, creates the ultimate comfort food, elevating the simple grilled cheese sandwich to new heights of deliciousness.
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Bread temperature
In the film Chef, Jon Favreau's character makes a grilled cheese sandwich that looks like the perfect grilled cheese. The recipe for this sandwich was later revealed in the Netflix series The Chef Show, hosted by Favreau and food truck master Roy Choi.
The bread used in the grilled cheese sandwich is good sourdough bread. The bread is sliced thinly and brought to room temperature before grilling. The grill is heated to a temperature of 300-325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Choi and Favreau's grilled cheese is less about the perfect technique and more about the precise combination of cheeses. The cheeses used in the sandwich are white cheddar, yellow cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan. These cheeses are also sliced thinly and brought to room temperature before being added to the sandwich.
The sandwich is assembled by spreading butter on one side of each slice of bread and placing them butter-side down on the grill. The cheeses are then added to one slice of bread, and the open-faced sandwich is topped with the second slice of bread. The sandwich is flipped several times to ensure even browning and is cut diagonally before serving.
Bringing the bread and cheese to room temperature before grilling is important for achieving the perfect grilled cheese. If the cheese is too cold, it will take longer to melt, and the bread may become too dark or even burn before the cheese is fully melted.
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Frequently asked questions
Jon Favreau used four types of cheese in the grilled cheese: white cheddar, yellow cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan.
Jon Favreau used two slices of cheese.
Jon Favreau used sourdough bread.
Besides cheese, Jon Favreau used bread, butter, and olive oil to make the grilled cheese.
