As someone who lived in the French-speaking part of Switzerland for a few years, I’m no stranger to poking fun when I catch a whiff of the sometimes-preposterously self-important and pretentious side of the French persona. And the new Apple TV+ trailer for Carême reeks of it.
While the premise of the streamer’s upcoming French-language series sounds interesting — a rags-to-riches story of the world’s first celebrity chef, who also worked as a spy — the series looks overwhelmingly French.
“Chef. Spy. Lover,” reads the tagline for the historical drama. Apple TV+ calls it “daring” and “provocative.” Ooh la la.
Carême premieres April 30 for those with a taste for that sort of thing.
New trailer for Carême looks like an overly French feast for the senses
From its pretentious opening voiceover about food — and amid the intrigue and sexual innuendo throughout — the Carême trailer makes the show look like a sumptuous feast for the senses. So you better come hungry. However, a massive meal of Frenchness doesn’t always sit well.
The show stars a bunch of French-award-winning French people, naturally: César Award winner Benjamin Voisin (Lost Illusions), César Award nominee Jérémie Renier (My Way), César Award winner Lyna Khoudri (Papicha) and Alice Da Luz (Hanami). Martin Bourboulon (Les Trois Mousquetaires: D’Artagnan) directs it.
Apple TV+ describes the show like this:
“Carême follows the thrilling story of the world’s first celebrity chef, Antonin Carême (Voisin), who rose from humble beginnings in Paris to the height of culinary stardom in Napoleon’s Europe. While he dreams only of becoming the most famous chef in the world, his talent and ambitions attract the attention of renowned and powerful politicians, who use him as a spy for France. Determined to escape poverty and fulfill his dream, Carême can choose revenge or he can have it all — women, wealth, fame — but at what cost? His love? His soul? His life?”
Such drama!
Based on a book about the real guy
Carême is based on the book Cooking for Kings: The Life of Antonin Carême, the First Celebrity Chef by multi-award-winning historian and playwright Ian Kelly (The King’s Man). Kelly and Davide Serino (The Bad Guy) created the series, executive produced by Vanessa van Zuylen with VVZ Production and Dominique Farrugia with Banijay’s Shine Fiction. The series was shot on location in emblematic sites in and around Paris, including Opéra Garnier, Palais des Tuileries and Palais-Royal, Apple TV+ said.
The series isn’t the first show on Apple TV+ to set off my French alarm. That dubious distinction goes to La Maison. That’s “where high fashion meets high drama in a behind-the-curtain look at an iconic French haute couture house,” according to the streamer.
Then there’s the stuff I got into, somewhat. Like Liaison, a high-stakes, contemporary thriller with Vincent Cassel and Eva Green. And the wine-soaked, manga-inspired, French-Japanese collaboration Drops of God. And coming soon we can expect A l’ombre des forêts, starring Benoît Magimel and Mélanie Laurent.
Watch the Carême trailer
Watch dramas on Apple TV+
If you like what you see in the Carême trailer, you’ll be thrilled to know it debuts April 30 on Apple TV+ with its first two episodes, followed by one episode weekly on Wednesdays through June 11. You can watch plenty of other dramas there, too. Apple TV+ is available by subscription for $9.99 with a seven-day free trial. You can also get it via any tier of the Apple One subscription bundle. Customers who buy a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.
After launching in November 2019, “Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 471 wins and 2,090 award nominations and counting,” the service said.
Apple TV+ is home to more than 200 exclusive movies and TV shows (including breakout soccer comedy Ted Lasso). The service also offers documentaries, dramas, comedies, kids shows and more.
Source: Apple TV+
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
