Series I
- 1) Personnel - Originally Aired January 28, 1993
- Gareth Blackstock is the executive chef at Le Chateau Anglais, and he is
infuriated when management cuts his budget. He is one up on the budget when
Everton shows up and volunteers his service as a chef for no compensation in
order that he can train in the most famous kitchen in England.
- 2) Beyond the Pass - Originally Aired February 4, 1993
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In order to make a successful takeover of the restaurant, Gareth and Janice must first make certain
personal sacrifices before they grovel to the bank manager. This is no easy task
for someone with a pathological hatred of bank managers.
- 3) Subject to Contract - Originally Aired February 11, 1993
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Having made the ultimate sacrifice of putting their idyllic cottage on the market, Janice feels that
Gareth must now set about raising his own public profile in the press... (Just a smiley picture...)
To raise the profile of his restaurant, Gareth opens his kitchen to the press.
But Everton has lost track of something very personal and rather unpleasant in
the veal stew. Or was it in the pies? Or the ravioli?
- 4) The Big Cheese - Originally Aired February 18, 1993 (My Favourite Episode)
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Gareth discovers that famous chef Albert Roux is about to honour his restaurant
with a visit. He tries to coax his troops into preparing the perfect meal.
Gareth goes in search of the perfect unpasteurized English Stilton. But beware
the Cheese Police!
- 5) Fame is the Spur - Originally Aired February 25, 1993
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Janice arranges for Gareth and Le Chateau to be featured in the television food
program Kitchens Live. The producer has a few surprises in store for
Gareth, and Everton manages to release 50 pounds of live crayfish in the
kitchen.
- 6) Rice And Peas - Originally Aired March 4, 1993
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Gareth has promised his father a Caribbean evening at Le Chateau. The trouble
is, he knows nothing of Caribbean cuisine. Gareth must endure the ultimate
indignity of requesting Everton's assistance in the matter.
- 7) A Bird in the Hand - Originally Aired December 24, 1993
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A disagreement with his regular poultry supplier leads Gareth and
Janice on a hunt for Xmas turkeys. Was originally a "stand alone" episode,
aired much later than the first 6 episodes of Series I.
Series II
- 1) A River Runs Thru It - Originally Aired August 9, 1994
- The kitchen staff at Le Chateau are overwhelmed, and Gareth simply must find
another chef as soon as possible. The new addition to the kitchen staff (Gustav LaRoche) proves to be more than a handful
for Gareth when it turns out that he prefers imbibing the wine rather than cooking with it.
- 2) Time Flies - Originally Aired August 16, 1994
- Janice suspects that she may be pregnant and she insists that they
seek outside investment to secure their offspring's future. Gareth's
reaction is typically uncertain about both.
- 3) Do the Right Thing - Originally Aired August 23, 1994
- Is there no end to the depths that Gareth will stoop to get the finest
ingredients for his renowned dishes? Gareth deals with a "poacher" to get
ingredients. But the long arm of the law is quickly in pursuit. Will
Gareth land in the soup?
- 4) A Diploma of Miseries - Originally Aired August 30, 1994
- Publicity shy Gareth is hounded by Janice to appear on a chat show, but she
soon wishes she had never bothered. When Gareth bad-mouths Janice's cooking to
the television audience, he might as well book in with Everton at the latter's
new flat. Everton
tries to teach his boss a few things about 'amour'.
- 5) Masterchef - Originally Aired September 6, 1994
- Everton has developed his own signature dish and, much to Gareth's
(very publically displayed) irritation, he begins to hog the media spotlight!
- 6) Private Lives - Originally Aired September 13, 1994
- The kitchen staff are having domestic troubles en masse and it's down
to Gareth to play agony aunt, if only to get his staff back to work.
- 7) England Expects - Originally Aired September 27, 1994
- Gareth enters an international cookery competition in Lyon, France.
All the dishes must have ingredients exclusively from the originating
country - but where will he get English wine from?!?
Series III
- 1) Gareth's True Love - Originally Aired November 25, 1996
- What changes at La Chateau Anglais! Gareth has to transfer ownership to a
loudmouth named Cyril. Savanna is a new American chef in his kitchen. Janice
really turns Gareth's life around when she decides Gareth loves the restaurant
more than her and leaves him.
- 2) Reeny/Renee - Originally Aired December 2, 1996
- When Renee, Cyril's spoiled daughter arrives at the restaurant,
Gareth is forced into letting her help out in the kitchen.
Everton is
smitten by Rene and will do anything to keep her from being removed from her
position.
- 3) Lessons in Talking - Originally Aired December 9, 1996
- With Janice having moved out on him and with talk of divorce in the air,
Gareth takes his temper out on the diners when Cyril has made a policy decision
that Gareth should mingle and chat with the diners at La Chateau Anglais. This
is decidedly not what Gareth would prefer.
- 4) Love is in the Air - Originally Aired December 16, 1996
- The arrival of Gareth's father is not the tonic he needs to help
him overcome his failed marriage. Especially when he brings along his
new, very attractive and very young, girlfriend.
- 5) Rochelle - Originally Aired December 23, 1996
- Gareth meets up with a childhood sweetheart when a wedding
reception is held in the restaurant. This just further complicates his
already precariously balanced emotions.
A romantic evening between Gareth
and Rochelle is interrupted by Janice, who has some very surprising news to
share with them.
- 6) Paris? Jamaica? - Originally Aired December 30, 1996
- Gareth is at a cross road. He must decide whether to accept Rochelle's
invitation to join her in Paris for the weekend or to fly off to Jamaica to try
to patch things up with Janice.
Gareth foolishly relies upon the advice of Everton to help him make a
decision on his future.
I was also sent a fan created "Season III" guide by someone
who didn't care for Season 3, and basically "rolled his own".
Check it out, it's quite good.
- These descriptions are culled from two places. First was someone who posted these episode summaries on alt.comedy.british. To whomever you are, you didn't put
your name with your post, I have no idea who you are to credit you.
Second was from a PBS station's guide to the various britcoms on their station.
I forget the name of the station I obtained this from - if this is you, and you
wish your work removed, drop me a line.
- Series III episodes do not have episode titles. There are 6 episodes in Series III.
- I have further information and pictures up for Series III of Chef!. Pictures are here.
Total spoilers are here.