DRAMA

Biography about the cuisine chef who was a pioneer on TV, transforming the art of cooking into something acclaimed by the general public. Born in Germany and surviving WWII, Tell had to go against his family to devote himself to gastronomy. For his immense talent, he was soon recognized and went to work in famous restaurants. Falling in love with a miss, he moved to the United States, where he ended up becoming a kitchen celebrity, being invited to appear on TV.

GOOD

THIRD PERSON

Authors Writing Style: GOOD

Characterization: GOOD

Commerciality: GOOD

Franchise Potential: FAIR

Pace: GOOD

Premise: GOOD

Structure: GOOD

Theme: GOOD

It is accurate.

Tell's backstory, when he was still a young boy during WWII, and his problems with his father, and the difficulties after his mother's suicide. The story begins with a high level of emotion as we have a sense of the series of events that made Tell a strong person who valued the present moment.

The history part of the beginning helps us understand the environment in which Tell lived and his personality, but this historical information is narratively uniquely interesting for us to understand how Tell thinks and acts. With an almost historical nature, this excess of information ends up moving us away from the center of the biography, which is the story of a boy who dreamed of becoming a chef.

THE STORY DOES NOT RELY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS

The hook is the dream of a young man who fights for what he wants, even in the midst of an environment of destruction and lack of perspective.

Tell's fans would be interested in the work, for sure. Biography and gastronomy fans could also be interested.

If the adaptation focuses more on Tell's dramatic arc, as a hardworking young dreamer who fights day by day for his goals and enjoys each day as if it were his last, it would have great potential for awards.

LARGE BUDGET

JULIE & JULIA: THE STORY OF A WOMAN FRUSTRATED WITH HER JOB WHO DECIDES TO REPLICATE THE RECIPES OF JULIA, A FAMOUS COOKBOOK AUTHOR. RATATOUILLE: A YOUNG ASPIRING CHEF ENDS UP LEARNING TO COOK HAUTE CUISINE AND BECOMES A GREAT CHEF.

The central character brings originality to the narrative because, besides being a real character, he is very nuanced and interesting.

Tell is a pretty complex character all by himself. His life is a wonderful source material for building a more robust character, full of nuances and driven by a personality explained by a difficult childhood.

Not a rare gem, but certainly entertaining. The adaptation would need to bring more dramatic elements to the narrative. The book itself works as a base material for research on Tell's life. However, a little more punch and emotion are needed to reach a new level.

Film: Streaming TV Series: Limited Run / Mini-Series

CONSIDER

The book is a solid compilation of the events of Chef Tell's life, in chronological order. It's an interesting material for the basis of a miniseries or a movie about the life of one of the pioneers of TV cooking shows. But apart from being a media celebrity, his life story is what could actually bring something interesting to the screen. In the middle of WWII, he was a boy who had a strict father who was against his dream of becoming a cook and a mother who committed suicide. Tell has managed to thrive and pursue his dreams in the face of so much adversity, which makes his story exciting and beautiful to follow. His story also presents many exciting events with famous and anonymous people, delivering a portrait of an era. He is a complex character who used to live in the present time like no one else because he saw people nearby dying early, and survived the terrible war environment. Despite having that "carpe diem" side, he is also very focused and down to earth, flirtatious and kind of lonely at the same time, transforming himself into a delightful character to see on screen. The book actually brings this compilation of situations and events about Tell's life, but for the adaptation, it would be necessary to develop narrative, structure, and character further so that the focus could lie on the story rather than the biography.