‘Replacing Chef Chico’: First Filipino-Produced Series Puts Love on the Menu

For Filipinos, romance and food make a sizzling combination, and the first local Netflix production in a series format serves up a zesty love triangle set against the backdrop of a high-end fine-dining restaurant. 

Replacing Chef Chico is the brainchild of director Dan Villegas, assistant director Joi Bayan, and showrunner Antoinette Jadaone. It stars three of the biggest names in the local entertainment industry — Piolo Pascual (My Amanda), Alessandra de Rossi (My Amanda and What If), and Sam Milby (A Family Affair). 

Offering a glimpse into the high-stakes and competitive culinary world, the series’ trailer introduces viewers to the main characters whose lives become intertwined at Hain. This fictional up-and-coming fine dining restaurant specializes in customizing each dish to mirror their diners’ unique life stories. But things take an unexpected turn when the titular character Chef Chico (Milby) gets into an accident, leaving him in a coma. The fate of Hain is suddenly left in the hands of his sous chef Chef Ella (de Rossi) and a newly hired consultant Raymond (Pascual), who has more than just the restaurant on his mind.

Speaking to a panel of press and outlets in the “See What’s Next” event on September 18, acclaimed showrunner Antoinette Jadaone (Fan Girl and That Thing Called Tadhana) shared that her inspiration for Replacing Chef Chico came from her love for food-related shows. 

Recommending the series for holiday viewing, she added: “I think it’s perfect for the Christmas season because, at its core, it’s about love, friendship, and acceptance. Each episode tells a story of family, friendship, and love, all celebrated over food.” 

Jadone and Villegas (Exes Baggage and Always Be My Maybe) also expressed their excitement over the evolving media landscape and what it means for the future of streaming and media consumption in the Philippines. Replacing Chef Chico was produced for Netflix in association with CS Studios and Project8.

Catch ‘Replacing Chef Chico’ on November 24, only on Netflix.