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The Best Episodes of The Mind of a Chef

Every episode of The Mind of a Chef ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Mind of a Chef!

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Go inside the minds of some of the world's top chefs. Narrated by Executive Producer Anthony Bourdain, The Mind of a Chef is that rare and beautiful thing: an intelligent show about cooking.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    The Mind of a Chef Season 1 Episode 6 - René
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #1 - René

    S1:E6

    Chang hangs out with one of his best friends- who happens to be the world’s top chef- Rene Redzepi.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. The Mind of a Chef Season 1 Episode 7 - Simple
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #2 - Simple

    S1:E7

    Dishes in this episode are deceivingly simple; Chang travels to Japan for some Yakitori and high-end sushi, and his pal Daniel Patterson makes beets.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. The Mind of a Chef Season 1 Episode 8 - Gluttony
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #3 - Gluttony

    S1:E8

    It’s gluttonous goodness in this episode; over the top indulgence with Joe Beef chefs Federic Morin and David McMillian’s fois gras sandwich, a whiskey tasting Mayhem with Chef Sean Brock at Buffalo Trace in Kentucky and the classic dish Hot Brown served up three ways.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. The Mind of a Chef Season 1 Episode 9 - Chef
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #4 - Chef

    S1:E9

    Chang makes eggs with his chef pals; Wylie Dufresne, Daniel Patterson, Rene Redzepi, and makes his Ko egg.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. The Mind of a Chef Season 1 Episode 12 - Fresh
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #5 - Fresh

    S1:E12

    This episode explores the idea of fresh in the kitchen; instant broth, pea agnollini, fresh and aged steak with Chef Tien and Ike Jime with Dave Arnold and Chef Murata in Kyoto.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. The Mind of a Chef Season 1 Episode 14 - Sweet Spot
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #6 - Sweet Spot

    S1:E14

    Chang’s protégé Christina Tosi makes corn cookies three ways and her three layered Arnold Palmer Cake, Chef Burns makes ice cream and Chang goes strawberry picking.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of The Mind of a Chef

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  7. The Mind of a Chef Season 1 Episode 15 - Smoke
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #7 - Smoke

    S1:E15

    Chang profiles regional BBQ in North Carolina, Texas, and Kansas City plus the other-worldly smoky bacon from Allen Benton in Tennessee.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. The Mind of a Chef Season 1 Episode 16 - Buddies
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #8 - Buddies

    S1:E16

    Chang cooks and goofs around with his friends; Peter Meehan in Japan, Laurant Gras, Set Bains, and Rene Redzepi in Copenhagen.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. The Mind of a Chef Season 3 Episode 3 - Argentina
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #9 - Argentina

    S3:E3

    Travel with Ed to the foothills of the Andes to explore the most elemental part of cooking: fire.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. The Mind of a Chef Season 3 Episode 4 - Louisville
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #10 - Louisville

    S3:E4

    Taste the food and culture of Louisville, Kentucky, the place Ed now calls home.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. The Mind of a Chef Season 3 Episode 8 - Bourbon
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #11 - Bourbon

    S3:E8

    Ed tends bar and serves up a tentacled dish for actress and bourbon-lover Aisha Tyler.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. The Mind of a Chef Season 3 Episode 10 - Spring
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #12 - Spring

    S3:E10

    After a long winter, the arrival of spring awakens the delicate flavors of young herbs. The sun remains perched in the sky until midnight, the temperature climbs, and life returns to the once snow-covered landscape. This episode takes advantage of this brief window of time to explore the ingredients of spring in Sweden.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. The Mind of a Chef Season 3 Episode 14 - Locality
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #13 - Locality

    S3:E14

    Explore how seasons affect a restaurant’s menu when the food is sourced in a 100-mile radius.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. The Mind of a Chef Season 3 Episode 15 - Documentation
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #14 - Documentation

    S3:E15

    Chef Magnus Nilsson's efforts to document and preserve Nordic traditions are detailed including a visit to the Faroe Islands.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. The Mind of a Chef Season 4 Episode 9 - Fire
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #15 - Fire

    S4:E9

    Things can change in an instant, as David discovered in July of 2014, when he got a fateful call that his restaurant Manresa had burned nearly to the ground.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. The Mind of a Chef Season 4 Episode 10 - Legacy
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #16 - Legacy

    S4:E10

    Food is evolution, and wise chefs never forget from whence they came. A solid foundation allows them to test new boundaries and push things to new limits.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. The Mind of a Chef Season 4 Episode 11 - Ocean
    9.0/10(1 votes)

    #17 - Ocean

    S4:E11

    Nothing is more calming or inspiring than the sea, and living in Santa Cruz, David is never far from one of his many muses.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. The Mind of a Chef Season 4 Episode 14 - Restrictions
    9.0/10(1 votes)

    #18 - Restrictions

    S4:E14

    Diners these days can be pickier than ever, and they seem to have no problem telling a chef how to do his or her job. Allergies, self-diagnosed sensitivities and customer “dislikes” have become the bane of several chefs’ existence.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. The Mind of a Chef Season 4 Episode 16 - 25 Bites
    9.0/10(1 votes)

    #19 - 25 Bites

    S4:E16

    A perfect tasting menu relies on balance, and on not fatiguing a customer’s palate. Based on that theory, no meal should be more than 25 bites.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. The Mind of a Chef Season 1 Episode 1 - Noodle
    8.5/10(4 votes)

    #20 - Noodle

    S1:E1

    Korean-American Author and Chef David Chang visits a noodle factory in Japan, eats the best bowl of ramen in his life, and cooks two incredible dishes with the instant ramen variety. Food Scientist Harold McGee explains how alkaline salts make ramen noodles unique.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. The Mind of a Chef Season 1 Episode 3 - Memory
    8.5/10(2 votes)

    #21 - Memory

    S1:E3

    David Chang revisits his favorite dishes from childhood and reflects upon summer eating, his time in Japan and golf.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. The Mind of a Chef Season 1 Episode 4 - Spain
    8.5/10(2 votes)

    #22 - Spain

    S1:E4

    This episode is all about Spain’s influence on Chang’s career. He visits with some of his idols- Juan Mari Arzak and Andoni Aduriz, makes fideos, salt cod omelet and a sponge cake from chef Albert Adria.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. The Mind of a Chef Season 1 Episode 10 - Japan
    8.5/10(2 votes)

    #23 - Japan

    S1:E10

    Chang travels to Tokyo and Kyoto where he visits a street market and Kikunoi, a Michelin three-star restaurant.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. The Mind of a Chef Season 1 Episode 5 - Rotten
    8.0/10(2 votes)

    #24 - Rotten

    S1:E5

    There is something rotten in David Chang’s kitchen and that’s a good thing. Rotten is delicious; katsuibushi in Japan, XO sauce, rotten bananas with Chef Christina Tosi, and Kimchi.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. The Mind of a Chef Season 1 Episode 11 - New York
    8.0/10(2 votes)

    #25 - New York

    S1:E11

    This episode is all New York with the Torrsi boys, oysters, carrot dashi, and farming. Plus Chang visits native New Yorker Ivan Ramen in Tokyo where he is making ramen that is taking the city by storm.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"René" is the best rated episode of "The Mind of a Chef". It scored 10/10 based on 1 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 11/16/2012. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Simple".