feomgrofhome I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE A Chef's LIfe. Vivian (and Ben) are great to watch. I enjoy watching it more than ANY show on the Food Network. I no longer subscribe to cable and don't miss it one bit. This is a quality show that really enhances my at-home cooking skills and knowledge of food. I love the way Vivian infuses local ingredients into her cooking and restaurant menu. I also especially LOVE the authentic "southern" (or eastern to be more exact) cooking instruction offered by Lily; I am glad they allow her to be who she is. Warren is also an asset to the show; I am impressed with his garden and knowledge of ingredients (food).It is so refreshing to watch and listen to someone is REAL. I even like Vivian's drawl. The shows does not appear to be scripted as other shows. I ALSO like seeing the pre-opening staff meetings. Great stuff! It is so impressive when the wait staff really knows the foods that are offered on the menu.This is an authentic show!!!! I hope to one day be a patron of Chef and the Farmer restaurant.

Michael Kelly There are a lot of cooking shows, some instructional, some merely exist as platforms to display contrived drama. This show is real. Warts and all. Learning anything about the cooking process or generic intricacies of the restaurant business is secondary.What allows this show to stand out in comparison to others is the lack of pretension. The interface of those on camera is fantastic and genuine. The viewer is being allowed a real glimpse into others' private lives. And Chef Vivian, via her narration, shares her personal thoughts and feeling as she displays a gamut of emotions, from happiness to sorrow.It's real. Very real. I highly recommend it.

ronald04225 What an honest and interesting life. All fantastic recipes featuring home town produce, wine, meat, mixed with a great growing family story. This is real and not contrived or flamboyant production. From moonshine drinks to grape pizza the cuisine is great and filled with history of this quaint region. Vivian, her husband and crew are educating and creating return customers with new and remastered classic meals. The wait staff is to die for. They work the room and get die-hards to try new entrées and drinks.The struggle with the fire and trying to build a home adds enough drama to make this show intoxicating. We love this show

peacecreep An interesting little show about a couple running a restaurant in North Carolina. The better parts focus on southern ingredients and their preparation, the rest is about them rebuilding their restaurant after a fire. These sequences play as awkward portraits of a marriage on the rocks as they bicker and complain about each other to the camera. A lot of the scenes with locals seem forced and slightly uncomfortable, as it appears Vivian and her cameras annoy them. The film making is simple yet competent and the photography is nice to look at. I certainly appreciate the honesty of it. Chef Vivian definitely has some great recipes and cultural heritage to share but the emphasis on the stressed out relationship gets in the way.