Parents' Guide to

Secret Chef

By Ashley Moulton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Funny cooking competition with a dash of salty language.

TV Hulu Game Shows 2023
Secret Chef TV show poster: 8 chefs with their faces obscured by various pieces of food

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

  • Secret Chef TV show screenshot 1: Chef David Chang sits at a dining table
  • Secret Chef TV show screenshot 2: 10 chefs stand wearing aprons
  • Secret Chef TV show screenshot 3: Alexa, a 20 something white woman, cooks in a competition kitchen

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

Nancy M.
Nancy M. Adult
March 16, 2024
age 18+

Hulu needs to pay for judges

I think that the show should have had a 3rd party review panel. LANKY reviewed and gave negative reviews stating he was going to knock people out on purpose that were his biggest competitors. He cheated. Leon won 6 challenges lankston won 2. Not a fair competition. He should have been gone early on in the competition. I do not know either competitor. Chef Arugula? Thats another tragic ending. Not a good show. Hulu can afford to pay a panel of judges.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In SECRET CHEF, 10 chef-testants with secret identities compete for a cash prize and bragging rights. The chefs come from various foodie backgrounds: Some are professional chefs, while others are home chefs or social media chefs. The competitors interact with each other using aliases, so part of the game is figuring out contestants' true identities. The chefs compete in "secret" separate kitchens where they tackle challenges like cooking a meal with a clothing steamer. Host "Chefy," an animated chef hat with an overly positive and slightly unhinged demeanor, facilitates challenges via video screen. Contestants are eliminated each episode, and the final two vie for the title of Secret Chef.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Tween and teen foodies will love this entertaining cooking competition show. Secret Chef has the same lighthearted attitude as Nailed It, but it features contestants with actual culinary talent. With David Chang as the executive producer, it will come as no surprise that the show doesn't take itself too seriously but still showcases delicious food. Kids will love the silly challenges, wacky animated host Chefy, and engaging contestant personalities. Grown-ups will love how the show explains culinary terms so that aspiring kid chefs may learn a thing or two. Secret Chef is a delicious bite of television perfect for families to watch together.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the chefs try to confuse each other by cooking food from cultures other than their own. Do you think chefs can or should cook only food from their own cultures? Why, or why not?

  • Did any of the dishes inspire your kid chef to get in the kitchen? Help them look up recipes and try cooking together. (For bonus points, try some of the silly challenges from the show.)

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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