13 Comforting Cooking Shows To Watch With Your Netflix Subscription

If you're a foodie who also loves learning about the process of cooking, then you're probably a big fan of cooking shows — and if you aren't, you should be. The shows are not only entertaining, but they can offer an informative and fascinating look into the behind-the-scenes world of the culinary industry. If you're interested but don't know which shows to watch, don't fret — Daily Meal compiled an entire list of comforting cooking shows that will keep you engaged. All you need is a Netflix subscription.

This list features a variety of different food-related shows, from competitions to deep dives into professional chefs' careers. There are shows featuring celebrity chefs that you're bound to recognize, as well as shows that shine a spotlight on some lesser-known chefs from around the world. Plus, these shows feature plenty of delicious-looking food that will very likely get you in the mood to get up and start cooking something tasty of your own — or go out to a restaurant for a splurge-worthy meal. Read on to see which shows you should add to your watch list for when you want to fully immerse yourself in the world of food.

As mentioned, some of these shows take viewers behind the scenes of the lives of some culinary superstars — and Chef's Table is one of them. Each episode focuses on a different prominent chef from somewhere around the world and showcases their cooking styles, inspirations, and insights. Some of the chefs include Francis Mallmann from Argentina, Dominique Crenn from the United States (who sat down for an interview with Daily Meal in 2017), Jeong Kwan from South Korea, and Albert Adrià from Spain. So, if you have an interest in international cuisine and culture, then this is for you. If you need more encouragement to watch the show, reviewer Emily Buder from IndieWire writes, "Chef's Table' is a one-of-a-kind meditation on creativity. In exploring the identity and artistic process of each chef, the series transcends the genre of the cooking show." And as a plus, there are multiple seasons already available on Netflix, so you'll be preoccupied for a while.

"Salt Fat Acid Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking" by Samin Nosrat (who also has an antidote for homemade cheese sauce nightmares you'll want to know about), published in 2017, quickly became a popular and best-selling cookbook. After the success of the book, Netflix turned the concept into a documentary series with the same title. Each episode focuses on one of these elements — salt, fat, acid, and heat — with Nosrat traveling around the world to explore how each one factors into the larger culinary world. For example, in the "Salt" episode, she travels to Japan and examines the role of salt in notable foods such as miso and soy sauce. In Kathryn VanArendonk's review for Vulture, she calls the show "a celebration of Nosrat's food ethos" and "gently revelatory."

"The Great British Baking Show" — also known as "The Great British Bake Off" in the U.K. — is a competition show in which amateur bakers hone their skills and try to make it week after week to become a baking champion. Each episode features three challenges: a signature challenge for bakers to show off their skills; a technical challenge for the bakers to try out a difficult technique with very little instruction; and a showstopper challenge for the bakers to create a, well, showstopping recipe. The show is a crowdpleaser, amongst fans and critics alike — to begin with, it has an 87% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes. And once you get into the show, you can have some fun reading our list of 10 of the worst Great British Baking Show creations of all time.

If barbecue is your favorite kind of food, then "The American Barbecue Showdown" is definitely for you. In the show, barbecue cooks compete in a series of challenges to try to become the American Barbecue Champion. You can expect plenty of delectable-looking barbecue dishes and an in-depth look into all the work that goes into barbecue cooking, as well as all of the fun that comes with a good competition show. Plus, watching the series just may inspire you to make your own homemade barbecue dishes — and you can use some of our tasty recipes, like our herb-rubbed baby back ribs or our steak skewers with cherry barbecue sauce.

You may already be familiar with celebrity chef David Chang — and perhaps even Chang's top cooking tips that you should be familiar with — such as using plenty of salt and keeping a wood cutting board around — but do you know about his Netflix show, "Ugly Delicious"? If you don't already, then you need to check it out as soon as possible. The show follows Chang as he meets with other chefs, as well as activists and artists, and explores all the small details related to the world of cooking and food. Some episodes focus on foods such as pizza, fried chicken, and curry. Meanwhile, you may see some familiar faces, such as Padma Lakshmi, Ali Wong, and Jimmy Kimmel. And if you need more reasons to check this one out, Decider declared "Ugly Delicious" to be "officially the best show on Netflix."

Tacos may be somewhat easy to make, even as a home cook, but they're far from simple. "Taco Chronicles" explores all of the intricacies and complexities of this widely beloved food, including its history. Each episode focuses on a different type of taco from well-known types, such as carnitas or asada, to more unique varieties, such as suadero or guisados. After watching this show, you'll be much more well-versed in the vast world of tacos — and the food's history — than you were before, leaving you with a new appreciation. Plus, you'll also want to get out there and try some more unique types of tacos or try out some new taco recipes (and, for this, you can check out our list of 20 fresh, fun taco recipes).

If you're looking to learn some food history, then check out "High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America." The series, which is based on the nonfiction book of the same name by Jessica B. Harris, focuses on the roots of African American cuisine, looking at how it started in Africa and made its way to America to become a part of Black Americans' food culture. The first episode, for example, focuses on how many staple foods for Black Americans, such as okra, yams, and rice, originated in Africa, and the host Stephen Satterfield, along with the book's author Harris, takes a trip to an open-air market in Benin, a country in West Africa.

If you go through all of the available seasons of "Chef's Table" and still want more of the show, then you can check out "Chef's Table: Legends." This spinoff showcases the culinary careers of some of the most influential and iconic international chefs. The four-episode season features Jamie Oliver, José Andrés (who has 12 cooking tips that you need to know), Thomas Keller, and Alice Waters. Also, it's worth noting that "Legends" is not the only "Chef's Table" spinoff out there if you need more content — there's also "France," "Pastry," "BBQ," "Pizza," and "Noodles." In other words, you'll be satiated on food content for a while, no matter what your preferences are.

Chef Roy Choi worked as a culinary consultant on the 2014 film "Chef," which was written by, directed by, and starred Jon Favreau. Then Choi and Favreau teamed up again for "The Chef Show," which premiered in 2019 and has 25 episodes across two seasons. The show is a travelogue series that sees the duo visit different spots around the world to meet up with other chefs and friends and explore various food cultures. Some of the special guests include chefs David Chang, Wolfgang Puck, and Aaron Franklin, as well as actors Seth Rogen and Gwyneth Paltrow. When the second season aired, Forbes declared this series "still the best cooking show on television," if you need further encouragement to check it out.

Phil Rosenthal hosts this travel documentary show, "Somebody Feed Phil," which has eight seasons on Netflix (it premiered in 2018 and the most recent season is from 2025). In each episode, Rosenthal travels to a different city and shines a spotlight on the special elements of its food culture. For example, in the pilot episode, Rosenthal goes to Bangkok, where he tries various street food vendors, then a futuristic-themed 25-course tasting menu. In another episode, Rosenthal finds himself in Cape Town, where he tries antelope and ostrich. If you love the combination of food and travel in a television show, then here's another one to add to your list — and with its 50 episodes, you'll be occupied for a while. After you've come to love the show, you can check out Rosenthal's list of the seven best sandwiches in the U.S.

Chocolate enthusiasts need their own shows to enjoy, too — and "School of Chocolate" will certainly keep chocolate lovers interested. We recently included it on our list of six baking shows to watch and three to skip, including it in the ones that are definitely worth your time. The series is a competition show in which French chocolatier Amaury Guichon mentors students and guides them through complex challenges as they compete for the grand prize. If you have any interest in chocolate sculpture — or perhaps even know of Guichon from his large social media presence — then it may be worth watching the show simply to see the expert chocolatier build some of his incredible, hard-to-believe chocolate sculptures.

Some of these shows may feature street food from time to time, but here's a whole series that focuses on the world of street food, specifically in Asia. While watching "Street Food: Asia," you'll get a peek into some of the country's most notable street foods and the chefs who make them. Some of the cities featured include Bangkok, Thailand; Osaka, Japan; Seoul, South Korea; and Yogyakarta, Indonesia. In the episode about Chiayi, Taiwan, some of the street eats showcased include tofu pudding and goat stew. This show is perfect for anyone who loves learning about other cultures' food and discovering some of the dishes that are beloved amongst other countries' populations.

If "Street Food: Asia" piqued your interest, then you need to add "Street Food: Latin America" to your list. It has the same concept as its Asia-centered counterpart but, of course, features cities across Latin America instead. Some of these cities include Lima, Peru; Bogotá, Colombia; and Oaxaca, Mexico. You'll get to learn about foods such as Colombian arepas and Mexican memelas. Between this show and "Street Food: Asia," you may even get to see some foods from our list of iconic street foods every world traveler must try.