Jon Favreau is at his career best both in front and behind the camera in Chef, a warm hearted tale of redemption with food, music and family at its crusty moist centre.

When Favreau’s last directed feature Cowboys and Aliens was released back in 2012, it was clear that the writer/director’s usual spark had been diluted by the big studio machine.

It’s not that the multi-talented filmmaker made bad studio flicks (Iron Man and Iron Man 2 are fun superhero actioners), yet there’s something about a Favreau film where its greatest weapon is dialogue rather than special effects. Chef is his greatest achievement of that yet.

Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise to find Favreau has filtered his own career journey into that of his character Carl, a once acclaimed chef who has found his creativity wanting after a move to a trendy Los Angeles restaurant.

When a devastatingly bad review sends him reeling, Carl packs his knives and apron and heads back to his roots. With food truck secured and his 10 year old son Percy (Emjay Anthony) in tow, Carl find his spark once again on a cross country journey where he serves beautifully made Cuban sandwiches (and other treats) to a flock of foodies lining up for his tasty morsels.

And let the warning go out: do not watch this film on an empty stomach, for these shots of food, glorious food – from the most sensually made toasted cheese sandwich to mouth-watering Texas BBQ brisket – will have your tummy rumbling and mouth dying to bite into these dishes that Favreau cooks and presents with poetic skill.

There is much more to Chef than “food porn”. A great cast ranging from scene stealers (John Leguizamo, Bobby Cannavale), movie stars (Dustin Hoffman, Scarlett Johansson), and newcomers (Emjay Anthony) all take Favreau’s sharp, witty dialogue and knock it out of the park.

Most impressive of all is Favreau himself who has taken years of playing supporting characters and channelled that experience into his best performance hands down, exuding an openness and improvisational playfulness with not only his seasoned cast mates but especially with young Emjay Anthony,  the pair establishing a palpable, moving father-son dynamic which is the emotional anchor of a film that’s filled with life, love, laughter, and did I mention food?

After years of blockbusters, it is very welcome indeed to have Favreau focus on something more grounded. Here’s hoping Favreau’s next foray into the world of blockbusters won’t take too long, because it is in the modestly budgeted indies where his talent truly shines.