Since the popularization of the Food Network and cooking shows, there has never been a shortage of food-related content in mainstream media. Over time, our connection to food through media has evolved thanks to shows like Netflix’s Chef’s Table, which tells the stories of world-renowned chefs, their journeys, and philosophies, or Cooked, a show hosted by Michael Pollan that explores the fundamental elements of cooking and the ways they’ve shaped our world and culture.
To have a new show that uniquely educates, questions, and explores food and the people that have shaped it seems almost unimaginable. But Omnivore, a new Apple TV original, looks to add itself to the category of shows that wish to address the broader and often overlooked questions about our food systems. Narrated by René Redzepi, the owner and chef of Noma, a five-time World’s 50 Best Restaurant winner, this is not your typical chef documentary. Instead, it is a show that wishes to include itself in the conversation of what food is and how it comes to be.
From the growers, harvesters, purveyors, and even the corporations behind food production, Omnivore is an eight-part series that focuses on one key ingredient in each episode. The series explores the history of the food, the people who shape it, work with it, interact with it in their everyday lives, and delves into its impact on our culture, world, and more. Omnivore also showcases the timely traditions behind the food we consume, highlighting everything from the fishing system of tuna to the annual honoring of a Black Iberico Pig in La Alberca, Spain as locals appreciate the animal and everything it provides in nourishment.
In the episodes on bananas and corn, Omnivore explores how politics influenced the imports and production of these cherished ingredients. It answers questions like why we consume the banana variety Cavendish when there are hundreds of others, or why, despite Mexico being known for its corn, the majority of it comes from U.S. imports — and how millions of farmers lost their livelihood while the U.S. became one of the leaders in corn production.
Still, the show does not provide every answer, nor does it attempt to. It raises questions and answers what it can. It provides a glimpse into the history, the tradition, the geopolitical influence, and even more importantly, the people who have made these ingredients their livelihood.
Omnivore is not simply for the restaurant chef or serious cook looking to develop a better understanding of food. It is an invitation for everyone to consider how food ends up on our tables, what the future of food is, and what role we can play to propel it in a better direction.
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