One of the many films to world premiere at this year’sSundance Film Festivalwas directorCameron Yates’Chef Flynn. As someone that knows next to nothing about chefs, cooking, and food, I went into the screening knowing only the very basics: the documentary was about a kid (Flynn McGarry) that was known as the “Justin Bieber of food” and that he got into cooking at a young age and became very well known. As his notoriety grew, he was profiled by the New York Times Magazine at 15 and started staging at top restaurants in Los Angeles and New York.
What I didn’t know was Flynn’s mom, Megan, was a filmmaker, and throughout his life was constantly filming her son and his friends as they put on dinners for numerous guests in their home. As she continued filming, she was able to capture Flynn’s growth as a chef, as well as his transition from being a kid to an older teenager and all that comes with it. Armed with this abundance of home movies as well as capturing tons of additional footage watching Flynn and his family, Yates and producerLaura Coxsonhave weaved together a cool behind-the-scenes look at Flynn and how child prodigy’s are treated in our society.
Armed with this abundance of home movies as well as capturing tons of additional footage watching Flynn and his family, Yates and producer Laura Coxson have weaved together a cool behind-the-scenes look at Flynn and how child prodigy’s are treated in our society.
As Matt Goldberg said in his review (which you can read here):
In its best moments,Chef Flynnis like a real-lifeRatatouille, showing an unlikely chef excelling at his profession due to his passion and creativity. But the heart of the movie is a parent who wants the best for her child even if she’s not exactly sure how to help him reach the top of the culinary world.
Shortly after seeing the film Flynn McGarry, Meg McGarry, producer Laura Coxson and director Cameron Yates came into the Collider Studio at Sundance. They talked about how the documentary happened, how Meg moved from being a filmmaker to a documentary subject, if Flynn’s favorite movie isRatatouille,if there was anything Flynn was uncomfortable including in the documentary, the challenge of navigating a kitchen with cameras, the editing process and more. In addition, with Flynn living in NYC, I asked him his favorite places to eat, what place has the best pizza, and the status of his upcoming restaurant.
Check out what he had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about and the official synopsis.
Finally, ahugethank you to everyone atKiaandThe Future Partyfor helping to make these interviews happen at the Kia Supper Suite and offering up transportation in the all new Kia Stinger high performance Sportback for our guests. We’d also like to thank Altec Lansing, Kunde Wines, Blue Moon Brewing, and Topo Chico for their support.
Flynn McGarry, Meg McGarry, Laura Coxson and Cameron Yates:
Here’s the synopsis for Chef Flynn:
While many of young Flynn McGarry’s peers were playing video games, he was creating remarkable gastronomic delights far beyond his years at his home in Studio City, California. Flynn’s family encouraged him to pursue his creative passion, and his unique journey was thoroughly documented by his artist mother. He loved to prepare elaborate dinners for friends and family and soon became known as the “Teen Chef,” establishing his own supper club at age 12 and being featured in a New York Times Magazine cover story at age 15. Before he was 16, he had staged in top restaurants in Los Angeles, New York, and Europe. Trying to stay focused on his dream, Flynn had to weather the critics who challenged his rapid ascent in the culinary world.
With access to a trove of personal archival footage and including new, intimate vérité footage, director Cameron Yates creates a collage of Flynn’s singular focus and distinctive path through childhood. Chef Flynn shares a rare view of a young man’s successful rise from the inside.
