Netflix has already had a big win this year with the cooking comedy Nonnas. Starring Vince Vaughn, the movie tells the story of a man who, grieving the loss of his mother, decides to invest an Italian restaurant where he hires real-life grandmas as chefs. Vaughn is joined on screen by a Nonnas cast that includes Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, Brenda Vaccaro, Susan Sarandon, and Linda Cardellini. The movie is directed by The Perks of Being a Wallflower writer-director Stephen Chbosky.

Since its release, Nonnas has been a huge success, topping the Netflix global top 10 charts during its first two weeks, and is still regularly making the top 10. Nonnas has also received positive reviews thus far, getting an 80% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes and a 74% Popcornmeter from audiences. One of the film’s champions was ScreenRant‘s Grant Hermanns, who gave the film 7 out of 10 stars and appreciated its characters and “food direction.” For those who liked Nonnas, there is another great movie also worth watching.

Chef Is Another Feel-Good Cooking Movie Like Nonnas

The Film Got Good Reviews

Chef is a great movie to watch for those who liked Nonnas. The 2014 movie focuses on a head chef, Carl (Jon Favreau), who quits his restaurant job to buy a food truck and attempts to spark his creativity again. While progressing in his professional life, Carl also tries to piece his estranged family back together. Chef is from the mind of Favreau, who writes, directs, produces, and acts in the film. The cast also includes Robert Downey Jr., Dustin Hoffmann, Scarlett Johansson, John Leguizamo, and Bobby Cannavale.

The 2014 movie received positive reviews, including an 87% Tomatometer. Its reception is a good reason to check it out, but the themes will also be of particular appeal to those who like Nonnas. Like the Vaughn-led Netflix film, Chef emphasizes the importance of food and cooking in its storylines. It also deals with ideas of family, both literally and figuratively, as the idea of food bringing people together is explored in both films. There are a lot of thematic crossovers between the two well-reviewed films, making them a good pairing.

Furthermore, Chef features a leading performance from Favreau, imbuing humor in its scenes. It also has an interesting connection with Nonnas because Favreau and Vaughn have been friends and collaborators for decades. The two met on the set of Rudy in 1993, and have since made several films together, including Swingers and Couples Retreat. Though Favreau is not involved in Nonnas, the behind-the-scenes link marks another connection between the films.

Chef’s Follow-Up On Netflix Is Also Worth Watching If You Like Nonnas

The Chef Show Has Two Seasons

Chef is currently available to stream for free via Tubi and to rent on Prime Video. For those looking for even more Favreau-infused cooking content, The Chef Show is also currently available on Netflix. The Chef Show is a food documentary series co-created by Favreau and Roy Choi. The show was created by Netflix and is currently available on the platform.

Unlike Chef or Nonnas, this series is not scripted, making it a different experience than these other recommendations. That said, the food documentary series still allows for ample opportunities to see a wide variety of food, making for another good piece of culinary-based filmmaking. The show is also fun in that it features both celebrities and accomplished chefs, making it another good Nonnas-adjacent piece.

Nonnas & Chef Are Very Different From Streaming’s Biggest Cooking Hit

These Movies Are More Feel-Good

While Nonnas is the latest streaming project to focus heavily on cooking, it is not the biggest hit in the food world on streaming. That honor would go to The Bear, the Emmy-winning Hulu series that returns for season 4 in June 2025. While this series also covers the intersection between restaurant ownership and family, it does so in a much higher-stress, fast-paced setting. For those interested in cooking content but looking for something low-key and feel-good, Nonnas and Chef are great alternatives.