Review: Get Jiro! “The Ortolan”

Overview

Jiro takes on a new apprentice, proceeds to learn how to cook a controversial new dish, and finds himself in the crosshairs of a meticulous assassin.

Our Take

Picking up from the previous two episodes, “Get Jiro!” continues to deliver plenty of food-related carnage and unexpected twists. This time, we learn more about Bob’s obsession with culinary excellence, which was drilled into him by a chef he worked for when he was younger. Rose sends a baker who doubles as an assassin after him, while Jiro decides to impress the food critics with ortolan, a controversial French delicacy.

The rest of the proceedings are just as crazy, with intense assassination attempts and some downright nasty executions. Upon research, I learned that ortolan is a real delicacy that has faced serious controversy and legal restrictions in France since 1999. Its traditional preparation methodology is both fascinating yet disturbing. Meanwhile, Cam, Jiro’s apprentice and the daughter of a worker at a neighboring Mexican restaurant, begins questioning her place under his guidance, adding another layer to the story as tensions continue to rise.

Overall, this was another wild episode that doesn’t hold back on the violence or the crazy food-related shenanigans. As someone who saw the movie Amadeus, I was kinda irked by Bob calling himself a “Salieri to other Mozarts,” since it evokes the film’s portrayal of Salieri as a jealous rival who secretly resents Mozart’s talent. It only makes Bob’s own claims of seeking talent make the comparison feel especially suspicious. With tensions rising and Jiro’s true intentions becoming increasingly suspicious, I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.