David Bertok, known for his work on award-winning films like Peace by Chocolate, Daughter of the Sun, and Botero, has earned an Emmy nomination for his music on Chef’s Table: Legends. His score, created alongside longtime collaborator Duncan Thum, blends the human warmth of live instrumentation with the cinematic elegance that has become the hallmark of the Chef’s Table series.
A Surreal Emmy Moment
Bertok recalls the shock of seeing his name alongside Hans Zimmer in the nominations:
“I couldn’t believe it… Hans Zimmer’s score for The Rock was the first film music album I ever bought as a teenager, and to be nominated in the same category now is just incredible.”
The recognition is especially meaningful since it celebrates not only his career but also his creative partnership with Duncan Thum, which began during their time at USC.
Scoring José Andrés’ Story
The nominated episode follows world-renowned chef and humanitarian José Andrés. Bertok explains how Andrés’ dual life — as both culinary innovator and founder of World Central Kitchen — guided their musical decisions:
“We had those two pillars to depict with the music. And as a third pillar, there were a lot of vulnerable, very personal contemplations of him reflecting on his life.”
One of the standout sequences is the “Food Symphony,” a montage of Andrés’ dishes where the score takes center stage. Bertok describes blending driving piano, rhythmic strings, solo violin, and Spanish guitar to capture Andrés’ “playfulness, drive, poeticism, and charisma.”
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Balancing Tone and Cohesion
Scoring Chef’s Table required navigating tonal shifts between quiet reflection and grand theatricality. According to Bertok, the string orchestra provided cohesion while eclectic instrumentation — from synths and processed vocals to nylon guitar — reflected the episode’s diverse environments.
The Art of Documentary Scoring
For Bertok, the strength of Chef’s Table lies in its fusion of documentary authenticity and artistic storytelling:
“There is a very loving and deep approach in every department… the fact that the show leans into the theatrics of presentation and the artistic perspective so strongly allows the music to also do that in an unrestricted way.”
With his Emmy nomination for Chef’s Table: Legends, David Bertok cements his reputation as a composer who balances human emotion, cultural texture, and cinematic flair. By weaving live music with bold instrumentation, he highlights not just food on screen but the soul of the stories behind it.
