David Bertok Talks Emmy Nomination for Chef’s Table: Legends and the Art of Scoring

Composer David Bertok, known for films like Peace by Chocolate, Daughter of the Sun, and Botero, has received an Emmy nomination for his work on Netflix’s Chef’s Table: Legends, alongside his longtime collaborator Duncan Thum. In this exclusive interview, Bertok opens up about the surreal nomination, his creative process, and the unique challenge of scoring a series that blends art, documentary, and culinary storytelling.

A Surreal Emmy Moment

Bertok recalls being stunned when he discovered his name listed alongside Hans Zimmer in the nominations:

“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… just incredible.”

Collaboration With Duncan Thum

The nomination is especially meaningful because it recognizes his partnership with Thum, which began at USC:

“We both feel that we learned a lot from each other, pushed each other creatively, and are very proud of the music we composed together. It feels like something more evolved than what each of us could have done on our own.”

Scoring José Andrés’ Dual Life

Bertok explains that the personality and story of José Andrés — as both a renowned chef and humanitarian — guided their approach:

“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 and how to balance those two lives.”

A standout sequence is the “Food Symphony”, a montage of Andrés’ dishes scored with driving piano, rhythmic strings, solo violin, and Spanish guitar, designed to capture his playfulness, drive, and poetic charisma.

Navigating Tonal Shifts

With so many contrasting environments, cohesion was crucial:

“The eclectic instrumentation was held together by the string orchestra… Depending on where we were in the story, we leaned into synthesizers, vocals, piano, or nylon string guitar.”

This flexibility allowed the score to move effortlessly between intimate reflection and grand theatrics.

Balancing Art and Documentary

For Bertok, Chef’s Table succeeds because it embraces both worlds unapologetically:

“There is a very loving and deep approach in every department. These real-life stories are told with authenticity, and the show leans into theatrics strongly, which allows the music to do the same in an unrestricted way.”

With his Emmy-nominated score for Chef’s Table: Legends, David Bertok proves himself a master at blending emotional depth, cultural influences, and cinematic artistry. His collaboration with Duncan Thum highlights how music can elevate storytelling — transforming food, personality, and passion into a symphonic experience.