Delectable performances add to ‘Kitchen Musical’s’ yum and hum factors

Even before “The Kitchen Musical” started telecasting this month, we cited the show as one of the TV season’s most noteworthy productions.

First, it was a “pan-Asian” venture, with a cast of singer-dancer-actors from different parts of the region. Second, it was a musical-drama-comedy production in the mode made freshly trendy by “Glee.”

Third, around four or five of its key players are Pinoys or Fil-Ams. Fourth, as the title indicates, the show combines storytelling and cooking—a yummy idea, but difficult to pull off well.

Potential viewing plus

Each of those key elements is a potential viewing plus. The big question is, how will they work when put together? Will they interact or counteract? Will they produce a yummy pot of pot-au-feu or an alphabet soup of good intentions but unreadable letters?

Well, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so we’ve caught the show’s first episodes to find out if “The Kitchen Musical” isn’t just palatable, but delectable. Our initial notes:

We learn that the posh Singapore restaurant that is the series’ venue and culinary battleground is the Avilon, owned by an expat whose pampered daughter (Karylle) has studied with the best and becomes quite a promising, “creative” chef. But she gets on the bad side of the Avilon “star” (Stephen Rahman Hughes), a celebrity chef known for crisply cerebral creations. Right off, one of the story’s central conflicts presents itself—plus the prospect of the hate-hate relationship becoming less acidic and more romantic as the plot unfolds.

The other principal players haven’t gone into subplots of their own, but we figure it will happen in due time, to add to the yum and hum factors.

Constricted

It’s still early days for the series, but the need for more “yumming up” is already apparent, because the show seems slightly constricted by its kitchen setting. The production tries vigorously to open up its visuals, especially in the musical numbers (around four per episode), but it still comes off as, well, constricted.

The fact that, for the most part, the show fields pretty much the same cast of characters each week isn’t as problematic, since its players are generally gifted and versatile. The actors who come off best are Hughes and Arthur Acuña as the restaurant manager.

Karylle also sings and acts well as the series’ female lead, but she occasionally makes too many “cute” or “idiosyncratic” facial expressions and reactions that indicate a degree of nervousness or skittishness. But Karylle’s singing is one of the show’s treats.

Christian Bautista is also in “The Kitchen Musical,” but, to date, his character is still playing “support.” In time, he could emerge as Hughes’ rival for Karylle’s heart, so we can better evaluate his ability to dig deeper into his role—which is still iffy.

Pinoy standout

It’s a pleasure to note that another Pinoy, Enrique Canoy, plays a smaller role but manages to stand out (there are some 10 pan-Asian or international supporting players of different hues in the cast of regulars), through sheer dint of “give” and verve.

Also a standout looker and singer is the tall and zaftig Rosemary Vandenbrouke who plays the resto’s sommelier or wine expert, and also has her sights set on Hughes’ character. She kicked butt in the first sexy musical number, so she should be given more opportunities to strut her stuff.

Less on the up-and-up, we sense that the focus on chic and trendy characters and situations, and on haute cuisine, could click with similarly disposed young-adult viewers, but could be less appealing to other members of the region’s viewing populace.

Finally, some guest players may turn out to be turn-offs rather than come-ons, like the October 22 episode’s Indian wedding planner character, who was too loud, livid and all over the place. He did steal the show, but did he have to run roughshod over everybody in the process?