Carême tells the story of a young cook named Carême Marie-Antoine (Benjamin Voisin). Along with his father and a host of hardworking cooks, they host Napoleon Bonaparte and his company one night. Hours later, Carême goes from criticizing a roasted pig to saving Napoleon’s life. Thinking nothing of the matter, he’s requested to work for Napoleon in the Tuileries the following day. His disposition for Bonaparte wouldn’t allow him to accept, and his rejection caused a chain reaction that immediately changed his life, starting with the arrest of his father Bailly (Vincent Schmitt).
After his father’s arrest, he’s told to seek the help of Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (Jérémie Renier), who aims to be Bonaparte’s Minister of Foreign Relations. Dangling the possibility of knowing Bailly’s whereabouts and seeing the ministry role within his grasp, he leans on Carême to stay privy to information that would help him see his plans to fruition.
The series is the latest in French programming from Apple TV+, which includes: La Maison, where high fashion meets high drama in a behind-the-curtain look at an iconic French haute couture house; Liaison, a high-stakes, thriller exploring how the mistakes of our past have the potential to destroy our future; and Drops of God, inspired by the bestselling manga from award-winning Tadashi Agi and Shu Okimoto.
This erotic, historical thriller is based on the world’s first celebrity chef, Marie Antoine-Carême. He was abandoned during the French Revolution and adopted by Bailly, a baker who owned a shop in an affluent area of Paris. As you’ll see in the series, Carême is a baker and chef who thought outside the box. Not only did he construct cakes into pyramids and conjure various flavors from mere vegetables, but he knew which foods could be used as medicine, some even as analgesics. As heavy as the plot is with food, they left plenty of room for eroticism and drama.
Since your cuisine brought peace, now you believe that your c*ck may save divorce?”
Talleyrand to Carême
These updated period pieces are much more enjoyable than the ones before. Audiences of various backgrounds would be enthralled by the pomp and circumstance, but grow weary of the hatred and vile habits of the white patriarchy. While purists may complain of historical accuracy, these stories are fictional but based on real events and characters. So in the world of Carême, it’s possible to have a Black lieutenant approach him on behalf of Napoleon, an Asian violinist play at a masquerade, or see melaninated people walking about town. It’s these finer details that make the big difference.
This series has it all. Love stories, ludicrous political stances, and suspense that lies around every corner. It’s both sexy and delicious, with each episode balancing tensions, intelligence, and, of course, sexual innuendo. The series opens to a sex scene in a pantry where Bailly intrudes on his son’s parade. His reaction wasn’t one of shock or disappointment, but one of urgency since there’s work to be done. Carême’s love interest, Henriette (Lyna Khoudri), will play an important role as the series continues and lines are drawn. Remember, this is during the time of Napoleon, and not everyone agreed with his stances (some more extreme than others).
The French language drama is intriguing and loaded with uncertainty. The three major figureheads are Carême, Talleyrand, and Napoleon. As much as the future of France lies in the balance, Carême’s entire world exists in his father. This is a great series that didn’t have predictability written around every corner. Other great performances came from Alice Da Luz, Maud Wyler, and Micha Lescot.
Carême earns a 9 out of 10. The series is mesmerizing with its colors, pageantry, and diverse cast of characters—no two are the same. This very adult, very authentic French drama isn’t rated, but it has all the makings of a TV-MA product. It’s available in French with English subtitles, English dubbing, and audio description for the visually impaired.
Carême premieres on Apple TV+ on Wednesday, April 30, with two episodes. Weekly episodes will run every Wednesday until the finale on June 11.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of Apple TV
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: Eight Episodes | 43 mins.
Trailer: Watch
U.S. Release Date: April 30, 2025