When an audience laughs loudly together and breaks out into applause at the end of a film, you know you have a silver screen winner. Such was the case at The Harbor Theatre on June 26. “Chef,” written, directed and starring Jon Favreau, rates four-forks. From beginning to end, “Chef” satisfies.

This is an extremely funny and touching film about Chef Carl Casper, a creative chef with much promise, who ends up cooking a tasty but predictable menu for Riva (Dustin Hoffman),the too hands on restaurant owner.

When the restaurant hears food critic Ramsey Michel (Oliver Platt), an original fan of Casper from his days in Miami, is coming, Carl decides to let his creative juices flow. Riva nixes the plan and Carl reluctantly prepares selections from the restaurant menu. Kitchen crew, Martin (John Leguizamo) and Tony (Bobby Cannavale) share his disappointment. They have tasted the entrees Carl prepared for Michel. 

Enter the non-human character in the film, social media. Michel’s scathing review travels fast via Twitter — something Carl knows nothing about. He is educated by his son, Percy (Emjay Anthony), but the lesson isn’t fully digested. He responds to Michel and his 100,000-plus followers!

Carl’s social media education is a slow and painful (but hysterical) process.

After insults are traded between Carl and Michel — for all the world to read (and they are reading; even Carl has tens of thousands of followers), Carl decides to prove he is not a has-been and invites Michel back to the restaurant. Riva, after quizzing Carl about the menu, issues him an ultimatum, or as Riva puts it, “What he is prepared to do,” and tells Carl he must send out a written apology to the food critic. To what is left of his integrity, Carl refuses on both counts — and walks.

Sofia Vergara plays Carl’s ex-wife and Percy’s mother, Inez. Knowing Carl as she does, she tells  him  he will never be happy working for someone else and encourages him to take her ex-husband, Marvin’s  (Robert Downey, Jr.) offer of a food truck.

Inez convinces Carl to come with her and Percy to Miami where their son will meet his grandfather — and the father and son can spend time together. In Miami, where it all began for him, Carl decides to give the truck a shot. He calls Martin at the old restaurant and tells him he has bought, with Inez’s backing, a food truck. Martin surprises Carl by coming to Miami to work for him (he’d just been promoted to sous chef). The trio, Carl, Percy and Martin head for the road back to culinary integrity, happiness, and a rockin’ good time.

“Chef’s” soundtrack sizzles as hot as the Cubano grill on the food truck. Music by Al Green, the Greenwood Rhythm Coalition, the Rebirth Brass Band, Louie Ramierez and more; from salsa to funk to blues – will have you tapping your fingers and moving to the rhythms right in your theater seat.

The relationships between the characters are fully developed in this well-written script. The emotion in scenes between Carl and Percy and with Inez, is palpable, and they are some of the highlights in the film. Another: Martin and Carl singing “Sexual Healing” while riding in the truck to Texas, or was it New Orleans? And, wait until you check out what Martin’s friend of a friend does for the food truck.

This script is one spicy recipe everyone has to try ... and then savor again, and again, and again.

“Chef,” rated R, is at The Harbor Theater now through Tuesday, July 1 with shows at 7 p.m. A 3 p.m. matinee will be shown on Sunday, June 29.

For more information, call the theatre at 207-633-0438.