Review Party Recommends: Just a Dash with Matty Matheson
We all like a good cooking show! Whether for actually learning to cook or for pure entertainment, the satisfaction of seeing a pile of ingredients turn into something beautiful and delectable is undeniably a satisfying watch, especially with a charismatic cook doing it all for you. I feel that cooking shows are at their best at the intersection of those two roads; you are being entertained while you learn, and even if you’re not planning on cooking that recipe directly, you’re learning little tips and tricks you can apply to cooking in your everyday life.
Two of my favorites are Binging with the ol’ Babby and Kenji López-Alt, the former for their fun quips and clear instructions on what you can do in each recipe to make it stand out, and the latter for the awesome in-depth look at classic recipes, some of the science behind them, all under an umbrella of a clear and pure love of cooking and food. I really love food, man.
But we’re not here to today to talk about them. As you can tell from the title, we’re here to talk about the Canadian Cooking Dynamo himself, Mr. Matthew James Matheson and his bitchin’ cooking comedy show Just a Dash. That intersection I talked about before, between learning and entertainment? Just a Dash is like a humble, broken down food truck parked permanently right on that corner, slinging no-frills and all-delicious home-style cooking, owned and operated by a guy who at first glance may look like your worst enemy in a mosh pit at the local gutter metal show, but is actually the most pleasant human being you could happen upon in this imaginary world where roads are actually entertainment. Matty has been cooking on youtube for many years, always bringing a ton of energy, joy, and humor into his broadcasted cooking exploits, but it feels like Just a Dash is his magnum opus: where it all comes together in a beautiful stew, where all those flavors are getting to know each other just right.
Most episodes play out very much like the classic 3 act play. In Act 1, the set-up, we go over what we’ll be cooking, and Matty’s mindset surrounding the recipe and himself on set that day. In Act 2, there is conflict. Matty will inevitably run into some sort of obstacle, whether its brought on by a snag in the recipe, his crew messing with him, or his own tomfoolery. That’s really where most of the fun of the show comes from, and separates it from other cooking shows. Matty’s crew is just as concerned with doing their job on set as they are with badgering and pranking him, and how Matty rolls with the punches, or doesn’t, makes the show feel real, like you’re cooking and goofing off with your buddies. It also goes a long way to add some semblance of realism to the cooking experience. Rarely when I’m cooking does the recipe go just right, rarely do I nail it on every step of the way, but this show is a testament to the fact that it doesn’t matter if you nail every part of the recipe like its right out of the book, if you put love and effort into what you’re cooking, it’s going to turn out delicious. Which brings us to Act 3, the resolution. Despite all the shenanigans that Matty has to put up with throughout the preparation of the meal, it always turns out amazing. The dish is enjoyed, much rejoicing is had, and the audience gets to leave with a satisfied smile.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the unseen, unspoken, nonetheless mischievous editor that does their part to berate and belittle Matty as he cooks. I wouldn’t call the editing style meme editing, as there aren’t many concrete internet memes to speak of, but the silly jokes and add-ins add a ton to the show, whether it’s Matty himself playing angel and devil on his own shoulder, or small text blurbs making fun of Matty’s very Canadian pronunciations, it is integral to the flavor of the show.
“Alright dude, we’ve heard enough, we want to watch the funny man cook, where should I start?” You really can’t go wrong! Go to the episode playlist and click on something that looks tasty. My two persona favorites, though, are Chicken Finger Birthday Sub ft. Chef Rang & MURDER HORNETS and Naughty or Nice Chorizo Lasagna. Chicken Finger Sub offers Matty an ally against the madness in his long time friend and mentor Chef Rang, a key and character in the Mattyverse, and the Chorizo Lasagna sees Matty at perhaps his most triumphant, redoing a recipe that he one received a lot of flack for. Both are hilarious and contain all the hallmarks of the show.
Of course, the other series on Matty’s channel are wonderful as well, but they just don’t have those levels of SPICE Just a Dash offers.
So get out there and watch some funny cooking! And cook something!
