The Next Thing You Eat Hulu Show Summary written by the Spencer Brothers on 11/5/2021. This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
Show Information
Show Title: The Next Thing You Eat
Presenter: David Chang
Genre: Documentary, Food
Release Date: October 21st, 2021
Streaming Service: Hulu
Topics: Nutrition, Future of Food, Sustainability, Restaurants
The Next Thing You Eat Hulu Show – Episode Summaries
Episode 1: Delivery: Rise of the Machine Summary
2020 and 2021 have shown a great need for delivery services. With this comes new technology as well as new problems. David and his team take a look at all aspects of delivery with a special focus on how it will affect dining and restaurants in the future. Some technology seen in this episode seems to have come straight out of the Jetsons, but is already active in some stores across America. With that said, they also show the human side of this technology as many delvivery drivers are receiving very little money and sometimes even losing money on deliveries.
The episode begins with the idea that all chefs could be replaced and automated by digital chefs. Despite how unlikely this sounds, robots like the burger flipper as well as a taste analyzer, that future may not be as far as it seems. They also discuss how some restaurants may become kitchen-only restaurants that only offer delivery.
Episode 2: Burgers: Balanced Diet Summary
Beef is becoming a hot topic in today’s culture. From the results of bad cow farming greatly contributing to the current climate crisis to the reality that beef is not a sustainable meat on the current scale, David dives into how these problems with effect the loved burger. They dive into the history of the scalability of burgers in the world. This mainly focusses on McDonalds and how Ray Kroc led to the burger boom that we are currently experiencing.
This episode provides an interesting look at a production model of cow farming that is sustainable and actually very eco friendly. It has the downsides of not being able to produce as much cattle but produces less carbon dioxide damage than some production of plant-based proteins (such as some spy, corns and beans). Overall, this episode provides a lot of food for thought (literally) and empowers the viewer to make choices that will encourage climate recovery and sustainable meat farming.
Episode 3: Restaurants: A Reckoning Summary
David shows how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the restaurant business in predictable ways, but also shows how it needs to return in order to thrive. They do this by following a few restaurant owners (including David himself) who tell their story over the last two-ish years.
An interesting take in this episode is David’s focus on recalibrating the restaurant by creating a more equitable restaurant culture. They discuss the undervaluation of food in general as well as the people behind it (chefs, waiters and cleaners). The pandemic caused many chefs to question whether or not they desire to stay in the kitchen or strive for something more and better. This epsiode is a great behind the scenes look at restaurants look like and show the viewer how to further appreciate and support the restaurant industry and its workers.
Episode 4: Breakfast: An Illussion of Choice Summary
Over the last few years in America, lunches and dinners have become much more diverse. It is not uncommon to have several different cultural options, such as, Chinese, Mexican, Vietnamese, Mediterranean, etc. David and the crew dive into the intriguing fact that this has not affected the All-American Breakfast. In other cultures, a bowl of noodles is as common as a bowl of cereal for breakfast. They wanted to look at why.
After researching quite a bit into the breakfast world, they see a pattern of fantastic marketing for some of the biggest brands and how this has affecting our views of breakfast. This is no more true than in the world of cereal, which is effectively processed sugar oats. Despite this, many Americans still believe this is a normal, healthy way to begin the day. This episode was really interesting and a great call for diversity in the first meal of the day.
Episode 5: Sushi: Say Goodbye Summary
With the modern’s world focus on sustainability, David looks at the effects of sushi on the fish population of the world. Unfortunately, much of the world is being over-fished, which is causing the extinction of many species of fish. In the future, this will greatly limit that types of sushi available to the world.
In a surprising look at the origin of sushi in the western world, David dives into the cult-like organization known as the Unification Church. This church, whose goals are a bit suspicious, was greatly involved in the popularization of sushi into western culture. This deep dive into the cultural movement and effects of sushi in our world was very entertaining and educational, even if it isn’t necessarily good news.
Episode 6: 2050: Look Ahead Summary
In the most harrowing episode of the series, David jumps to the year 2050 and examines the potential future of food. Although sometimes quite depreessing or gross, this is by far the most interesting episode as he imagines what happens when the population overtakes the amount of protein the world can produce. From eating bugs to reimagining modern classics, David takes a dive into alternative sources for protein that will help the future of mankind.
One of the more fascinating portions of this epsiode discuss the new farming techniques that maximize space and resources. This was expressed most through the concept of vertical farming. This show a warehouse of sorts that take large plots of produce that can be moved, stored, and harvested using a minimal amount of space. Although harrowing at some points, this episode is an important and needed reminder about the future of our planet and what we can do to support it.
The Next Thing You Eat Hulu Show Quotes
“A great burger is about balance…The Juxtaposition of it is what makes it delicious.”
“Modern companies are trying to come up with the new technology to replace beef. This is turning to an even more ancient technology”
“We need to eat less meat. It needs to be something that should be celebrated over that is coming from people that are growing it the right way.”
“You’re not just cooking for perfect seasoning. You’re cooking to share a story with someone, share some nostalgia.”
“Not all farming is bad, but I do think it’s important that it’s done in the right way.”
-The Next Thing You Eat, Hulu
Thanks for reading The Next Thing You Eat Hulu Show Summary and review. Please check out our other posts for more One Life Food content.
–Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition
–3 Healthy Salad Alternatives + Full Recipes
–Coconut Oil Unrefined vs Refined
One Life Food and this The Next Thing You Eat Hulu Summary use affiliate links. We only link products we think you’ll like and you are never charged extra for them. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. We also use cookies to gather analytics and present advertisements. This allows us to keep writing delicious recipes as well as out nutrition education. To find more recipes and Nutrition information, you can follow us on Pinterest.