Customer Reviews

"Thank you for this documentary- so thorough and done so well."

"“I Bid You Peace,” a documentary series on Jeff Smith (‘The Frugal Gourmet’), was a complete education for me. Having ZERO prior knowledge of his shows or scandals, I was captivated from start to finish. The filmmakers deserve immense praise for crafting a narrative that feels profoundly fair to the (too fair?). They present his role in popularizing culinary education and his fall from grace with equal clarity, ensuring the viewer comprehends the totality of his life. It would be easy to make him an evil caricature; they do not. For me, what elevated the series from great to exceptional was the astounding level of access. They managed to secure perspectives from every facet of Smith’s life and career! This includes friends, staff..victims..all speaking openly about their experiences. Such candid participation on these topics is a testament to the trust and careful approach of the filmmaking team. I strongly recommend this thought-provoking series to all."

"I think there were some technical difficulties in which the volume of speech was not always constant and you'd have to turn the volume up to understand what people were saying and then the next person would come on and blow your ears out. I think the documentary was at least average, and many people don't understand how a star rating works A three star rating is average and that's what I'm going to give it"

"Another “gut punch” from a celebrity we ignorantly put on a pedestal. And I am so sad for the victims. The movie itself probably could be condensed down. The professor from Colorado was helpful."

"Well done, but too long - it's been such a long time since this happened."

"One of the best documentaries I’ve seen in a long time. Definitely disturbing in parts, but also very human."

"A well-made film, very much worth watching. Would have been curious to know more about Smith's sons and their relationship as he aged. I assume they didn't want to be part of the documentary for reasons."

"I grew up watching The Frugal Gourmet when I was a teenager in Chicago. At the outset I will say that he shaped my appreciation for cooking and the history of food, so I have a favorable bias towards him. What I liked about the docuseries was that it presented both sides of all of Jeff Smith’s issues and it did not lean one way, it was presented in a very fair and unbiased way. What I really liked was in the 5th episode where the rationalization between personal and professional good/bad are discussed. What I didn’t like is minor and more of a person preference. I know some reviews have said the docuseries was too long at 5 parts, however I think the opposite. I think there were a few things that were glossed over or could have been expanded upon. I would have also like to know if anyone else was contacted and declined to be interviewed, such as Craig Wollam, his first on-air chef. Again, these are minor quibbles and nothing that detracts from the series. Highly recommended!"

"Well done documentary. What a crazy story. Watched it all in one sitting, so there goes Thursday!!"

"Informative, however, could’ve been reduced to a single two hour documentary. I feel the five episodes was to justify the $20 price tag."

"What an interesting deep dive into the Furgal Gourmet. In the 5-part series you have told a wonderful story of a very complex individual and provided rich background before he became a TV celebrity. Weaving the personal recollections with articles and cuts from the TV show make this an entertaining and thought provoking documentary. I commend Chris Johnson for taking on such a complex subject and treating it with balance and insight. It is an adult subject matter, but a story that must be told. Growing up in Chicago and being an avid watcher of the show as a newly married couple the cooking lessons provided by Jeff were invaluable. By pulling together background on Jeff's early years and what may have gone on off camera the 5 episodes paint a picture of an individual that was both loved and hated, and in all likelihood tormented with his personal demons. Chris congratulations on a great piece of work."

"It certainly thorough. But this story could have been told at half the time, maybe less. In fact, I would have paid more for the two hour version. At times I felt like every single second of each of the interviews was used at some point in the documentary."