Antonin Carême was the world’s first celebrity chef who specialised in pastry and once cooked one of history’s most extravagant meals, consisting of 100 dishes, for the Russian Tsar. Was he a spy? Probably not, but don’t let that minor historical inaccuracy spoil your enjoyment of Apple TV+’s divisive new period spy drama Carême, which is escapist TV at its best.

If you were a fan of Apple TV+’s excellent French language drama Becoming Karl Lagerfeld, about the extravagant Chanel fashion designer, Disney+'s critically acclaimed chef series, The Bear, starring Jeremy Allen White, or 2024’s two-part The Three Musketeers films, which were released in cinemas, then you’ll love this.

What is Carême about?

The premise: in post-revolutionary Paris, a young Atonin Carême is very happy making fancy nougat pyramids in his adoptive father’s patisserie, having strong opinions about what sugar should be added to whipped cream and where to place said cream. When he catches the eye (and tastebuds) of Napoleon, he’s offered a job at the famous general’s court, but turns it down. Big mistake – huge, in fact.

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careme on apple tv
Apple

His father is arrested and imprisoned, forcing Carême to form an uneasy alliance with mysterious and ambitious politician Talleyrand. Talleyrand’s deal? Carême must accept a job in the palace kitchens and act as a spy, stealing Napoleonic secrets, if his father is to be released. Oh, and did we mention that Carême has a huge vendetta against Napoleon, blaming the military leader for the death of his sisters, all while developing a simmering chemistry with Mrs Bonaparte – aka the future Empress Joséphine?

In between, there are white-knuckle kitchen moments when Carême creates icing sugar galleons, fancy cakes under flaming pyramids for his diminutive, demanding new boss – with assassination attempts thrown in for good measure. Think The Bear meets James Bond in frock coats.

Is Carême any good?

Well, you can’t please everyone, but it seems most are enjoying the Gallic (loosely) historical romp. US entertainment site Vulture said: "For light fare, an amuse-bouche, essentially, Carême gets the job done." Meanwhile The Guardian said: "Carême is a rich, moreish and knowingly indulgent treat", while Variety called it "frothy, flirty and above all fun." The Spectator, however, said it was a "confection of sex, bad history and nonsense".

careme on apple tv
Apple

Who’s in the cast of Carême?

As it’s a French language TV show, you might not be familiar with all the cast, which includes:

  • Benjamin Voisin (Summer Of 85) as Carême
  • Lyna Khoudri (The French Dispatch, The Three Musketeers) as Henriette
  • Jérémie Renier (In Bruges) as Tallyrand
  • Maud Wyler (Blue Is The Warmest Colour) as Jospehine
  • Eric Geynes (Emilia Perez, Emily In Paris) as Lord Banks Jenkinson

How can I watch Carême?

Carême was released on 30th April 2025 and is available to stream on Apple TV+. The series is eight episodes long and there are three episodes currently available to watch, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday.