Kaboul Kitchen is a French comedy television series broadcast by Canal+. It was created by Marc Victor, Allan Mauduit and Jean-Patrick Benes. The series is based on the true story of Radio France Internationale journalist Marc Victor, who ran a restaurant for French expatriates in Kabul until 2008. The first series premiered on February 15, 2012 on Canal+ and ended on March 5, 2012. It set a ratings record for comedy series in the primetime slot on Canal+. A second series, which will have 12 episodes, has been commissioned. The series depicts the life of French expatriate Jacky who runs the popular restaurant Kaboul Kitchen in Kabul, Afghanistan. His daughter Sophie, who he has not seen in 20 years, arrives to do humanitarian work, while he is interested only in making money. The series won two Golden FIPA Awards at the 2012 Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuels: one for Best TV Series and one for Best TV Screenplay. It was screened at MIPTV and named fourth on The Hollywood Reporter's list of "MIPTV A-List Projects" for the most promising series screened at the event.
3.0 / 5
Episode 1
Jacky's daughter arrives in Kaboul. She wants to do humanitarian work, but he wants her back on the plane...
Episode 2
Jacky's fundamentalist neighbour is outraged by what's going on at the Kabul Kitchen and gets him embroiled in a long argument with the Afghan authorities. Sophie plans to open a school for girls.
Episode 3
Jacky's having trouble sourcing alcohol. Relations with his regular suppliers are rather tense and he has serious doubts about the seemingly easy solution that Colonel Amanullah offers by way of help.
Episode 4
When Jacky is seduced by a customer, it may have serious financial consequences for the restaurant. Sophie contacts election candidate Hamida about opening her girls' school in a poor neighbourhood.
Episode 5
When rockets hit Kabul and the restaurant is UN blacklisted, profits take a hit so Jacky hires some mercenaries. What could possibly go wrong? Sophie wants Axel's help with the girls' school campaign.
Episode 6
Colonel Amanullah asks Jacky to hide his mistress Djamila when she is discovered by his wives, but Sophie objects to Djamila's confinement in her room. Then Jacky finds himself arrested for procuring.
Episode 7
Sophie wants to return to France after the opening of her girls' school gets no publicity and few pupils turn up. Jacky fears he has cancer, but is hesitant about being treated in an Afghan hospital.
Episode 8
Amanullah is inspired to improve his media profile when BBC reporter Nigel, an associate of Jacky, turns up. But Jacky doesn't want a journalist uncovering his connection to the drug lord colonel.
Episode 9
Outraged by Nigel's report, in which Jacky's lifestyle is exposed, Sophie's mother Martine rushes to Kabul to ask for the child support she never received and hires an Afghan lawyer to represent her.
Episode 10
When the daughter of Hakim, Kabul Kitchen's cook, leaves the country with help from a German NGO, he turns to religion and coaxes his workmates to adhere to strict Muslim precepts, threatening profits.
Episode 11
On election day, Jacky threatens Amanullah over the Halli brothers' deaths. Sophie is delighted to get a job at Kabul's new humanitarian association. Westerners are threatened as riots shake the city.
Episode 12
Jacky manages to get his customers evacuated from the bar - after they've paid, of course. Amanullah and Axel try to find Sophie, who's been kidnapped. Damien wants to send the riot photos to France.
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