The Trailer for Season 6 of “Chef’s Table” Is Here

In the wake of a disappointing “pastry” iteration of Chef’s Table (which critics called out for its lack of diversity), the popular Netflix mini-documentary series is making up for its past mistakes. Season five showed a diverse group of voices, and judging from the newly released trailer for season six, this new narrative has stuck.

This upcoming season will feature four chefs: beloved Charleston chef Sean Brock, Georgia-based Mashama Bailey, India’s Asma Khan, and Italian butcher Dario Cecchin. Brock, who once appeared on an episode of Parts Unknown alongside Anthony Bourdain, has been open about his struggles with alcohol addiction, and it now looks as though he will delve further into those issues on his episode.

Meanwhile, Bailey (who is originally from New York) explores the history of segregation in Georgia, especially as it relates to her restaurant The Grey Market. In fact, this episode seems especially concerned with addressing political issues: In the trailer, Khan speaks openly about how female children are still undesirable in some parts of Indian society, and how she is now trying to bring pride to her family through her food. There’s even a moment that hints at a discussion of animal rights activism, when Cecchin describes the emotional connection he has with his cows.

The entire trailer is touching (I felt my throat get tight while watching it) and while Chef’s Table has always been about showcasing important innovators in the culinary space, this season it seems to be digging deeper than that: The trailer suggests that in season six, the show will be making the connection between food and the social problems we’re still grappling with, like sexism, addiction, and racism.

That’s a powerful message for a cooking show to run with, but it’s also a smart way to help people understand that restaurants don’t just deal with food: Many establishments (in America in particular) have a history of segregation, and a culture that sometimes promotes misogyny and drug use (at one time so prevalent, that even Anthony Bourdain addressed it). It’s high time that a show as popular as Chef’s Table openly addresses these issues.