Interview with AADA

01 Mar 2017

Derek Houck was recently interviewed by The American Academy of Dramatic Arts Academy News regarding the invasion of Amazon Prime Video by Napoleon Bon Appétit. Derek talks about the inspiration behind the series, whether there will be a third season, and more. Regarding the challenges of playing Napoleon:

The Academy: Do you and/or Katherine have any particular culinary background?

Derek: I certainly do not. Katherine was responsible for cooking all the food we used, but I don’t believe she had any special training. I also don’t speak French, and anyone who can speak French and has seen the series would certainly agree with that assertion. This naturally posed a challenge when creating the script. How do you do a cooking show with a French host when you can do neither?

My solution was to essentially make Napoleon into a culinary Charlie Chaplin. He only speaks when absolutely necessary and whenever he touches something he screws it up. It saved me from looking like a fraud and provides a lot of the comedy in the series.

You can read the full interview here: Class of 2005 Alumnus Derek Houck Conquers the Kitchen as “Napoleon Bon Appétit,” Streaming Now on Amazon