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| ‘Made with Love’ Review: Netflix Serves a Comforting Culinary Romance That Knows Exactly What It’s Doing. (Credits: Netflix) |
‘Made with Love’ (2026) arrives on Netflix with the confidence of a dish that doesn’t need over-plating to impress. This Indonesian romantic dramedy, originally titled Luka, Makan, Cinta, cuts straight to the heat of the kitchen and the mess of human relationships, blending both into something unexpectedly satisfying. It’s not trying to reinvent the genre. It’s simply trying to get it right — and more often than not, it does.
Premiering globally on 15 April 2026, the eight-episode series follows Luka, played by Mawar Eva de Jongh, a fiercely driven young chef suddenly tasked with saving her family’s struggling restaurant, Umah Rasa.
Enter Dennis, portrayed by Deva Mahenra, a talented newcomer with just enough charm to be annoying and just enough skill to be indispensable.
Their dynamic starts off exactly how you’d expect — tense, competitive, mildly hostile — before predictably simmering into something softer, warmer, and, yes, romantic.
What makes Made with Love click is its refusal to drown in clichés, even as it happily borrows from them. The setup is familiar, but the execution feels deliberate.
Director Teddy Soeria Atmadja, who also produces alongside Musa Tambunan and Ruly Sjafri, keeps the pacing tight and the tone balanced. The drama never tips into melodrama, and the comedy doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s a careful dance, and the series knows when to step forward and when to hold back.
The kitchen sequences are where the show finds its rhythm. There’s an obvious nod to the high-pressure chaos seen in The Bear, but Made with Love opts for a gentler approach.
The camera lingers on textures, colours, and movement — the slicing, the simmering, the plating — with a kind of quiet admiration. It’s less about stress, more about craft. You might not feel overwhelmed, but you will feel hungry.
Narratively, the show thrives on its ensemble. Beyond Mawar Eva de Jongh and Deva Mahenra, the supporting cast — including Sha Ine Febriyanti, Adipati Dolken, and Asmara Abigail — are given enough space to matter.
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Characters aren’t reduced to narrative tools; they’re allowed contradictions, growth, and, occasionally, redemption. No one is entirely right or wrong, which gives the story a layer of emotional honesty that elevates it above standard romantic fare.
The writing, notably, avoids the trap of turning conflict into spectacle. Instead, it treats tension as something lived-in. Luka’s struggle to uphold her family legacy feels grounded, not exaggerated.
Dennis isn’t a convenient love interest; he’s a disruption, then a partner, then something more complicated. Their relationship evolves with a natural awkwardness that feels earned rather than scripted.
Technically, the series is polished without being flashy. The food styling is meticulous, the cinematography warm and inviting, and the soundtrack — with a particularly memorable opening tied to Ardhito’s voice — does a lot of heavy lifting in setting the mood. It’s the kind of scoring that quietly embeds itself in your memory without demanding attention.
As for the ending, Made with Love doesn’t go for grand twists or dramatic upheaval. Instead, it opts for resolution that feels consistent with its tone.
Luka finds her footing not just as a chef, but as someone willing to share the burden rather than carry it alone. Her relationship with Dennis lands in a place that feels hopeful without being overly neat.
The restaurant, Umah Rasa, becomes less of a battleground and more of a shared space — which, in many ways, is the point.
Online reactions have been predictably mixed, though leaning positive. Some viewers praise its “feel-good but not shallow” approach, calling it a rare Indonesian series that gets both romance and culinary storytelling right.
Others, particularly those expecting something more intense or groundbreaking, find it a touch too safe.
There’s also been chatter comparing it to international kitchen dramas, though most agree the lighter tone works in its favour. Not every series needs to leave you emotionally drained to be effective.
Ultimately, Made with Love is exactly what it claims to be: a well-crafted, emotionally grounded romantic drama with a culinary twist. It doesn’t shout for attention. It earns it quietly, episode by episode, dish by dish.
Now it’s over to you — did the Luka and Dennis dynamic win you over, or were you left wanting a bit more bite?