So much of our lives revolve around food. Whether it’s a date, happy hour with friends, a hungover brunch or family dinner, a lot of our social time involves eating. In Season 2 of Aziz Ansari’s “Master of None,” food is not only a central plot point, but almost a character of its own. Scroll through to learn exactly how the food in every episode influenced Dev, Arnold, Denise and the rest of the gang.
Episode 1: “The Thief”
In a tribute to old Italian films like “The Bicycle Thief,” the premiere of Season 2 is shot in black and white and features Dev (Aziz Ansari) learning how to make pasta. It’s his self-prescribed therapy after a rough break-up with ex-girlfriend Rachel (Noel Wells). The first time we see Dev with his new Italian friends, they’re all out at a cafe, and making plans for drinks to celebrate Dev’s birthday. Our first experience with Francesca (Alessandra Mastronardi), who will later become a central character, and Pino (Riccardo Scamarcio), her soon-to-be fiance, involves a classic Italian drink: espresso.
Episode 1: “The Thief”
Later in the premiere, Dev goes to the exclusive restaurant Hosteria Giusti (this is a real place. You could go. Just book ahead …) for his solo birthday lunch. He ends up eating with Sara, who accidentally came on the wrong day of her reservation. Dev invited her to eat with him, and the two continue to hang out for the rest of the afternoon, eating ice cream and drinking wine. They hit it off but through a series of events, Dev loses her contact information, and Sara doesn’t reappear this season.
Episode 1: “The Thief”
At the end of the premiere, we have Dev’s birthday gathering with his new Italian friends. They meet at a wine bar and serve him a pie with his name on it and a single candle. The scene shows how close Dev has become not only with these new people in his life, but with the Italian culture as well.
Episode 2: “Le Nozze”
Little Bud and Big Bud are reunited in the second episode. Dev’s best friend Arnold (Eric Wareheim, who has directed 6 episodes on the series so far) comes to visit him and go to a wedding. He also lands them a reservation at the very elusive Osteria Francescana, which has long been lauded as one of the world’s best restaurants. If you’ve ever dreamt of eating hand made pasta in a room with wine bottles from floor to ceiling, well, just watching Dev and Arnold ogle over their pasta will be enjoyable.
Episode 2: “Le Nozze”
Earlier in the episode, Dev takes Arnold around Modena, to the local market and then later they grab sandwiches lunch at a cafe. These moments, with the two buds surrounded by food, include some important conversations that give insight for what’s to come in the season. They talk about girls and whether or not they enjoy being single.
Episode 2: “Le Nozze”
Arnold convinces Dev to join him at the wedding. Spoiler: it’s his ex’s wedding. When things get awkward, they leave for a pasta break. Burying emotions in food? Just one of the many things about this show that make it relatable.
Episode 3: “Religion”
By Episode 3, Dev is back in New York. The title of this episode gives away what it’s about. In the opening scene, we have a young Dev eating bacon for the first time, which leads to his decision that he won’t follow Muslim traditions when it comes to food. Later in the episode, he corrupts his younger cousin by taking him to a barbeque festival, where they gorge themselves on pork before a family dinner. Then, Dev makes things uncomfortable for his mom by ordering a pork dish. The drama over food leads to a deeper understanding between Dev and his parents.
Episode 4: “First Date”
Aziz Ansari literally wrote the book on millennial dating and this episode explores the dating app culture. Dev takes woman after woman on the same date: a wine bar close to his apartment followed by drinks on a New York rooftop. Even his Tinder pick-up line involves food: “Going to Whole Foods, want me to pick you up anything?” Some of the women he encounters seem promising, but every one leaves Dev a little unsatisfied. He’s looking for something more.
Episode 5: “The Dinner Party”
We have to mention that Dev’s current job is hosting a show called “Clash of the Cupcakes.” It seems like a pretty great gig, but Dev is still dreaming of something he’d really enjoy.
Episode 5: “The Dinner Party”
In this episode, Dev meets Chef Jeff (Bobby Cannavale), a fellow “Food TV” host of the show “Jeff’s Table.” They eat dinner at Carbone and Dev is introduced to the character’s larger-than-life, slightly off-kilter persona, which Dev will learn more about later in the season.
Episode 5: “The Dinner Party”
Halfway through the season already, and Francesca is in New York to visit. Aziz invites her to a dinner party hosted by Chef Jeff. It’s over wine that Dev loves and Francesca hates that we see the first spark of a potential romantic relationship between the two.
Episode 6: “New York I Love You”
In this episode, Dev doesn’t really eat anything, but it is worth mentioning, because it is amazing. The episode is a series of vignettes about minority service workers in New York and their very interesting lives. One of the characters is a deaf woman, and her whole section is told in silence through subtitles. Food isn’t completely absent from the episode though: the doorman helps carry in groceries, the deaf woman works at a minimart and sells a grown man a Lunchable, and the taxi driver’s night ends in an impromptu dance party at his friend’s restaurant.
Episode 7: “Door #3”
In “Door #3,” Dev is offered a contract to host the next 7 seasons of “Cupcake Wars.” He has lunch with Chef Jeff to discuss it, and he eventually pitches another idea: “Best Food Friends.” Jeff loves it, and it looks like Dev just landed his dream gig.
Episode 7: “Door #3”
This episode also explores what it’s like to date after middle age. Dev’s friend Brian (Kelvin Yu) learns that his dad is torn between two women, partially because one paramour makes a damn good stew.
Episode 8: “Thanksgiving”
This episode is one of the season’s best. It’s a stand-alone and in it we get the tale of Denise’s backstory. Dev and Denise are childhood friends who spend every Thanksgiving at Denise’s (Lena Waithe) mom’s house. The food that her mom cooks is an extension of the importance she places on family and traditions, and it’s the moment that Denise’s girlfriend Michelle (Ebony Obsidian) offers to help with dinner that Denise’s mom can fully accept that her daughter is gay. The journey is beautifully told, and the moment Denise comes out is actually over a meal at a diner, the one meal in this episode that wasn’t cooked at home.
Episode 9: “Amarsi Un Po”
“Amarsi un po” is Italian for “love each other a little.” It’s the title of a song by Italian musician Lucio Battisti that acts as the backdrop for a confused relationship to unfold between Dev and Francesca, who is visiting New York again, this time for a whole month. They hang out a few times but it’s a dinner at a crowded tapas bar that looks and feels a lot like a date that makes the wheels start to turn in both of their heads. But don’t get too excited — Francesca is engaged to Pino, which causes unaddressed sexual tension to rise.
Episode 9: “Amarsi Un Po”
It’s a few days later at a bar celebrating Pino’s birthday that the two begin to secretly flirt over text messages, sending each other kissing emojis. Francesca winks at Dev, and he’s greatly confused about what their relationship means.
Episode 9: “Amarsi Un Po”
Later, they come together at Dev’s apartment to make pasta and watch Italian movies. A snowstorm means Francesca has to sleep over, and after a wine-filled dance party they end up sleeping in the same bed after Dev admits he’s attracted to Italian women. It’s clear that they both have feelings for each other at this point. Their friendship becomes more and more strained, and as they fight, they come together less around food and more around activities.
Episode 10: “Buona Notte”
In the opening scene of the last episode, Dev and Jeff are reviewing a brothless ramen restaurant for “Best Food Friends.” TBH, that sounds delicious.
Episode 10: “Buona Notte”
It’s over drinks with a friend that Dev learns about his co-star Jeff’s history of sexual harassment.
Episode 10: “Buona Notte”
The news of Jeff’s lewdness breaks while the co-hosts are cooking paella on “Raven Live.” Everything spirals out of control from there, and Dev fears Food TV will end up cancelling “Best Food Friends.” Food, which brought Jeff and Dev together, served as the very thing over which they break apart.
Episode 10: “Buona Notte”
The very last scene involving food has Dev and Arnold at a bar, not really eating, but discussing Dev’s Francesca dilemma, showing again how often friends meet up under the premise of food or drink, even when other things prove more important.