I think they were sort of poking fun at the food industry, particularly the high end food industry. There was a bit of reverence there and the film makes clear that there is a love of food happening, but it also has the underground fight club, because as you say, chefs are often dick heads, but then there is also that conversation in the restaurant where Robin tells chef Finway, "Why do you care? These people don't know you, they don't want to know you, and they don't care about you." I think Robin is basically telling him, don't take yourself so seriously, these people don't give a shit about you. That statement is juxtaposed later in the film when Robin tells Amir's dad, "I remember every meal I ever cooked. I remember ever person I ever served." I don't quite understand how these two statements relate to one another but I know they do.
