The Chef is not one of the funniest of the lighter Lawman episodes but it was the hardest to find.  Thanks to Tiffany who's husband acquired this episode from a source in Australia where the first two seasons ran in the late 1990's, we finally acquired this one.  Hans the chef has been drawing a big crowd since he came to Laramie.  He's just accepted a partnership in the restaurant when Mary and Ira Young demand that he honor his contract to work for them as their private chef.  Dan helps Hans figure a way out or his contract which involves the liberal use of pepper sauce at a private dinner the Youngs put on for the governor.  The biggest weakness in this episode is that it put too much burden on John Russell to play opposite a character who went for very broad humor.  We absolutely loved J.R. but in the lighter Lawman episodes he was best staying back with an ironic comment or sardonic smile and leaving the light touch to Peter who lacked J.R.'s steely gaze but who was  a more flexible actor as shown in his later career where he fit seamlessly into the differing rhythms.of a number of genres.