The Return of Chef

South Park (season 10)
List of South Park episodes

"The Return of Chef" is the first episode of the tenth season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 140th episode overall. It first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on March 22, 2006. It was advertised as the tenth season premiere. The episode was the first after the departure of Isaac Hayes, who voiced Chef. Hayes, a Scientologist, left after a falling-out with the creators over their treatment of Scientology in the episode "Trapped in the Closet." Scientology has been accused of using brainwashing techniques, and the episode portrays Chef as having been brainwashed.

"There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins," Hayes was quoted as saying in a press statement. The statement, however, did not directly mention Scientology. A response from South Park's co-creator Matt Stone said that Hayes' complaints stemmed from the show's criticism of Scientology and that he "has no problem – and he's cashed plenty of checks – with our show making fun of Christians, Muslims, Mormons, or Jews." Stone adds, " never heard a peep out of Isaac in any way until we did Scientology. He wants a different standard for religions other than his own, and to me, that is where intolerance and bigotry begins."

During the episode, Chef is voiced by Hayes from splices of archived recordings. This is purposely made obvious at points and noticeably dialed back when Chef is "cured".