By Grace Golby, Third Year, Russian and Spanish
Sweet, sour, salty… cinema? Culinary films invite us to explore how cuisine can be used as a lens, opening enriching presentations of cultural identity and human connection to offer social commentary. To inspire your autumn watchlist, à la carte, I have a line up of three culinary films, featuring chefs driven by imagination and a passion for food. Order’s up!
Chef (2014)
First up to the pass is Chef (2014), Jon Favreau’s lighthearted comedy celebrating culinary authenticity and artistry as an expression of cultural heritage, particularly in relation to the Latinx community.
At the beginning of the film, executive chef and protagonist Carl Casper works for a prestigious Los Angeles restaurant, representing the high-stakes, commercial pressures of the fine-dining industry. Frustrated with poor online reviews and a commercially-driven menu, he journeys off to reinvent himself through a new food business. ‘El Jefe’, a food truck offering Cuban cuisine in connection to his own familial roots, allows him to be ‘the boss’, and the audience is whisked away on a journey in which the nourishing element of food extends beyond the physical to both human and cultural connection. If this sounds to your tastes, this film is one to savour.
“Chef Carl Casper: I get to touch people’s lives with what I do and I love it and I want to share this with you”
The Hundred Foot Journey (2014)
For our plat principal we have The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014), directed by Lasse Hallström. This is a film centred around cultural diplomacy, with French and Indian culinary heritage entering a relationship of mutual enrichment despite differences in approach.
The film begins with the Kadam family opening a vibrant restaurant opposite a prestigious Michelin-starred establishment in France, fuelling a cultural collision. Yet, the feud gradually softens into tolerance as both sides recognise cuisine’s power to transcend cultural boundaries. Particular focus is placed upon the character of Hassan in the film, whose blending of classical French gastronomy and warm Indian cuisine in his time at both restaurants serves to symbolise progression towards cultural harmony.
This film’s display of the universality of food makes it an influential watch and the viewer is exposed to how, regardless of background, everybody has their own connection to food and by coming together culinary coexistence can be a powerful force.
“Madame Mallory: Why change a recipe that is 200 years old?
Hassan: Because, madam, maybe 200 years is long enough.”
Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)
For dessert, we have Ang Lee’s Eat Drink Man Woman (1994), a Taiwanese drama-comedy revolving around Mr Chu, a widowed chef, and his three daughters. Every Sunday evening, the family comes together to eat an elaborate meal prepared by Mr Chu. This serves as the centre point to which each character returns despite diverging storylines.
The carefully constructed dishes come to symbolise more than just food. They represent an ongoing expression of care and unity within the family; they are a place to connect and eat together, regardless of differences in struggles the characters must overcome. These difficulties range from relationship issues to loneliness to finding independence. The meals become the setting of important announcements, leaving a lot to digest in viewing the character’s pursuits of their own stability, each time they leave the table.
“Mr Chu - Eat, drink, man, woman. Basic human desires. Can’t avoid them. All my life, that’s all I’ve ever done. It pisses me off. Is that all there is to life?”
Three films and a lot to chew over. These films serve up more than cinematic charm, with food representing more than what is on the plate. Tuck in!
Featured Image: IMDb
Are there any other films that you think wet the cinematic palette?
