A growing appetite
Interest in the culinary arts has never been stronger in our society, both in private life (after all, it’s one of our basic needs!) and in the public sphere.
For the past ten years, this public space has been teeming with publications aimed both at beginners looking to move beyond boxed macaroni and cheese and at discerning gourmets.
Television hasn’t been left behind either, offering a wide array of cooking shows and series that explore the culinary world in all its facets. Careers in the kitchen are once again in the spotlight, much to the delight of chefs and viewers alike.
Whether the goal is educational or outright whimsical (think of the series Nailed It! on Netflix, where contestants with little culinary skill must tackle impossibly complex desserts), this culinary enthusiasm shows no signs of slowing down.
Action!
References to food are also plentiful in cinema. Many films use food as a metaphor for life, as a backdrop, or simply as an excuse for comedy. Here’s a glance at three very different films among the many choices.
Le Grand Restaurant (1966)
In this film, actor Louis de Funès plays Monsieur Septime, owner of the French gourmet restaurant Chez Septime. It’s more of a situational comedy than a culinary film, but the restaurant staff, under the rule of their almost dictatorial boss, are wonderfully eccentric.
Highlights include the tipsy sommelier who guards the wine stock a little too zealously and the head chef, the only one capable of standing up to Monsieur Septime. The scene where the potato soufflé is described in German is absolutely hilarious!
Super Size Me (2004)
This documentary examines the effects of fast food on the human body. To make the message even more striking, director Morgan Spurlock undertakes a truly unusual “diet”: for one month, he ate all three daily meals exclusively at McDonald’s.
He traveled across the U.S., meeting specialists and ordinary people alike, while being monitored by doctors and nutritionists throughout the experiment. The results were alarming—he gained 11 kg (over 20 pounds) in just one month, causing serious health problems. It took him several months to return to his initial condition.
Ratatouille (2007)
Discover the poetry of French cuisine through the adventures of a charming little rat. Remy, the main character, dreams of being recognized as a chef and has an extraordinary talent for combining flavors. He teams up with a clumsy young cook, Alfredo Linguini, at Paris’ most prestigious restaurant, Chez Gusteau.
One of the film’s most memorable scenes shows a food critic transported by memories when tasting Remy’s ratatouille. Even the villain can’t resist the delicious dish! The filmmakers are right—flavors can indeed trigger long-lost memories.
A taste of more
This brief exploration of cinema and gastronomy is just a small sample. Here are more films to whet your appetite:
- Babette’s Feast (1987)
- La Grande Bouffe (1973)
- Julie & Julia (2009)
- Vatel (2000)
- Comme un chef (2012)
- The Lunchbox (2013)
- The Scent of Green Papaya (1993)
- The Decline of the American Empire (1987), for its many kitchen scenes in a modest chalet
Have any films or particular scenes made you laugh, touched you, or made you salivate? Feel free to share your culinary favorites from the silver screen! Cheers!
