Cooking is an integral part of human culture. Different societies throughout history have been defined by their ability to prepare a unique and complex dish. From the comfort of Italian cuisine, to the complexity of French cooking, the ability to prepare a good meal is a much desired skill. Some call cooking an exact science, to some, it is an art. And to filmmakers, it is a powerful tool for storytelling. In this article, we would like to go over a few of the best films that revolve around cooking.
The Big Night (1996)
Big Night might just be one of the most celebrated cooking films of the 20th century. It still remains a classic in the genre, if we can call it a genre. The story revolves around two Italian brothers, called Primo and Secondo, whose New Jersey-based restaurant “Paradise,” is facing quite a lot of trouble. New Jersey is a city famous for many things. It has a vibrant iGaming industry, with some of the finest online casinos. The Jersey Shore was and still is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the USA. And of course, New Jersey also has some of the finest restaurants in the country, owing to the high density of Italian population.
So, the city is the perfect place to set a film like this. In order to save their restaurant from demise, the two brothers attempt to bring in a famous singer, Louis Prima. To accompany the singer, they serve timballo, a popular Italian pasta dish. However, when it is revealed that Louis Prima’s appearance was all a ruse by a jealous rival, the two brothers must rely entirely on their cooking skills to save their restaurant. Thrilling, engaging, and most importantly, fun, the Big Night is a classic that any fan of cooking should check out.
Chef (2014)
Often times, films will use forms of artistic expression as a stand-in for filmmaking. Such is the case with Jon Favreau’s 2014 comedy film, Chef. After facing negative reviews, the head chef of a fancy restaurant quits his job and looks for creative ways to express himself. His journey takes him to a used car salesman, who sells him a food truck. While the endeavor sets him back, Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) is not discouraged. He builds his career back from the ground up, ultimately getting recognition from the critic who previously denigrated him.
One could see how this film relates to Jon Favreau’s own frustrations with filmmaking. Chef itself is clearly a labor of love, which is likely the reason it was such a sleeper hit. However, Chef wouldn’t be the last time that a cooking movie serves as a vehicle to critique the film industry. Which brings us to our next installment.
The Menu (2022)
The most recent addition to our list, the Menu is a 2022 film directed by Mark Mylod, and starring Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Nicholas Hoult. Set on an island-restaurant, a famous Czech-American Chef, Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) hosts a dinner party that his guests won’t soon forget. Combining elements of suspense thriller, horror, and even black comedy, the film manages to build up quite an impressive atmosphere. All the while, it never loses site of the importance of artistry when it comes to cooking.
The Menu is a fantastic new addition to the “genre” of cooking films, and another movie that uses gastronomy as a tool to parody, criticize, and celebrate the film industry. Fans of thrillers, horror, or black comedy should really give this one a watch.
Ratatouille (2007)
Many consider Ratatouille to be Pixar’s finest hour. And indeed, the film is a classic of animation. It centers around a blue rat, named Remy, who unlike his brethren has an incredible pallet. Naturally, this sets Remy apart from his peers, as he has a dream to one day become a chef. Infiltrating a restaurant and forming an alliance with an incompetent young man, Linguini, Remy gets to pursue his dream in one of the food capitals of the world – Paris, France.
In 2007, Ratatouille was nominated for the Best Animated Feature of the Year by the Academy, and won the title. Today, it is still fondly remembered as a classic, not just of animation, but of cinema in general. Anyone who enjoys cooking or cartoons, ought to check this one out.