The Best Movies About Cooking

As a food enthusiast and film critic with over two decades of experience under my belt, I can confidently say that these films not only tantalize our taste buds but also provide a rich tapestry of culinary stories that resonate deeply with me. From the passionate chef seeking redemption in “Chef” to the poisonous love affair in “Phantom Thread”, each film offers a unique perspective on the world of food and cooking.

Enjoying a meal prepared with affection cannot be surpassed. Yet, an equally delightful alternative might be observing its preparation – particularly when skillfully filmed by a renowned director, using exquisite lighting, and guided by a food stylist subtly present behind the scenes.

Food movies are great, but cooking movies are divine, and this list focuses on the latter category. That may sound oddly specific, but this list would be endless if we included all movies about food. Entire pieces can—and have—been written on the suggestive use of food in Luca Guadagnino’s films alone. Montages have been cut of Brad Pitt snacking in nearly every movie he’s ever made. The steak scene in The Matrix, the chocolate cake scene in Matilda, the orange peel scene in The Godfather—all iconic, but more focused on the indulgent act of consumption rather than the gift of nourishing another person.

The act of cooking, specifically, holds a special place in cinema. Preparing a meal for a loved one is an act of service, for some the ultimate expression of love. The process involves care, precision, and creativity. A complex relationship between the feeder and the fed can be deftly communicated by the camera without a whisper of dialogue.

Several movies on this compilation focus on the culinary world, with characters like Remy from Ratatouille, Primo and Secondo from Big Night, and Carl Casper from Chef serving as our main protagonists who are professional cooks. Additionally, there are films that include a standout cooking scene that left such an impression that they had to be included: Annie making just one cupcake in Bridesmaids, Paulie using a razor blade to slice garlic in Goodfellas, and the climactic cooking sequence in Phantom Thread.

In this collection, you’ll find some top-notch films about cooking, without any specific ranking. To fully enjoy them, it would be best to have a delicious meal prepared beforehand, as you might feel quite hungry by the time the ending credits appear.

Ratatouille (2007)

Absolutely! One of the best movies depicting haute cuisine is surprisingly an animated film. Given that Thomas Keller, a renowned chef, was involved as a consultant on Pixar’s beloved film “Ratatouille”, it’s not surprising that every minute detail of cooking in a French restaurant, from the copper pots to the chefs rolling up their sleeves, is spot on. The story, directed by Brad Bird, revolves around Remy, a rat with exceptional taste in food, who aspires to be a chef but causes panic whenever he ventures into the kitchen. The underlying theme – even a rat can cook – will tug at your heartstrings. However, it’s the movie’s iconic finale, where a specific diner experiences a Proustian moment while tasting Remy the Rat’s culinary creation, that shows Bird truly appreciates food’s ability to stir memories, emotions, and empathy.

Review: Savoring Pixar’s Ratatouille

Big Night (1996)

The cinematic charm of “Big Night” is indeed substantial, boasting an impressive ensemble cast that includes Stanley Tucci, Tony Shalhoub, Isabella Rossellini, Minnie Driver, Allison Janney, and even Marc Anthony. Yet, the narrative appears to revolve around seemingly modest circumstances: two Italian brothers have established a restaurant in America, but their clientele struggle to appreciate their culinary delights. Facing financial difficulties, they have one chance to impress a renowned guest and save their business. Directed by Tucci himself, the movie takes a broader philosophical turn, delving into the enigmatic nature of the American dream. As the film reaches its climax, it delicately slows down to relish each course, from primi to secondi, offering a glimpse into this grand feast. Tucci and Shalhoub display remarkable skill in their kitchen roles; it’s no wonder Tucci became the beloved Internet cooking sensation. Viewing this movie is akin to attending an unforgettable, chaotic, yet charming dinner party.

Tampopo (1985)

In simpler terms, Juzo Itami’s film “Tampopo” is a humorous Japanese production that showcases various scenes about eating, cooking, and even intimate moments involving food, such as a suave gangster and his partner. The movie starts with a ramen connoisseur teaching an apprentice (Ken Watanabe at a younger age), “As you slurp the noodles, gaze fondly at the pork.” This whimsical scene sets the stage for a film that both humorously criticizes food enthusiasts (before the term was coined) and appreciates the unique food preferences of its characters. For instance, an office worker humiliates his superiors with his wine knowledge, a grocer pursues an elderly woman who spoils his produce by squeezing fruits to check freshness, and a grown-up gives an ice cream to a child forbidden from consuming sugar. The main narrative revolves around Tampopo (Nobuko Miyamoto), a ramen chef yearning to perfect her broth. A truck driver with a cowboy hat, who is also an expert on the cuisine, guides her, making her carry a heavy pot filled with broth and run like Rocky. Despite its unexpected detours, the film endures due to its recurring themes of resilience and triumph. In essence, “Tampopo” is one of the finest food-themed movies ever created.

The Taste of Things (2023)

In the opening 40 minutes of “The Taste of Things“, the story is centered around the preparation and consumption of a meal, set in France during 1889. Unlike today’s quick microwave meals, every action takes time – digging up vegetables, filleting fish, drawing water from a well. The protagonist, Eugénie (played by Juliette Binoche), prepares an elaborate feast for her employer and occasional lover, Dodin (Benoît Magimel). This group of gourmands often engage in friendly cooking competitions at each other’s elegant homes. Throughout the years, Dodin has attempted to persuade Eugénie to marry him, but she is apprehensive about losing her identity as the household cook if she does so. The film’s director, Tran Anh Hung (who won the Best Director award at Cannes), preferred extended shots of Binoche and Magimel working meticulously with their hands. He did not utilize doubles but instead had a professional chef provide instructions to the actors off-camera. As a result, the scenes are characterized by long takes, punctuated only by the sounds of simmering stews or knives clicking against cutting boards. The viewers leave the movie with newfound respect for the labor involved in making even a simple dish back then – and possibly a yearning for the film’s spectacular baked Alaska.

Review: The Taste of Things Is a Gorgeous Movie About Food, Love, and Sensory Pleasures

Babette’s Feast (1987)

In this Danish film that won an Oscar, titled “Babette,” a chef named Babette escapes turmoil in France and takes up work for two devout sisters who are leaders of a religious community in Denmark during the 19th century. The townsfolk view food primarily as nourishment rather than indulgence, and for more than a decade, Babette faithfully prepares an unremarkable bread soup according to the sisters’ instructions. However, when Babette surprisingly inherits wealth, she demands to prepare a “true French dinner” for her employers and their companions. The attendees are treated to foie gras, truffles, and a rum-soaked sponge cake, indulging in an experience of such exquisite pleasure that they respond with hushed reverence. Through this extraordinary meal, they discover the divine potential of fine dining.

Review: Dining Well Is the Best Revenge in Babette’s Feast

Bridesmaids (2011)

Paul Feig’s movie Bridesmaids is often fondly recalled for various scenes, such as Kristen Wiig getting drunk on a plane, Jon Hamm’s awkward sexual encounter, or Maya Rudolph using a wedding dress in an unexpected way. However, the scene that leaves the deepest impression on me occurs halfway through the film. In this scene, Annie, played by Wiig, who has closed her bakery and is still grappling with the loss of a business deeply meaningful to her, goes through the laborious process of baking and decorating an intricate cupcake. She then consumes it alone at her counter. This sequence offers viewers a glimpse into Annie’s loss and her untapped potential for recovery. It also encapsulates the unique joy of cooking or baking for oneself and savouring the results in your own kitchen.

Review: Bridesmaids: Kristin Wiig’s Merry Band of Party Poopers

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

In Studio Ghibli movies, food is deliciously presented in anime style. However, one of the most significant portrayals of cooking among Hayao Miyazaki’s works is found in “Howl’s Moving Castle.” As a cleaner in the moving castle belonging to the titular wizard, the protagonist Sophie coerces the fire demon Calcifer into preparing breakfast. Despite his objections (“I don’t cook! I’m a fearsome and powerful fire demon!”), he reluctantly helps. Later, Howl, a mysterious sorcerer, takes over the cooking from Sophie, frying bacon and feeding eggshells to Calcifier who enjoys them. This is Sophie’s initial encounter with Howl. The thoughtfulness in Howl’s cooking, including ensuring the fire was properly fed, immediately endears him to Sophie and the audience. In fact, our feelings for him soften significantly. It’s also worth mentioning Miyazaki’s enchanting short film “Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess,” which features a beautiful yet unsettling scene of a witch kneading dough that later comes alive. Unfortunately, this masterpiece can only be viewed at the Ghibli museum in Tokyo at present.

The Lunchbox (2013)

In Mumbai daily, an unlabeled team of approximately 5,000 white-coated individuals known as dabbawalas transport tens of thousands of lunchboxes from kitchens to office workers, delivering them to the right locations with astounding accuracy (nearly every time). Researchers at Harvard Business School have analyzed this process. The movie “The Lunchbox” focuses on a rare instance where a meal was delivered to the wrong person – a lonely housewife named Ila sent her lunch to her neglectful husband, but it ended up on the desk of a retired office worker, Mr. Fernandez. He wrote her a note, she responded, and an unexpected romance blossomed. When Ila’s food stopped being delivered to her husband’s workplace, he didn’t notice any difference. For Mr. Fernandez, Ila was someone who not only appreciated the culinary arts but also referred to as having “magic hands.” Ila frequently expressed her emotions through her cooking, adding spices as she tested the waters of this new correspondence and expressing her anger in subtle ways. In essence, food served as a means of communication.

Goodfellas (1990)

A review of cooking in film would not be complete without the infamous scene of the gangster Paulie cutting garlic with a razor while cooking an Italian feast in prison in Martin Scorsese’s iconic film Goodfellas. Paulie (played by Paul Cicero) deploys this technique because, he claims, the garlic will melt away in the pan when sliced thin and disappear into the sauce. As a garlic lover, I question why any cook would want garlic to disappear. But the precise slices suggest that Paulie possesses the meticulousness that aided old school mobsters in tasks like buying bodies where nobody could find them or keeping track of drug shipments. It’s a characteristic that the film’s young protagonist, Ray Liotta’s Henry Hill, ought to have cultivated. Paulie’s cooking scene stands in sharp contrast to the movie’s denouement during which a high and paranoid Henry’s improvised plans spin out of control.

Review: Hollywood Hooks Up with Gangsters

Julie & Julia (2009)

This Nora Ephron film alternates between two narratives: A cook and blogger (Amy Adams) embarks on a journey to reignite her passion using Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking“, while, in another timeframe, Julia Child (Meryl Streep) discovers her culinary identity at a French cooking school. The parallel tales of their culinary triumphs and mishaps are delightful to witness, especially as Child masterfully piles up onions she’s sliced after joining a cooking program in France. Known for hosting memorable dinner parties, Ephron often linked food with desire. If included, scenes from “When Harry Met Sally” or “Heartburn” would have showcased characters preparing these near-ecstatic foods instead of simply eating them. (Notably, “Heartburn” includes a brief scene where Streep makes pie.) For your own cooking endeavors, I suggest giving Ephron’s audiobook for “Heartburn”, her semi-autobiographical novel about her divorce from Carl Bernstein that inspired the movie, a listen. It’s a perfect choice to play in the kitchen as you cook!

Review: Streep, Ephron, and the Joy of Cooking

Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)

Prior to directing films like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” or “Brokeback Mountain“, Ang Lee had already created one of the most memorable film openings ever with “Eat Drink Man Woman“. This movie revolves around a semi-retired chef named Chu (played by Sihung Lung), who starts to lose his sense of taste. The movie opens with a delightful sequence showing this man preparing an entire meal, from slaughtering a chicken from his own farm to folding dumplings. Throughout the film, Chu deals with his three daughters, each revealing a significant secret at some point. The story unfolds over a series of family meals, exploring the strife between modernity and tradition in food and other aspects of life. At the same time, it underscores how food can serve as a bond that unites families across generations.

Review: A Chef’s Ballad

Burnt (2015)

The film “Burnt” presents an absurdly dramatic storyline where Bradley Cooper’s renowned chef character, after a drug-induced misconduct, sentences himself to shuck a million oysters as punishment. Upon completion, he strives for a third Michelin star (as one often does). Despite the preposterous premise, the cast, including Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Matthew Rhys, Uma Thurman, Emma Thompson, Omar Sy, Daniel Brühl, Alicia Vikander, and Lily James, all look exceptionally stylish in their chef’s attire. Remarkably, the movie tackled the issue of toxic masculinity in the kitchen before it became widely recognized as a prevalent issue in the culinary world. Essentially, this film is a tale about an angry man learning that hurling pots won’t earn Michelin stars. While not groundbreaking, it’s enjoyable and offers tantalizing glimpses of delectable food along the way.

Phantom Thread (2017)

In many films, food symbolizes love and care; however, Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread challenges this idea by delving into the darker aspects hidden within the kitchen. The film centers around desires and dominance: A renowned dressmaker portrayed by Daniel Day-Lewis encounters his lover Alma (Vicky Krieps) when he requests an extravagant breakfast and insists she memorize the order. She teasingly refers to him as “the hungry boy.” Yet, Alma finds it challenging to assert herself against her demanding partner who eventually becomes her lover.

Review: Phantom Thread Works Hard at Being a Masterpiece. But Is It?

Chef (2014)

Jon Favreau’s directing portfolio is quite diverse, ranging from kick-starting the Marvel Cinematic Universe with “Iron Man” to popularizing the live-action remake genre with “The Lion King”, and creating the heartwarming Christmas film “Elf”. Among these high-profile productions, “Chef” stands out as a smaller project, yet one that is particularly dear to him. Being a passionate food lover, Favreau honed his knife skills specifically for this role. In the movie, he portrays a chef who experiences a creative block and, after receiving a negative restaurant review, lashes out on Twitter. Disillusioned with the high-end dining scene, he chooses to open a food truck and serve sandwiches instead. This light-hearted road trip film is devoid of major conflicts, making it an enjoyable watch even for the most critical food critics. And oh, those Cubanos certainly look appetizing!

Review: Jon Favreau’s Chef Serves Up a Modest Meal

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2024-12-21 17:07