There have been a slew of excellent food-related movies made over the years, like the animated sensation about a cooking rat, Rattatouille, or the classic Big Night about an Italian restaurant in New Jersey. Investing yourself in a narrative about the inner workings of a Michelin star restaurant or a small food truck (like in Chef) might be entertaining, but there are some films that are a must-see just for the delicious visuals alone. The only thing better than a great foodie movie is one where the meals look so good on screen you can practically taste them. We’ve compiled a list of eight movies that are sure to whet any moviegoers’ appetite.
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8 Julie & Julia (2009)
Sony Pictures
Julie & Julia is a biographical movie written and directed by Nora Ephron that tells the true story of two exceptional women. The modern-day storyline follows New Yorker and blogger Julie Powell (Amy Adams), on her journey to prepare all 524 recipes in Julia Child’s famous cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The film is interspersed with flashback scenes of Julia Child (Meryl Streep) as she begins her culinary journey, learning to be a chef in 1950s France. Julie & Julia is an entertaining and heartwarming tale of two determined women, who first flail and then thrive in the kitchen, and whose lives converge through their love of cooking. Streep was praised for her performance and Julie & Julia received several award nominations and wins, but it is undoubtedly the food itself that is the true star of this film.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014)
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
The Hundred-Foot Journey is a movie by Lasse Hallström, adapted from a Richard C. Morais novel of the same name. The film depicts a rivalry between two restaurants that are across the street from one another in a small French village. One is a new Indian restaurant owned by an Indian immigrant family and the other is an established French restaurant with a Michelin star. When Hassan Haji Kadam (Manish Dayal) begins learning French cuisine from the opposing restaurant, even after they’ve tormented his family, he finds a way to blend their two cultures into the food and earns public recognition for his success as a chef. The Hundred-Foot Journey is a feel-good film filled with delightful visuals of fresh ingredients and prepared meals that you can practically smell through the screen. The film also stars Helen Mirren, Om Puri, and Charlotte Le Bon.
6 Waitress (2007)
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Before Waitress became a Tony-award-nominated Broadway sensation, it was just a small bittersweet film written and directed by Adrienne Shelly (who was tragically murdered a few months before its release). The movie follows a small town waitress named Jenna (Keri Russell) who is trapped in an abusive marriage, becomes unexpectedly pregnant, and begins an affair with her married obstetrician (Nathan Fillion). Throughout the movie, Jenna creates recipes for many pies with pun-filled names like “Life’s a Rocky Road Pie” and “Aren’t You Sweet Potato Pie”, and often breaks into song while baking them. Her process is mesmerizing to watch, and the pies, not only delicious to look at, act as a coping mechanism and spiritual practice for Jenna. Waitress also stars Cheryl Hines, Jeremy Sisto, and Andy Griffith.
5 Burnt (2015)
The Weinstein Company
Bradley Cooper plays the lead role in John Well’s food drama Burnt as a temperamental chef, Adam Jones. At the start of the film, Adam has all but destroyed his promising career by abusing drugs and burning bridges with all of his personal and professional relationships. Finally given a second chance to run a kitchen by an old friend, Adam’s bad attitude, poor people skills, and desperate attempts at another Michelin star continue to cause problems with the staff. The chef hits rock bottom before realizing that building personal connections is the only way to turn his life around.
Burnt was not received well by critics, most of whom celebrated Cooper’s performance, along with those of Sienna Miller and Daniel Brühl, but felt the narrative was lacking. The bright spot of the film is certainly the food, as Adam’s single redeeming quality is his outstanding culinary abilities. To prepare for the role, Cooper and Miller were trained by esteemed chef Marcus Wareing, who taught them everything they needed to know about cooking the gourmet food seen on screen.
4 Marie Antoniette (2006)
Kirsten Dunst appears as the lead in Sofia Coppola’s 2006 movie Marie Antoinette, which is a fresh take on a historical drama. The film follows a young Marie through to adulthood as she struggles with her identity as a woman and mother and is eventually forced out of Versailles with King Louis XVI due to political unrest. The film polarized both American and French critics, some disapproving of the lack of historical context and others impressed by the poignancy of its story. Marie Antoinette earned several award nominations along with the Oscar win for Best Costume Design. Although not a film focused specifically on food, there is a particular scene in which Marie is surrounded by delectable looking cakes that has set foodie hearts aflutter since it first premiered.
3 No Reservations (2007)
Warner Bros. Pictures
No Reservations is a popular foodie rom-com from director Scott Hicks, that follows a head chef at an NYC restaurant, Kate (Catherine Zeta Jones), who must adjust to a new strong-willed member of her kitchen staff, Nick (Aaron Eckhart). The majority of the film takes place inside the kitchen, with snappy remarks, shouting of orders, and painstakingly prepared gourmet meals providing the backdrop for the slow-burn romance. Unsurprisingly, the two chefs fall in love, and there’s an added bit of sweetness that appears as Kate’s niece Zoe (Abigail Breslin) helps bring the two together. No Reservations received mixed reviews as a movie, but in terms of the visuals, both the presentation of plates and the food itself, it’s certainly Michelin star-worthy.
2 Haute Cuisine (2012)
Wild Bunch
Haute Cuisine is a French film from director Christian Vincent and is based on the true story of Danièle Mazet-Delpeuch, who was appointed as the first female private chef for French President François Mitterrand from 1988 to 1990. Actress Catherine Frot plays the lead role and viewers follow her from the Élysée Palace kitchen, where she successfully seduced the President with her culinary prowess all the way to her later life, where she worked as a chef at a French Antarctic research station. The soundtrack to Haute Cuisine, along with its crisp editing and smart dialogue brings a sense of urgency to the film, perfectly depicting the energy with which the beautiful food is prepared.
1 Toast (2011)
W2 Media
Toast is a film by S.J. Clarkson based on the autobiography of the same name by cookery writer Nigel Slater. The film follows a young Nigel, whose parents are often unable to cook meals, and whose father Alan often prepares toast for dinner after his mother’s death. As he grows older, Nigel’s own attempts in the kitchen put him in competition with their new housekeeper as they fight for culinary bragging rights and Alan’s affections. A coming-of-age story told through the lens of food, Toast is an excellent feel-good film. The most prominent dish featured in the movie is certainly the many lemon meringue pies prepared by Nigel and the contemptuous Mrs. Potter, played by Helena Bonham Carter. In an interview with The Guardian, the real Nigel Slater explained, “Food had taken the place of affection, friendship and I suppose, love. What began as a catalog of 1960s home cooking ended up a memoir … giving me an extraordinary insight into people’s relationships with food, and not just my own.”
