5 Best Food Movies – A Delightful Experience

Enjoying good food is an art and a boon. With a little good fortune and hard work, you can fill your platter with delicacies of your choice. To add more embellishment, some of us choose special places, people or occasions. And yes, no recipe like a hunger that stimulates the taste of food. Snacks and beverages aside, a real meal provides extra pleasure. How about enjoying your fav food watching great food movies?

Speaking of movies, if the movie is about food or art of cooking, the pleasure is doubled I would say. I used to be crazy about reading books and I never stuck to one genre alone. More the genre, the merrier it was. Now when I watch movies, it is the same. Of late, food-related movies are adding spice to my platter. And thought why not share a few of them with you too. There were several food movies that ran the race when I thought of this topic. However only a few had the right blend of flavours with balanced food content to appeal. Let’s see how they work on your appetite and inspire the chef in you.

Haute Cuisine (2012; 1h 35m; French)

A documentary crew is in pursuit of Chef Hortense Laborie who had worked for President of the Republic. Hortense works in an Island and continues to dish out finger smacking delicacies.

The scene rewinds four years back to Élysée Palace for a surprise rendezvous. The brief and unannounced meeting with the officials implies Hortense will run President’s kitchen. Startled and humbled, she takes up the challenge boldly.

Cooking for a high official and his guests is a daunting task but she was no novice with her authentic cooking skills. From day one however the jealousy and male chauvinism from other chefs curtail her freedom. She continues to work astutely to cook the best of flavours just like the President would enjoy. Going out of her ways to gather the best and fresh homegrown items, she excels in her cooking.

Her success infuriates many other staff in the department. Unfortunately the groupism wins and she is forced to resign.

The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014; 2h 3m; English & French)

From the mayhem of Mumbai to chilly Heathrow to scenic Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val, the journey of Kadam family is interesting. To run their restaurant, they need a perfect place that offers food elements with soul.

An accident halts the Kadam family at Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val village. They find a suitable spot to open an Indian restaurant albeit 100 feet away from Le Saule Pleurer. The French restaurant run by Madame Mallory is frequented by food lovers. Her restaurant has won the prestigious Michelin star and she wants another star.

Sighting the impending competition Mallory begins to cook plans to chase away the Kadam family. The determined Kadam family opens Maison Mumbai. Magical culinary skills of Hassan, the main chef of the Kadam family, gradually attracts customers. Exotic flavours and tempting tastes are served by Hassan much to the dismay of Mallory.

Turn of events makes Hassan join Mallory’s restaurant. His efforts bring the much coveted second star to her restaurant. The story unboxes more surprises and is one of the best food movies.

Not just a multi cuisine movie, it is a multi-cultural and multi-linguistic movie.

Sweet Bean (2015; 1h 53min; Japanese)

The beauty and fragrance of cherry blossoms lead an old lady, Tokue to the streets. She happens to find the dorayaki shop managed by Sentaro. Seeing the note seeking a helper at the shop, she expresses her wish to work there. Sentaro gently rejects her as she is old and her hands are visibly deformed. The next day, however, she is back at the shop bringing bean paste which is spread on pancakes. The taste of the combination makes Sentaro reconsider his earlier decision.

With Tokue’s recipe, the pancakes become popular among customers. Soon the business thrives.

Wakana, a school girl is a frequent customer and a friend of Sentaro. Wakana and Tokue become friends too and share stories.

Later however the news spreads that Tokue’s deformed hands are a result of leprosy. The business slows down and she had to stop coming to the shop.

A simple story with a great recipe of life and living told beautifully well.

The Ramen Girl (2008, 1h 38min, English and Japanese)

Abby’s visit to Tokyo to be with her boyfriend who works there turns ugly. Soon after her arrival, he leaves her for another town. Left alone with a boring job and knowing no Japanese, she ends up at a Ramen soup outlet. She instantly falls in love with the taste of it.

One night she decides she should learn to cook the soup from the outlet. The chef Maezumi and his wife Reiko think she is crazy. They hardly understand each other’s language. Yet she communicates Maezumi has to be her teacher.

Although she is accepted, she has to learn everything the hard way. Maezumi’s harsh nature nearly makes her quit. Through the hardships of mastering cooking and struggles in personal life, she is determined to be a Ramen chef.

Little Forest (2017, 1h 44m, Korean)

I had to leave out Comme un chef and Salt and Pepper for Little Forest (2017, 1h 44m, Korean).

Hye-won could not fulfil her dream of settling down in the city. Back to her home village, South Gyeongsang Province, she begins to realize what she missed. Since her mother is not at home anymore, she discovers the ‘Little Forest’ her mother left behind. She soon understands that life can be simple and beautiful even in the countryside. One by one, she experiments her mom’s recipes. This is one of the beautiful food movies presenting a harmonious bundle of memories, emotions, and flavours.

I assume there is no better way to express ourselves than through cooking.

Happy cooking & happy watching movies.