Best Cooking Movie?

[kaleokahu]

Here's an odd query...

I find this time of year that I turn more attention to both good cooking and quality movies. Does anyone have a film they treasure that has to do with cooking and food and the conviviality they bring? I'm not especially asking about films that instruct, but rather those that somehow convey the joy and importance of good food.

An example of what I'm looking for is "Babbette's Feast".

Thanks and Happy Holidays.

[annabana]

To add to the others on this thread, here's an oldie but goodie, Christmas in Connecticut. Barbara Stanwyck as a Martha Stewart type columnist for a big magazine except she can't cook. Hijinks ensue. Its really a lot of fun. Supporting cast includes Sidney Greenstreet and "Cuddles" Szakal. What's not too like?

[kstock142]

Today's Special! It's about an Indian chef and is a very nice, inspirational movie. Definitely see it if you haven't!

[corneygirl]

Just to be a PIA - The Cook, The Thief, The Wife, and Her Lover

More eating than cooking and not for the squeamish (beautifully nasty).

[Bada Bing]

I agree--a brilliant film, but not for those with a weak stomach. I teach college literature and have used this film in a course about decadence.

[kaleokahu]

Thanks, all. Keep 'em coming.

[jarona]

Tie between the following:
Big Night
La Grande Bouffe

[dcdavis]

Just stick with "Babbett's Feast!" It always makes me hungry and then bolder about what I choose to prepare!

[Snorkelvik]

Ratatouille, Like Water for Chocolate, Streep cooking in The Hours, Sandler makes a sandwich - Spanglish, Pieces of April (lovely film, young woman in EVillage making Tgiving dinner for her family, Katie Holmes in her prime)...can't think of anything recent.

[JuniorBalloon]

Not exactly cooking, but Tampopo.

jb

[pabboy]

There's definitely cooking involved!! A nice bowl of ramen would be great right now.

[marsprincess]

I loved Tampopo - had forget all about it. Will have to see if I can find it again. Sadly no netflix in Switzerland.

[Stephanie Wong]

When we started with Netflix about a year ago (in the U.S.), I requested Tampopo; It's still not available on Netflix.

[fourunder]

Dinner Rush.....or Clemenza making tomato sauce/Sunday gravy

[soupkitten]

man i just re-watched dinner rush the other day. it always seriously skeeved me out-- the stereotypical nyc-italian kitchen where nobody ever washes their hands, no matter what. . . activities they are up to :)

but it has some beautiful, real line cooking sequences and a lot of foh/boh & funny behind the scenes action. i've always loved the scene where the specials of the day are being dictated & practiced by the waitstaff, written on the chalkboard, and then shouted to the line cooks as they are working. during the dinner service, the restaurant has some "customers from hell" including the guy who keeps touching the female servers, the food critic, and the guy who sneeringly responds "my name is ___, and i'll be your customer. . . don't you just hate it when they tell you their names?" when the server introduces herself, which i find humorous.

to the op-- dinner rush is not so much a "feel good" movie like babette's feast, it's about gangsters & greed, but family too, in its own way. it's a little bit of a gritty movie with some fun to it, which takes place almost entirely inside a restaurant, with everyone's issues coming out on the table, as it were-- but the food is always happening. not sure it's what you're looking for exactly, but then again it could be a fun watch for you.

[fourunder]

If I had to serve the annoying gallery owner and restaurant critic......the gangsters would be alive and they would have seen the bullets instead.......btw, hated the bartender too.

[soupkitten]

LMAO! yeah it's one of those movies where you may just wind up hating most of the personalities portrayed, and the human race, a little bit more than when you began the film-- definitely written by a bitter & poor, writer/artist working part time as a server, i'll wager!

to the op, & on a lighter note: how about kamome shokudo?

[goodhealthgourmet]

"Here's an odd query..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
not exactly ;)

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/409794
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/302328
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/675300
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/329236
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/613469
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/416718

[kaleokahu]

Why, thanks. I'll remember your kind-hearted help.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/409794 -- 2007
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/302328 -- 2005
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/675300 -- 2009
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/329236 -- 2006
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/613469 -- 2009
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/416718 -- 2007

A few movies made since then. Have some choices of your own?

[goodhealthgourmet]

my pleasure - it's a fun topic to revisit on occasion!

[mamachef]

Chocolat, Soul Food, Eat Drink Man Woman; let me get back to ya on this 'cause I'll surely think of a few more.

[pabboy]

Eat Drink Man Woman

Do not watch it on an empty stomach.

[kaleokahu]

Thanks! I now remember seeing Big Night--great. Look forward to Eat Drink Man Woman.

[roxlet]

Big Night

[bugsmum]

Yes, Big NIght.

[Siun]

Thanks for reminding me of Big Night ... I'd never seen it and always meant to. Watched just now on Netflix ... what a treat!

[Breadcrumbs]

It took us about 3 tries to see the whole movie because we'd start out having a "Big Night" inspired dinner . . . . and then fall asleep!!!