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celebratedliving.com
FALL 2009
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thebasicskillsofmethodand technique.Thefilm’sdebut
is furtherproofof thepopularityandpowerof foodand
wine inmovies.
Weneednot look far forothergreatgastronomicmo-
ments incinema, allbasedonavarietyofemotional
themesandculinarymenus.Theage-old traditionsof
food, family, and thedinner tableplayaprincipal theme
indirectorAngLee’s
EatDrinkManWoman
(1994).Fail-
ing tastebudsparallela loss for thezestof lifeasawid-
owedJapanesemasterchef showshis love forhis three
daughters throughhiszeal forcooking.Amazingly, the
filmshowcasesoverahundreddishes.
The theme isduplicated in thefilm
TortillaSoup
(2001)
asaretiredMexican-Americanchef (HectorElizondo)
sharesahomewithhis threesingledaughtersand loses
hisability to tasteaswellas to love.The familydynamics
areplayedout through theritualofelaborate feastsat the
dinner table, and theviewercanalmostsmell thecilantro
wafting from thescreen.CaliforniachefsMarySueMil-
likenandSusanFeniger designedand styled thefilm’s
visuallystunningmenu.
Theholidaysandensuing family turmoilareexplored
in
What’sCooking?
(2000), as four ethnichouseholds
gather togetherwithJewish,African-American,Latino,
andVietnamesecuisineasabackdrop.
SoulFood
(1997)
tacklesSundaydinners, family confrontations, and
generationalbondsover friedchicken, collardgreens,
andSpritepoundcake.
Emotionsandpassionsboil to thesurface through the
artof cooking in
LikeWater forChocolate
(1992).Based
on theSpanishromanticnovelbyLauraEsquivel (which
isalsoacookbookof sorts), ayoungdaughterduty-bound
by tradition tonevermarryand tocare forhermotherex-
pressesher lust for her sister’shusband throughher
dishesofquailwithrosepetalsandcream fritters.Love
andredemptionalsoplayasecondaryrole to theFrench
gourmetmealpreparedbya19th-centuryhousekeeper in
Denmark in thefilm
Babette’sFeast
(1987).
FromFlorentinesandchocolate truffles tochocolate
curlsandmarzipan fruits,Vianne (playedbyJuliette
Binoche)“sellsdreams, small comforts, sweetharmless
temptations tobringdownamultitudeof saintscrash-
crash-crashingamong thehazelsandnougatines” in
JoanneHarris’ book-turned-film
Chocolat
(2000).Choco-
lateplays theuniversal cure forasmall repressedFrench
town,unlockingappetitesanddesiresof itsuptight
townsfolk.
Foodbecomes thecommondenominatorand ignitesan
eventual romanticsparkamidst thearomaticsmellsof
thekitchen foracontrollingworkaholicrestaurantchef
(CatherineZeta-Jones)andhercolleague (AaronEck-
hart) in
NoReservations
(2007).Thefilm is looselybased
onanotherromanticcomedyaboutcooking, loss, and
CHOCOLAT
