While I was putting this together, I realized that a couple of our favorite food movies are documentaries like Jiro Dreams of Sushi and Miso Hungry. I think those should go in a different post, so stay tuned. In the meantime, make a delicious dinner and pull up a seat!
East Side Sushi (2015)
Awesome cross cultural food movie about a young hispanic American woman who dreams of becoming a sushi chef. Charming, lovely, appetizing. Great date night movie.
Movie Site | iTunes | Amazon
The Hundred Foot Journey (2014)
Ok – there are a lot of great food movies that also look at cross cultural themes. This one is about an Indian family who that moves to a French village and sets up a restaurant across from a Michelin star French restaurant. Amazing food, cultural conflict and romance ensues. Truly awesome.
Chef (2014)
Grumpy single dad chef quits his job and buys a food trailer. Great family movie (maybe PG13). Endearing and fun.
Today’s Special (2010)
Another great cross cultural food movie – this one about a young Indian American sous chef who ends up having to take over his father’s decrepit Tandoori restaurant. Hilarious & romantic. Another great date night movie – maybe I should leave that off. Most of these are great date night movies.
Trailer | iTunes | Amazon Video | YouTube
Julie and Julia (2009)
Young frustrated writer takes up blogging and decides to cook every single recipe in Julia Child’s famous cookbook. Interspersed with Julia Child’s life played by Meryl Streep. Endearing, inspiring, funny. Meryl Streep does the most amazing job of playing Julia Child. Worth it for her performance alone!
Big Night (1996)
A failing Italian restaurant run by two brothers gambles on one special night to try to save the business. Another classic. Old school comedy. Hilarious.
Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)
Hilarious movie about a Chinese family whose chef father is getting a bit old. There is another movie that is almost the same but set in a Mexican family called Tortilla Soup (2001). Exactly the same story – produced by the same person. Also worth a watch.
Eat Drink Man Woman: iTunes | Amazon Video
Tortilla Soup: Trailer | YouTube | iTunes | Amazon Video
Like Water For Chocolate (1989)
A classic. Beautiful Mexican girl, burning passion, magical food. What more can you want??
Babette’s Feast (1987)
(French with English Subtitles)
Two devout and elderly sisters allow their cook, a French refugee, to prepare a feast in honor of their late father’s 100th birthday, despite their spiritual concerns over the sensuality and decadence of French cuisine. Gorgeous. Sumptuous.
Tampopo (1985)
Japanese with English subtitles
Omg – maybe the funniest (and strangest) food movie you will ever see. Japanese truck driving cowboy and his faithful sidekick set out to save desperate widow whose ramen shop is failing. While they are figuring out how to make delicious ramen, bizarre and unrelated food stories make their appearance without any apparent connection to the main characters. A must see. I just read that a recently restored version of Tampopo was released in October of last year (2016). So awesome – it hasn’t been available for streaming. Maybe it will be soon. Until then you will have to look for it in a good local video store Vulcan Video has it in Austin).
Ratatouille (2009)
(Animated)
Young rat wants to become a chef, and helps a hapless sous chef in a famous French restaurant. Classic animated movie. Def falls into the must see food movie category.
