“My momma always said, ‘Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get’,” says the titular character of Forrest Gump (1994). But if you, like me, are a voracious foodie moonlighting as a cinephile, there is a plethora of films on food. But what about titles that concentrate on one particular dish? Here are some delectable delicacies that have made their mark in the world of cinema.
Let’s start at the top: the Pixar classic Ratatouille. Who would have thought that a rat would cook up a heartwarming French Provençal dish of stewed vegetables that left the cynical restaurant critic Anton Ego and us wanting more? The dish originated in Nice and the city’s name encapsulates everything about this hearty meal. While we are in Pixar’s animated world, let’s not forget the studio’s first short film directed by a female director. Domee Shi’s Bao is about an ageing, lonely Chinese-Canadian mother, who receives an unexpected second chance at motherhood when she makes a steamed bun that comes to life. And if the rain of hamburgers in Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs took food representation sky-high, the spaghetti date scene between two animated dogs in Lady and the Tramp kept it grounded.
A still from Bao
In the real world, American filmmaker and actor Jon Favreau fell and made us fall in love with Cubanos (Cuban sandwich), in Chef. Speaking of sandwiching meat between two slices of bread, who can forget actor Samuel L. Jackson-approved Big Kahuna Burger from Pulp Fiction? The Burger is also the name of the fictional chain of fast food restaurants that has appeared in films by American filmmakers Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, including Death Proof, Four Rooms, Reservoir Dogs, and From Dusk Till Dawn. And while we are at fictional food items, how about the Wonka Bar from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory or the humongous Stay-Puft Marshmallows from Ghostbusters? If Ratatouille tickles your taste buds, you ought to try another Italian dish named Timpano, made famous by Big Night.
Closer home, a Malayalam film which spawned multiple remakes is Salt N’ Pepper. The Thattil Kutti dosa mentioned in the film is a local speciality, while the multilayered cake called Joan’s Rainbow is what sweet dreams are made of. Omi’s grandfather may have forgotten the Chicken Khurana recipe but Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana’s titular dish is an unforgettable one. Prefer something vegetarian? Check out the Telugu film Middle Class Melodies for how something as simple as Bombay chutney can save a man’s life. If you are bored with regular meat cuts, the Assamese film Aamis is highly recommended, though consider this a spoiler-free warning on what it’s about.
Whether they form the core theme of a film or just another narrative tool that’s employed to push the plot further, food in films is undoubtedly a visual treat to behold. Made with care, with the best products money could buy, put together meticulously and served for consumption by the masses, is food any different from films? And while we wait around for mealtime, the hunger pangs can be handled by rewatching a personal favourite — Jiro Dreams of Sushi.
From The Hindu cinema team, a fortnightly column recommending films and shows tied to a mood, theme, or pop cultural event.