Food-Themed & Kind-of-Food-themed (movies, documentaries, TV excluding competitions)
Food is memory. I want to taste home in my food.
From all around the world. Knowing the cultural and/or culinary background will help you appreciate the films' intentions. This list is made for a friend today, but I decided to make it public. :D
Frankly, it is very rare to see a movie that balances the epicurean story and the human side of the story.
Please follow and bookmark the list, and check back every now and then. Don't forget to share this list with someone who might enjoy it.
The list is in chronological order. To see the latest additions, please sort the list by "Date added."
Enjoy!
From all around the world. Knowing the cultural and/or culinary background will help you appreciate the films' intentions. This list is made for a friend today, but I decided to make it public. :D
Frankly, it is very rare to see a movie that balances the epicurean story and the human side of the story.
Please follow and bookmark the list, and check back every now and then. Don't forget to share this list with someone who might enjoy it.
The list is in chronological order. To see the latest additions, please sort the list by "Date added."
Enjoy!
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45 titles
- DirectorJûzô ItamiStarsKen WatanabeTsutomu YamazakiNobuko MiyamotoA truck driver stops at a small family-run noodle shop and decides to help its fledgling business. The story is intertwined with various vignettes about the relationship of love and food.
- DirectorGabriel AxelStarsStéphane AudranBodil KjerBirgitte FederspielDuring the late 19th century, a strict religious community in a Danish village takes in a French refugee from the Franco-Prussian War as a servant to the late pastor's daughters.
- DirectorAng LeeStarsSihung LungKuei-Mei YangWang Yu-wenA senior chef lives with his three grown daughters; the middle one finds her future plans affected by unexpected events and the life changes of the other household members.The first food-themed movie that I fell in love with. The film features fantastic food, but it is not about the food. This film is about family, life, and changes that all generations go through.
Language: Chinese
Loaded with cultural elements - DirectorHark TsuiStarsKenny BeeLeslie CheungAnita YuenWithin a few years, Chiu, a small-time crook, has become a gang leader. But his professional ambitions are actually quite different: he wants to leave illegality behind and make a career for himself and his lover in Canada - as a chef. However, this craft must first be learned and Chiu's talent in the field of cooking leaves much to be desired.
- DirectorPark Chul-SooCheol-su ParkStarsPang Eun-jinHwang Sin-hyeChu-Ryun KimTwo women, a chef and an anorexic writer, are neighbors in an apartment building. The chef.
- DirectorStephen ChowLik-Chi LeeStarsStephen ChowKaren MokVincent KokThe most renowned and feared chef in the world loses his title of God of Cookery because of his pompous attitude. Humbled, he sets out to reclaim his title.
- DirectorCampbell ScottStanley TucciStarsTony ShalhoubStanley TucciMarc AnthonyNew Jersey, 1950s. Two brothers run an Italian restaurant. Business is not going well as a rival Italian restaurant is out-competing them. In a final effort to save the restaurant, the brothers plan to put on an evening of incredible food.So authentic, so personal. The way they make their everything-homemade Italian dish, and the drama that comes with how Timpano is cooked, the excitement to be able to share it with the community - it is so realistic. I could taste the labour of love as I watch the film.
- DirectorUi-Seok KimStarsSeok-hun KimSe-bin MyeongShin GooHan-kook starts to work as an apprentice chef at a Chinese restauraunt belonging to his father's friend, but rather than follow the painstaking process of preparing the food by hand, Han-kook begins to use pre-processed ingredients.Korean
- DirectorLasse HallströmStarsJuliette BinocheJohnny DeppJudi DenchA French woman and her young daughter open up a chocolate shop in a small remote village that shakes up the rigid morality of the community.The first "sensual" food-themed movie that I came to love. It is a witty, feel-good movie. Most of all, I love their bean-to-product process without any modern aparatus. In this movie, chocolate is not a food; it is a character.
- DirectorFina TorresStarsPenélope CruzMurilo BenícioHarold PerrineauAfter being cheated on by an insecure man, Brazilian chef Isabella Oliveira moves to San Francisco and finds success as the host of a cooking show.
- DirectorTassos BoulmetisStarsGeorges CorrafaceIeroklis MichaelidisRenia LouizidouA Greek boy grows up to become a talented cook after political turmoil forces his family to leave Turkey.
- DirectorJames L. BrooksStarsAdam SandlerTéa LeoniPaz VegaA woman and her daughter emigrate from Mexico for a better life in America, where they start working for a family whose patriarch is a newly celebrated chef with an insecure wife.This is not really a food-themed movie. But I thought I'd add it because I want to see more Spanish/Latin food!
- DirectorAlexander PayneStarsPaul GiamattiThomas Haden ChurchVirginia MadsenTwo men reaching middle age with not much to show but disappointment embark on a week-long road trip through California's wine country, just as one is about to take a trip down the aisle.I enjoyed the book very much, and the movie, even more. I took the trip following this book, too; I recommend that you do it too.
- StarsAnthony BourdainTom VitaleZamir GottaAnthony Bourdain, chef, writer, traveler, visits places all around the world sampling various foods.Bourdain's 1 of 2 heyday-series that I recommend. Alton Brown has helped me understand how to cook and the chemistry behind it; Anthony Bourdain helped me understand that food can be political.
- StarsGuy FieriHunter FieriRyder FieriFood Network's Guy Fieri rolls out to visit America's favorite diners, drive-ins and dives, interviewing the owners of the food establishments and samples the items on their menus.This used to be my go-to series when I was planning a trip.
- DirectorKatsuyuki MotohiroStarsYûsuke SantamariaManami KonishiTortoise MatsumotoA dramedy about the relationship between an aspiring comic and his stubborn noodlemaker father.Japanese
- DirectorNaoko OgigamiStarsSatomi KobayashiHairi KatagiriMasako MotaiWhere are we welcome? On a quiet street in Helsinki, Sachie has opened a diner featuring rice balls. For a month she has no customers. Then, in short order, she has her first customer, meets Midori, a gangly Japanese tourist, and invites her to stay with her, and meets Masako, a formal and ethereal middle-aged woman whose luggage has gone missing. The three women work in the diner, interact, and serve customers. A somewhat brusque man teaches Sachie to make delicious coffee, then he returns under other circumstances. Three neighborhood women inspect the empty diner every day; will anything bring them inside? We learn why Sachie serves rice balls; but why Finland?Japanese
- DirectorYun-su JeonStarsKim Kang-wooIm Won-heeLee HanaA young, incredibly talented chef quits the profession after a contest to head a world-class restaurant ends in tragedy. Retiring to a small rural town with his grandfather, he finds a new and more peaceful existence, working as a farmer and selling vegetables at the local market. Even though content in his new life, when a nationwide cooking competition offers him the chance to take on his long-time rival, Seong-Chan embarks on a journey that will forever change his view of the world and lead him to the most startling revelations. Surrounding himself with a ragtag crew of misfits, each with his own poignant story to tell, he is soon in the media spotlight, facing stiff competition from the other contestants while dealing with his grandfather's diminishing faculties and a long buried family secret. Seong-Chan can only struggle to overcome every adversity with a quiet dignity.A cheesy movie at first. But if you understand the cultural and culinary undertone, this is a decent, entertaining movie. I think they tried to make it so that anyone with no cultural understanding can watch it.
Language: Korean - DirectorScott HicksStarsCatherine Zeta-JonesAaron EckhartAbigail BreslinThe life of a top chef changes when she becomes the guardian of her young niece.A typical date-night rom-com. Not really a food-themed film.
- DirectorRandall MillerStarsChris PineAlan RickmanBill PullmanThe story of the early days of California wine making featuring the now infamous, blind Paris wine tasting of 1976 that has come to be known as "Judgment of Paris".
- DirectorNora EphronStarsAmy AdamsMeryl StreepChris MessinaJulia Child's story of her start in the cooking profession is intertwined with blogger Julie Powell's 2002 challenge to cook all the recipes in Child's first book.USA
- DirectorShûichi OkitaStarsKengo KôraMasato SakaiKôsuke ToyoharaNishimura has a passion for cooking, but never would he have imagined the task before him now: He is unexpectedly assigned to a south polar mission to serve as head chef at the Dome Fuji station. Leaving wife and daughter behind for a year, he and the other crew members experience one existential crisis after another in the icy cold. And then they run out of Ramen!Japan
- DirectorDavid KaplanStarsDean WintersAarti MannKevin CorriganIn this super-feel-good foodie comedy, young Manhattan chef Samir rediscovers his heritage and his passion for life through the enchanting art of cooking Indian food.Could be a better show, but it's a feel-good foodie show that I could watch.
- DirectorDong-hoon BaekStarsJin-Ki BaekLee Byung-joonJin Goo(Korean with English subtitles) Korean's President organizes a nationwide "Kimchi Contest." Brother and sister: Jang-eun and Sung-Chan join the competition, both using their mother's recipe. Whoever wins, will decide the fate of their family's restaurant.I add this title to the list because this is a sequel. Personally, I did not enjoy it.
You've got to know the subtleties of Korean cuisines to understand what's going on.
Language: Korean - DirectorYa-chuan HsiaoStarsGwei Lun-MeiHan ChangZaizai LinWhat are you willing to give up in exchange for fulfilling your dreams?Not a foodie movie - but about life.
- DirectorS.J. ClarksonStarsOscar KennedyVictoria HamiltonColin ProckterThe ultimate nostalgia trip through everything edible in 1960s Britain.Based on Nigel Slater's autobiographical book, a memoir of Slater's early years and his mother
- DirectorRyan MurphyStarsJulia RobertsJavier BardemRichard JenkinsA married woman realizes how unhappy her marriage really is, and that her life needs to go in a different direction. After a painful divorce, she takes off on a round-the-world journey to "find herself".
- DirectorDavid GelbStarsJiro OnoYoshikazu OnoMasuhiro YamamotoA documentary on 85-year-old sushi master Jiro Ono, his renowned Tokyo restaurant, and his relationship with his son and eventual heir, Yoshikazu.Japan
- DirectorDaniel CohenStarsJean RenoMichaël YounRaphaëlle AgoguéA veteran chef faces off against his restaurant group's new CEO, who wants to the establishment to lose a star from its rating in order to bring in a younger chef who specializes in molecular gastronomy.France
- DirectorPin-Chuan KaoStarsHan Dian ChenMichelle ChenYing-Chieh ChenGao-bing works in a bakery in a small town. The owner, Mr Chiu, is so into his Rock 'n 'Roll band, and the apprentice Di doesn't seem enthusiastic about learning baking at all. The business of the bakery is getting down and Gao-bing doesn't know what to do with the situation. All he can do is work harder and makes more bread. Ping, the daughter of Mr Chiu, grew up together with Gao-bing and is Gao-bing's girlfriend. She often complains that Gao-bing only follows the traditions and doesn't take any dramatic actions to save the bakery. In order to develop revolutionary new flavors, Ping takes baking courses in the city where she meets Bread. Bread, born in America, is charming and humorous. He falls for Ping at the very first sight. Even though Ping is with Gao-bing, she finds Bread's bread has a special magic. She thinks Bread might be the one that saves the bakery... With Ping's arrangement, Bread moves in to Mr Chiu's houses and becomes Gao-bing's roommate. Bread never hides his feelings toward Ping and always says, "We must put our passing into the bread". Gao-bing disagrees with Bread's western style and thinks of him merely a dumbass from America.Taiwan
- DirectorChristian VincentStarsCatherine FrotArthur DupontJean d'OrmessonThe story of Danièle Delpeuch and how she was appointed as the private chef for François Mitterrand.France
- StarsAnthony BourdainTom VitaleDavid Scott HollowayAnthony Bourdain visits countries, delving into their political issues as well as indigenous food and culture.Bourdain's 2 of 2 heyday-series that I recommend. Alton Brown has helped me understand how to cook and the chemistry behind it; Anthony Bourdain helped me understand that food can be political.
- DirectorSylvain ChometStarsGuillaume GouixAnne Le NyBernadette LafontPaul, thirty or so, lives in a Paris apartment with his aunts, two old aristocrats who have raised him since he was two and who dream of seeing him become a virtuoso pianist.
- DirectorJon FavreauStarsJon FavreauRobert Downey Jr.Scarlett JohanssonA head chef quits his restaurant job and buys a food truck in an effort to reclaim his creative promise, while piecing back together his estranged family.Don't watch this hungry.
- DirectorLasse HallströmStarsHelen MirrenOm PuriManish DayalThe Kadam family leaves India for France where they open a restaurant directly across the road from Madame Mallory's Michelin-starred eatery.A must-watch. Great book, great film.
- DirectorJun'ichi MoriStarsAi HashimotoMayu MatsuokaYôichi NukumizuIchiko lived in a big city, but goes back to her small hometown Komori, located on a mountain in the Tohoku region. She is self-sufficient. Ichiko gains energy living among nature and eating foods she makes from seasonal ingredients.
- DirectorNaomi KawaseStarsKirin KikiMasatoshi NagaseKyara UchidaBurdened with a heavy and ever-increasing debt, a dorayaki baker hires a kind ageing woman, after tasting her delicious surprise. Little by little, she unravels her beautiful inner world. Could she be holding the secret to his success?Japan
- DirectorJohn WellsStarsBradley CooperSienna MillerDaniel BrühlAdam Jones is a chef who destroyed his career with drugs and diva behavior. He cleans up and returns to London, determined to redeem himself by spearheading a top restaurant that can gain three Michelin stars.
- DirectorGustavo RonStarsAimee TeegardenKrysta RodriguezGriffin NewmanTwo cousins, two kind of thinking, and a bakery for saving.
- DirectorSoon-rye YimStarsKim Tae-riRyu Jun-yeolJin Ki-jooA young woman grows tired of life in the city and returns to her hometown in the countryside.
- DirectorEric KhooStarsTakumi SaitôSeiko MatsudaMark LeeA young man who is curious about his deceased parents' past takes a food journey to Singapore where he uncovers more than just delicious meals.
- StarsJon FavreauRoy ChoiAaron FranklinWriter, director, and food enthusiast Jon Favreau and chef Roy Choi explore food in and out of the kitchen with accomplished chefs and celebrity friends.USA
- CreatorTatiana RodríguezStarsMichelle JennerRoberto EnríquezHugo SilvaSet in early-18th-century Madrid, the plot follows the love story between an agoraphobic cook and a widowed nobleman.
- DirectorDixon WongStarsAmy KuoNora Ng-QuinnGina SuLet's Eat follows the story of an immigrant mother and her daughter as they navigate through the beauty and challenges of life. Despite the difficulties they face, the warmth and love of family provides comfort and closeness, and cooking becomes a symbol of their unconditional love for one another.Animated short. You have to watch this.
- CreatorChristopher StorerStarsJeremy Allen WhiteEbon Moss-BachrachAyo EdebiriA young chef from the fine dining world returns to Chicago to run his family's sandwich shop.About running a small business, the people who make it happen, and their profound soul-searching on this wonderful journey. Wish they could talk a little more about epicurean POV, but had enough restaurant business POV.