When it’s time to decompress after a long day at work, I love to cook. I’m a big fan of finding new recipes, trying new ingredients, and just shutting off the TV and devoting myself to a new task that is often challenging.
But what happens when my passion for cooking and my passion for movies meld together?
Today, I want to go over my favorite movies about food and talk about what makes them delicious.
Let’s dive in.
1. Tampopo (1985)
When you watch this movie, you immediately want to order some ramen after. It’s a movie that celebrates noodles like no other.
The film weaves together a series of vignettes about the intersection of food and life. They’re funny, weird, and teach you a lot about the noodle shop in general.
2. Big Night (1996)
It’s very hard to make a movie about the eating experience better than this film. It’s all about drama in and outside of the kitchen as two Italian immigrant brothers try to save their struggling restaurant with one spectacular, make-or-break feast.
Everything they put together is beautiful and poignant. And in the end, the silent scene of two brothers sharing a simple omelet is a powerful and moving moment.
3. Babette’s Feast (1987)
I remember seeing this in college on the big screen and immediately wanting to attend some sort of dinner party. The movie is bonkers. It’s about a French refugee in a puritanical Danish village who spends her lottery winnings on a single, extraordinary feast for the whole community.
The movie is a parable about the ability of a shared meal to break down barriers and open hearts.
4. Ratatouille (2007)
Pixar’s animated gem is a joyous and visually stunning ode to the idea that “anyone can cook.”
Even though I still get a little queasy in the scenes with tons of rats, I love watching Remy cook inside a Paris restaurant. We get into the world of chefs and legacy, and learn how a single dish can take you anywhere.
5. Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)
Ang Lee helmed this delightful Taiwanese dramedy about a widowed master chef and his three unmarried daughters to touching effect.
The opening scene is a banquet that plays on the central themes of love, tradition, and a shared meal.
It’s a charming and insightful look at generational shifts and the enduring importance of being together.
6. Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)
This might be one of the best documentaries of all time. It’s a portrait of Jiro Ono, an octogenarian sushi master and owner of a humble, 10-seat, Michelin-starred restaurant in a Tokyo subway station.
The film picks apart what makes him special and how much care he puts in making his sushi some of the best in the world.
7. Chef (2014)
Man, some movies, like a meal, make you feel good. This is one of them, and it makes me so hungry watching it. From the grilled cheese to the cubano, this is about cooking with love and passion.
The movie follows a chef after a public meltdown, who rediscovers his passion by starting a food truck with his son. Favreau stars and directs in a film that just makes you want to eat.
8. Like Water for Chocolate (1992)
Food is sexy, and this is a very sexy movie. It’s based on the magical realism novel; this Mexican film uses food as a powerful conduit for emotion.
Tita is forbidden to marry her true love and channels her passions and sorrows into her cooking, with fantastical and often dramatic results. The food in the film is not just sustenance; it’s a character in itself.
9. The Lunchbox (2013)
This charming Indian film tells the story of a mistaken lunch delivery that sparks an unlikely connection between a lonely housewife and a reclusive widower.
The exchange of notes tucked inside the daily tiffin carrier becomes a heartwarming correspondence, with the meals becoming a story of intimacy and care.
10. Goodfellas (1990)
While not strictly a “food movie” in the traditional sense, Martin Scorsese’s mob masterpiece is filled with iconic culinary moments.
Food is culture, and the Italian culture in this movie makes you want a big bowl of spaghetti and gravy with a bunch of sausage and meatballs.
Get your razor out and shave some garlic down.
Summing It All Up
These are the films I most associate with food. They are beautiful stories that make you hungry, introduce you to different cultures, and take you into worlds you may have never been inside before.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
