Movies About Cooking And Chefs

From Jûzô Itami, starring Ken Watanabe, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto, Kôji Yakusho
Rated Not Rated

Tampopo is a 1985 Japanese comedy film written and directed by Jûzô Itami. The film follows the story of trucker Goro and his sidekick Gun as they help a widow named Tampopo to make her ramen shop a success. Along the way, they encounter a cast of quirky characters and learn the art of making the perfect bowl of ramen. The film is a parody of the spaghetti western genre, featuring humor and food-related scenes that have become iconic. Through its unconventional narrative structure, the film explores themes of love, death, and the importance of food in Japanese culture. Ultimately, Tampopo is a celebration of life, joy, and the perfect bowl of ramen.

From David Gelb, starring Jiro Ono, Yoshikazu Ono, Masuhiro Yamamoto, Daisuke Nakazama
Rated PG

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a 2011 documentary film directed by David Gelb that follows the life of Jiro Ono, a legendary sushi chef and owner of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant located in a Tokyo subway station. The film examines Jiro's life from his humble beginnings, to his worldwide recognition as one of the world's most acclaimed chefs. It also reveals how he has dedicated his life to perfecting the art of making sushi. Despite his age, Jiro continues to work at the renowned restaurant and tirelessly searches for the highest-quality ingredients, while also striving to produce an even greater tasting sushi. In doing so he has been able to pass on his knowledge to his two sons, enabling the Ono family to maintain the restaurant's world-renowned reputation. The film ultimately celebrates the dedication of Jiro and his life-long pursuit of perfection.

From Ritesh Batra, starring Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Lillete Dubey
Rated PG

The Lunchbox is a 2013 Indian romantic drama film written and directed by Ritesh Batra, and produced by Guneet Monga, Anurag Kashyap, and Arun Rangachari. The film tells the story of a mistaken delivery in Mumbai's famously efficient lunchbox delivery system, which connects a young housewife to an older man as they start exchanging notes through the daily lunchbox. As they build a fantasy world through their notes, the reality of their separate lives is revealed. The film stars Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and was the opening film at the 2013 Critics’ Week segment of the Cannes International Film Festival. The film earned positive reviews from critics, and was a box office success, grossing over $19 million worldwide.

From Ang Lee, starring Sihung Lung, Kuei-Mei Yang, Yu-Wen Wang, Chien-Lien Wu
Rated Not Rated

Eat Drink Man Woman is a 1994 Taiwanese romantic comedy-drama film directed by Ang Lee and starring Sihung Lung, Yu-wen Wang, Chien-lien Wu, and Kuei-mei Yang. It tells the story of a retired Taiwan master chef, who struggles to communicate with his three grown daughters following his wife's death. The film follows the life of Mr. Chu (Lung), an elderly master chef who lives with his three adult daughters, Jia-Jen (Wang), Jia-Chien (Wu), and Jia-Ning (Yang). After the death of his wife, Jia-Jen has become the primary caretaker of the family, taking on the responsibilities of keeping their home together. While the sisters have become independent, they still rely on their father for his culinary guidance. The film follows the father-daughter relationships as they attempt to bridge the gap between them, while also exploring the changing cultural landscape of Taiwan in the wake of modernization. Through the food they prepare and share, the characters learn how to open up to one another and form stronger bonds.

From Gabriel Axel, starring Stéphane Audran, Bodil Kjer, Birgitte Federspiel, Jarl Kulle
Rated G

Babette's Feast is a 1987 Danish drama film directed by Gabriel Axel. It is based on the story by Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen) and stars Stéphane Audran as the title character. The film tells the story of a French refugee, Babette, who is taken in and cared for by two elderly Protestant sisters in a small Danish village. After winning the lottery, Babette prepares an extravagant French dinner, which brings the villagers together and allows them to reexamine their faith. The film won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and has become a classic of modern cinema.

From Bruce Beresford, starring Eddie Murphy, Britt Robertson, Natascha McElhone, Xavier Samuel
Rated PG-13

Mr. Church is a drama film directed by Bruce Beresford, starring Eddie Murphy as the titular character, Henry Church. The film tells the story of a young girl and her single mother, who find their lives changed forever when Henry Church, an enigmatic cook, is hired to be their live-in chef by the girl's dying grandmother. As the girl, (played by Britt Robertson) grows up, Church's support and guidance help her to achieve her dreams. The film is an uplifting story of friendship and family, as Henry's presence provides healing and growth in the lives of those he touches.

From Alexander Payne, starring Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh
Rated R

Sideways tells the story of two middle-aged men on a road trip to the California wine country. Miles (Paul Giamatti) is a depressed, unsuccessful writer who is about to get divorced and Jack (Thomas Haden Church) is a womanizer who is on the eve of his wedding. The two embark on a week-long journey of wine tasting and golfing, while exploring their friendship and the changes they are both facing in their lives. Along the way, they encounter a few colourful characters, including a waitress (Sandra Oh), a wine connoisseur (Virginia Madsen), and an aging actor (Fred Ward). As the week progresses, both Miles and Jack learn to confront and embrace the different paths that life is taking them on.

From Damon Gameau, starring Damon Gameau, Hugh Jackman, Milla Bakaitis, Richard Davies
Rated Not Rated

From Naomi Kawase, starring Kirin Kiki, Masatoshi Nagase, Kyara Uchida, Miki Mizuno
Rated Not Rated

From Lasse Hallström, starring Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Manish Dayal, Charlotte Le Bon
Rated PG

From Jon Favreau, starring Jon Favreau, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Dustin Hoffman
Rated R

From Lasse Hallström, starring Juliette Binoche, Johnny Depp, Judi Dench, Alfred Molina
Rated PG-13

From Directors: Campbell Scott, Stanley Tucci, starring Tony Shalhoub, Stanley Tucci, Marc Anthony, Larry Block
Rated R

From Morgan Spurlock, starring Morgan Spurlock, Daryl Isaacs, Chemeeka Walker, Dania Abu-Rmaileh
Rated PG-13

From Sandra Nettelbeck, starring Martina Gedeck, Maxime Foerste, Sergio Castellitto, August Zirner
Rated PG

From Joseph Levy, starring Grant Achatz, Cindy Breitbach, Mike Breitbach, Thomas Keller
Rated Not Rated

From Nora Ephron, starring Amy Adams, Meryl Streep, Chris Messina, Stanley Tucci
Rated PG-13

From Jason Wise, starring Bo Barrett, Shayn Bjornholm, Dave Cauble, Ian Cauble
Rated Not Rated

From Adrienne Shelly, starring Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Jeremy Sisto, Cheryl Hines
Rated PG-13

From Luca Guadagnino, starring Tilda Swinton, Flavio Parenti, Edoardo Gabbriellini, Alba Rohrwacher
Rated R

From Bernard Rapp, starring Bernard Giraudeau, Jean-Pierre Lorit, Florence Thomassin, Charles Berling
Rated Not Rated

From Ian Cheney, starring Susan Carter, Ian Cheney, Philip Chiang, Andrew Coe
Rated Not Rated

From John Wells, starring Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Daniel Brühl, Riccardo Scamarcio
Rated R

From Daniel Cohen, starring Jean Reno, Michaël Youn, Raphaëlle Agogué, Julien Boisselier
Rated PG-13

From David Kaplan, starring Kevin Corrigan, Dean Winters, Aarti Mann, Jess Weixler
Rated R