GUEST COLUMN: Thought-Provoking Films That Depict the Restaurant Industry

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Thought-Provoking Films That Depict the Restaurant Industry 

by Lewis Robinson

Hollywood has covered nearly every subject in everyday life since its origins in the silent era, but most films involve adventure, crime or drama. Film writers and the studios that hire them focus their attention on the plots that the public demands the most, and unfortunately, they seldom focus on the restaurant industry. However, a few remarkable movies stand out and show the public what happens behind the scenes at a restaurant. Here are the best films that depict the foodservice industry.

Waiting

Ryan Reynolds, Anna Faris, and Justin Long play servers in a rowdy casual dining restaurant in 2005’s Waiting. Although it’s loaded with raunchy humor that may not appeal to all tastes, the film is incredibly funny and entertaining. It satirizes restaurant stereotypes such as the unappealing manager hitting on a young hostess, the cooks adding their personal ingredients to the meals and abusing the restaurant equipment and a server who screams at the kitchen and smiles at the customers. The employees joke around, argue and fight, but they’re a tight-knit group who spend all of their waking hours together. Although it’s a great film, it doesn’t make you want to go out to eat any time soon.

Big Night

Unlike Waiting, the 1996 masterpiece, Big Night makes you yearn for several courses of exquisite Italian cuisine. The film involves two brothers who plan and execute a special dinner to keep their restaurant from failing. Primo, played by Tony Shalhoub, is an extraordinary Italian chef whose maniacal perfectionism helps him create complex gourmet meals. Primo’s brother Secondo (well-known actor Stanley Tucci) is the restaurant’s manager, and although he gets along with the customers more than his brother, he agrees to help with the ultimate Italian pasta dish. The timballo is a massive baked pasta containing meats, cheese, rice vegetables and sauce encased in a delicate pastry. The movie’s subplot involving Secondo dating a competitor’s wife is a mild distraction to the excellent prepping and cooking sequences. The film was a hit, and it inspired many cooks to attempt their own timballo.

Founder

The story of how McDonald’s became a franchise is told in sharp, shocking detail in Founder. Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton) is unsatisfied as a traveling milkshake machine salesman, but his luck changes when he visits a drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California. He’s impressed with the McDonald’s quick service and quality food, and he meets with the owners to convince them to franchise the business. The story follows the rise of the franchise and how Ray Kroc managed to start an empire by employing a cutthroat attitude towards the original owners. Founder is a disturbing commentary on the fast-food industry and the American dream.

Ratatouille

The animated feature Ratatouille premiered in 2007 and made a lasting impression on many aspiring chefs around the world. The film was an enormous hit that grossed more than $600 million and won an Oscar. The plot centers around a young rat separated from his family that yearns to be a professional chef. After sneaking into his idol’s restaurant, he fixes a soup that a young garbage boy had ruined. The soup is a success, and the restaurant’s owner allows the young man to make the soup regularly with the rat’s clandestine help. The Parisian setting, food preparation scenes and hilarious dialogue make Ratatouille essential for anyone that appreciates the art of French cooking and has a sense of humor.

Chocolat

The romantic comedy/drama Chocolat tells the story of a talented chocolatier (Juliette Binoche) and her young daughter who move to a traditional French village. The town’s conservative mayor is shocked when Vianne Rocher (Binoche) opens a chocolate store at the beginning of Lent. At first, the town treats Vianne as an outsider and disapproves of her flashy clothes and confidence. After the townspeople try her chocolate, some of them befriend Vianne and break their Lent fasting by indulging in her creations. While Chocolat has several humorous moments, it’s also sad and thoughtful and definitely worth a watch. 

Conclusion 

When you’re tired of watching superhero movies or thrillers, it’s nice to explore films that focus on other interesting subjects. The previous films are excellent examples of the finest restaurant-related films ever produced.