Food cinematography existed long before Netflix and the obsession with chefs and watching people eat as a voyeur – like the Korean “Mukbang“ that has become a popular live streaming entertainment. Here’s a classic list of food films to watch with beautiful cinematography, often suggestive and almost feral at times.
As this is an updated post, this top 10 list are classics and cult films that predates 2000s. With the advent of movie streaming services, Netflix, Apple TV and Amazon TV, there’s more recent films like The Hundred Foot Journey , Burnt, The Menu starring Ralph Fiennes – really creepy and bizarre show and the experience somehow reminded me of my dining experience at Noma – the pompous arrogance and some delusional idea that they are on a pedestal. This had all come to light in a brilliant FT Weekend article in 2022.
Food films everyone should add to their list
1. Eat, Drink, Man, Woman – This has my Asian heart.
2. Babette’s Feast
3. Mostly Martha
4. Big Night
5. Estomango – crazy film, love the twist in plot and won’t give it away. Highly recommend it
6. Tampopo – my all time favourite, film on ramen, how can u go wrong
7. 9 1/2 weeks – who could forget that sexy blind fold scene by the fridge.
8. Jiro dreams of sushi
9. King of Pastry — the MOF medal, trials and tribulations of becoming an amazing pastry chef
10. Scent of Green papaya — a scene on how that salad we all love is made.
These are in no particular order and there are definitely so many more films with great food scenes.
