Last weekend, I found myself in one of those rare situations where I had the television all to myself and could watch whatever I wanted. Which basically meant I could watch a movie with subtitles and no one would stop me. I’d been dying to see the French movie Haute Cuisine ever since it came out last year, and luckily, it was available on Netflix! HERE is the trailer so you can savor for yourself…
I know there’s been a trend of food-related films lately (The Trip, Chef, Hundred Foot Journey) and although I haven’t seen them all, I can attest that this one is worth seeing, mostly for its gorgeous, not ostentatious or porny, food photography; but also the fact that it recounts the true story of Hortense, who is unexpectedly hired to be French President Francoise Mitterrand’s private cook. Unlike the chefs in the official palace kitchen, Hortense is instructed to create meals that are evocative of the French homecooking of Mitterrand’s childhood (although most of what she makes could hardly be called simple home cooking…like the choux farci au saumon, a perfect dome of layered cabbage and salmon).
Watch it this weekend, perhaps with something bubbly…and enjoy!
