Sunday, June 23, 2013

What's Cooking? Great Cinema Cooking Scenes

I hate to cook. I love the idea of cooking, but I confess, my oven is used for storage and I'd be lost without a microwave.
Brooks cooks: Do you honestly
think Louise knew her way around the kitchen?
But since I love to eat, I really do appreciate the skill and creativity that tales place in the kitchen. And since my Mom's best dish was Kraft Macaroni & Cheese (my Mom was many wonderful things, but she passed the I-can't-cook gene to me), I am always fascinated by the culinary artistry displayed by those who are blessed with the talent. Just like Mickey Mantle was at home on the ball field and Secretariat was in his element in the home stretch, there are those whose true medium is food. Since I didn't get to see this close up and personal at home (see the macaroni & cheese comment above), I always get a kick out of a good cooking scene in the movies. Here are a few of my favorites.

Christmas in Connecticut

Barbara Stanwyck finds her inner domestic goddess and flips those flapjacks!

The Gold Rush

Charlie Chaplin makes do with the ingredients at hand and proves that it is all in the presentation.

Babette's Feast


A repressed woman whose life has known little pleasure wins a prize and spends it all on a luscious, sensuous banquet that is a celebration of food.

Chocolat

Food as delicious and delightful or immoral and sinful? I vote for yummy!

Julie and Julia

2 women find their creative voice in the kitchen and make us laugh and drool along the way.

Ratatouille


A rat with the soul of James Beard.


Big Night

This is my favorite "foodie" movie. I love the relationship between Primo & Segundo, the fact that the great Louis Prima was the cause for such excitement and I will never, ever order the risotto with pasta! A loving testament to food, love and family.

Did I miss any of your favorite foodie film moments?

p.s. My Mom did teach me that everything I need to know can be found at the movies♥

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed your post, Chick -- it made me hungry, and made me want to dig out my copy of The Big Night. I only saw it once, but I remember enjoying it a lot, and anything with Stanley Tucci is just all right with me. One movie I remember with great cooking scenes is Like Water for Chocolate.

Patti said...

What a fun post! I have to admit, I don't enjoy cooking anymore myself, nor do I do it anymore. My daughter loves to cook, and she asked to take over the family cooking duties about 5 years ago. She plans the meals, grocery shops, puts groceries away, and cooks. All I have to do is wash the dishes!! Unfortunately, in another year, she will be done with college and perhaps on her own....then guess who has to do the cooking again?

I love the little clip from Christmas in Connecticut. That is such a fun movie! "It's time to flip-flop the flop-flips."

There's a cooking scene in The Best Years of our Lives that my family gags over. Be on the lookout for the scrambled eggs Dana Andrews is served in the Fredric March/Myrna Loy kitchen. As they are spooned onto his plate, they are incredibly runny and gross.

Have a great day!

said...

I'm not a cooking enthusiast, only sometimes I have some crazy cooking fever, cook a simple dish and feel happy.
Your list is great. For me, the best cooking scene comes from Woman of the Year, with Kate Hepburn trying to be a housewife. It illustrates perfectly how I would behave in the same situation.
Oh, Ratatouille! I watched it in the movie theater and years later was amazed by the fact that Peter O'Toole voiced one character!
Kisses!

Caftan Woman said...

Really enjoyed this look at food and themovies. One of my favourite scenes is in the 1944 western "Tall in the Saddle" that shows John Wayne making biscuits. I think that's when leading lady Ella Raines falls for the character.

The Lady Eve said...

Love this post (and love to cook), FlickChick. I'm with you completely on Big Night, my favorite foodie movie - would have paid any price to dine at Primo's table. A truly taste-bud-tickling movie (Chocolat has its mouth-watering moments, too).

I don't usually do this, and hope you don't mind, but I'm including a link to a post of my own with a similar focus ("food in a lead or supporting role") It was my first attempt at blogging (originally posted at TCM's CFU). The movies I mentioned: Big Night, My Dinner with Andre, Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe, Diamond Jim, Like Water for Chocolate (another foodie delight), Tampopo, Christmas in Connecticut and Heartburn.

Silver Screenings said...

Mmm! I'm getting hungry. I love to cook and am always interested in scenes that involve cooking and the equipment they use.

I think the flapjack-flipping scene in "A Christmas in Connecticut" is one of my faves. The look on Barbara Stanwyck's face when the flapjack falls back into the pan is priceless!

The Lady Eve said...

Forgot to include link mentioned above...
http://www.classicfilmtvcafe.com/2009/09/delicious.html

Patricia said...

I love the cooking scenes in "Like Water for Chocolate" (as mentioned above) and the scene in "Woman of the Year" where Katharine Hepburn tries to make breakfast. But I agree, I think "Christmas in Connecticut" is my favorite.

FlickChick said...

shadowsand satin: I just love Big Night - I could watch it endlessly!

FlickChick said...

Hi Patti - eek - I hate runny eggs!!!!

FlickChick said...

Thank you, Le - oh yes, I love that Parisian rat! And even better with Peter O'Toole.

FlickChick said...

CW - I'd love to see John Wayne going all domestic. I might fall for him, too!

FlickChick said...

Thanks, Lady Eve for the link to that swell post. But you include my most hated film of all time ("My Dinner With Andre")! No soup for you!

FlickChick said...

Silver Screenings - I can identify with Stanwyck because I'd be thrilled if anything I made came out right!

FlickChick said...

Patricia: I agree about Woman of the Year - I totally forgot about that one! A good "foodie" scene.