| La Passion de Dodin Bouffant was awarded for the director’s direction at Cannes. The film couldn’t have received a finer distinction, on a story of passion and creation, cooked up by an expert. The film was also chosen to represent France at the pre-selection for the Oscars. |
| At the end of the 19th century, Eugénie is a genius cook in the service of Dodin, a bourgeois who devotes his life to gastronomy at his estate in Anjou. The two actors share a common passion: the table. Then the 2 actors give in to more carnal pleasures. They create tasty dishes that Dodin shares with a small circle of connoisseurs. Eugénie, more free, refuses to get married, and to convince her, Dodin decides to get behind the stove.
The director opens the film with a magnificent scene of culinary preparation. Eugénie cooks a sophisticated meal for Dodin’s circle of friends, who later becomes her lover. The film conveys the sensuality of cooking. The director drew his inspiration from Pierre Gagnaire’s kitchens to convey the technique in the best possible way and inspire the viewer. |
| The role of the kitchen is important, with numerous scenes around the table, French dishes, and pots on the stove. The director’s approach is to showcase good food, luxuriant vegetables and passion fruit, and above all, the main character’s desire to pass on his passion for gastronomy. In addition, the maid and the second maid bring a touch of passion to the dishes prepared, the French way of serving and tasting. |
| Vatel is a Franco-British-Belgian film directed by Roland Joffé. The film was released 23 years ago. It recounts the efforts of François Vatel, who is a maître d’hôtel at the House of Condé. The film opened the 2000 Cannes Film Festival. |
| The film begins in April 1671, with François Vatel as an intendant and maître d’hôtel to Louis II de Bourbon-Condé, prince of the House of Condé. Aging and increasingly bankrupt, François Vatel seeked work with King Louis XIV. He was keen to obtain command of a military campaign against the Dutch.
For the occasion, Condé placed the destiny of his household in Vatel’s hands, entrusting him with the onerous task of orchestrating the court’s reception at his Château de Chantilly. |
| Vatel organizes sumptuous feasts, with delicate dishes and refined tableware, all punctuated by shows, concerts and fireworks.
The film features dishes prepared by François Vatel, such as :
Starters – Herb pie – Turnip and duck soup – Pigeon bisque
Main dish – Semi-salted beef braise – Pâté of poularde with oysters – Carp chop with mushrooms
Desserts – Almond cake – Cream peas garnished with cheese ramekins – Seasonal fruit pyramid
To give a few examples, the semi-salted preparation prolongs the meat’s shelf life and retains the pink color after cooking. Pieces of meat are placed in coarse salt with spices and left to marinate for several days. There is also the “tourte”, a round pastry filled with salt. |
| Hortense Laborie is a renowned chef living in the Périgord region of France. To her great surprise, the President of the Republic appoints her to be in charge of his personal meals at the Élysée Palace. She makes the chefs at the central kitchen jealous. Hortense imposed herself with her character. Her cooking quickly won over the President, but there were many obstacles. |
| There are a few recipes, such as Chou Farci au saumon (stuffed cabbage with salmon), which resembles a cake with layers of cabbage and salmon. |
| If you’d like to discover French gastronomy as seen in these cult films, don’t hesitate to ask for a quote on the website : https://www.trip-my-france.com/EN/. |
