This list includes the best cooking movies, as well as some very envious kitchens, and is compiled from the top cooking and cinematic chef titles. The movies about chefs on this list all deal with cooking in some fashion, from children’s films like Ratatouille to Oscar nominees like Chocolat. What are the best cookery films ever made?

Best movies about chefs on Netflix

1. Julie & Julia

In this lovely homage to the passion of cooking, Meryl Streep plays Julia Child, a famous chef and cookbook author. As her loyal spouse, Stanley Tucci also impresses. The first half of the film recounts Child’s exploits, while the second half centers on Julie Powell (Amy Adams), a blogger who wants to cook all 524 dishes in Child’s cookbook in 365 days, documenting her successes and failures on the internet.

2. No Reservations

Kate Armstrong (Catherine Zeta-Jones) is competing for culinary excellence until she is obliged to care for her niece (Abigail Breslin) following a family accident. Fellow chef Nick Palmer (Aaron Eckhart) joins her in the kitchen to assist her—until his abilities threaten to take over the lead.

View more: 15 Best Movies About Cooking For Foodies To Immerse In

3. Ratatouille

In Disney’s tribute to French cuisine, Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt) is a motivated little rodent on his (mis)adventures to become a chef. He eventually befriends Alfredo Linguini, a dumb garbage boy at a once-famous restaurant that Remy idolizes because of his previous chief chef. Bon appetit! You can find more movies like this with our recommendations of movies about bakers.

4. Burnt

In this romantic chef movie about achieving difficult-to-get ratings for top-notch cuisine, Bradley Cooper gets pushy with love interest Sienna Miller. Cooper is a chef who is striving to regain his edge following a stint in rehab. Cooking is a high-stakes art form, but it’s true power lies in its ability to provide redemption—along with a dash of romance. Look for plated works of art that will make foodies drool.

5. Jiro Dreams of Sushi

From the makers of Chef’s Table comes this now-classic food documentary, which follows Jiro Ono, an 85-year-old world-renowned sushi chef who is fully dedicated to his trade. The movie about chef focuses heavily on Ono’s remarkable sushi creations and how he transformed the art using new approaches.

Jiro Ono is widely regarded as the greatest sushi chef alive, and witnessing his unwavering quest for excellence is awe-inspiring, soul-crushing, and completely delectable. This is one of the best chefs movies you shouldn’t miss.

6. Chef

Chef, directed by Jon Favreau, is one of the best humorous chef movies about the passion of cooking. The film follows a famous chef who has grown disillusioned with the restaurant business and his lack of culinary flexibility, as he embarks on a road trip with his son in a food truck, selling Cuban sandwiches and other regional specialties.

The film’s relaxed tone and presentation allow the food to shine. Throughout the film, Favreau has a genuine passion for food, particularly Cuban cuisine. It’s worth checking out if you just want to spend some time with some fun people that enjoy cooking.

7. Eat Drink Man Woman

Eat Drink Man Woman, directed by Ang Lee, follows the story of a father and his three daughters who come together once a week to share a great meal. This chef movie is brilliantly made, and it demonstrates how each family member deviates from mainstream norms while retaining their own family traditions through recounting their tales.

The cooking sequences are meticulously shot, showing Taiwan’s characteristic dishes and methods. The film, like the others on this list, depicts how food can bring a family together.

Best movies about chefs on other streaming platforms

8. Chocolat

Juliette Binoche dazzles as the single mother and proprietor of La Chocolaterie Maya, where the ingredients are practically enchanted. Meanwhile, Johnny Depp plays the dashing Roma, who arrives to whisk Binoche off her feet. As the camera glides past innumerable exquisite delicacies, your mouth will water. Keep an eye on things with a box of bonbons around!

9. The Hundred Foot Journey

This charming comedy-drama uses fusion cuisine to convey a positive message about multicultural acceptance. A family of Indians fleeing violence finds refuge in a small French town. They purchase a restaurant with the intention of starting afresh, but they soon find themselves in competition with the cafe next door. Soon after, the rival cooks (Charlotte Le Bon and Manish Dayal) begin to fall in love!

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10. Like Water for Chocolate

This lovely Mexican movie about a chef tells the story of Tita, a young woman whose cuisine has the ability to influence the mood of whoever consumes it. (When she adds rose petals, the passion soars!) Due to class distinctions, Tita has banned her great love, but the magical recipes keep the two together.

11. Big Night

As competitive brothers struggling to keep their restaurant viable, Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub excel. When a well-known artist is scheduled to perform, the two go all out to prepare the perfect meal for the big night. In this dramatic, hilarious, and often touching celebration of Italian cuisine, the stakes are high.

12. Soul Food

This classic film is set around the full, vibrant dinner table of a Black family struggling with the illness of their matriarch. Comfort foods like macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, potato salad, and delectable biscuits abound on the table. Vanessa Williams, Nia Long, and Vivica A. Fox appear as sisters who understand that the best cuisine comes from the heart! You can watch more best movies about food on Thecookingmovie.

13. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

The set pieces at the factory, such as the segment showing how Everlasting Gobstoppers are made or how to turn a person into a blueberry, are the best sections of this Gene Wilder classic. You’ll be craving candy in no time with chocolate rivers, golden eggs, and edible tea cups!

14. The Lunchbox

The Lunchbox is a must-see for anyone who enjoyed The Hundred-Foot Journey or enjoys Indian cuisine. It portrays the narrative of a neglected housewife whose notes to her husband, which she places in lunchboxes to be sent to him, are unintentionally delivered to Irrfan Khan’s widower. They begin a long-distance correspondence in which they share stories about their lives and fall in love. The film is beautifully romantic and depicts a lovely love story centered around some delectable-looking foods.

15. The Founder

This one is a little out of the ordinary. It isn’t about fine dining or chefs. Instead, the video explores the long and illustrious history of fast-food behemoth McDonald’s. Ray Kroc, played by Michael Keaton, is the man who would go on to take a tiny hamburger shop nationwide while simultaneously kicking out the original proprietors.

The Founder is a thought-provoking and often funny look at how one man’s ambition and avarice may lead to immense success, but at the expense of alienating others. But it didn’t actually make me hungry.

So those are our current favorite movies about chefs. What are you watching right now? In the comments section, we’d love to hear your suggestions. And don’t forget to visit Thecookingmovie to find out more recommendations on the best chef movies to watch!