Are you a big fan of culinary programs? This list includes the best movies about cooking, including some truly envious kitchens, as well as the best titles on the subject of cooking and cinematic chefs. The films on this list all deal with cooking in some fashion, from children’s films to Oscar nominees. What are the best cookery films ever made?
Table of Contents
The best movies about cooking on Netflix
1. Julie & Julia
Julia Child is a household name in the United States. The comedic, gregarious, and frequently eccentric TV chef built a name for herself in the culinary world by introducing French cuisine to American shores through television and cookbooks. This French film about food is based on a true tale about a teenage food blogger who is struggling to find her voice and chooses to dissect Child’s famous Mastering the Art of French Cooking by cooking all 524 recipes and giving a review for each. Amy Adams as the sincere and inquisitive food blogger on a journey brings forth Meryl Streep’s transition into Child. It’s difficult not to enjoy this film, particularly if you’re a foodie or a Francophile.
2. Maacher Jhol
When a renowned chef (Ritwick Chakraborty) returns to West Bengal, he is faced with a task that should be simple: preparing a delicious bowl of fish curry, one of the state’s signature dishes. That aim evolves into an expedition investigating how food travels and how we prepare food as a deeply personal experience that allows anyone who prepares a dish to feel at ease. If you love these cooking movies, you may want to explore the best Indian cooking shows as well.
3. Mr. Church
Eddie Murphy plays a home cook who builds a wonderful bond with the family for whom he works. Murphy portrays Henry Church, a little girl and her ailing mother, who hires him to cook their meals for a brief time while the mother is battling a serious illness. Mr. Church takes on the role of a father figure, teaching the girl everything he knows about cooking and the kitchen, and whipping up love and comfort while the family suffers sorrow, and that’s only the first half of the film. It’s a nice look at how food can affect relationships and improve people’s lives. Keep a box of Kleenex close by for this one.
4. Always Be My Maybe
This Netflix rom-com stars Ali Wong and Randall Park and is already a fan favorite. The story follows two childhood sweethearts who have been separated for the past 15 years. They reunite when Wong’s ambitious star chef character returns to San Francisco. Both must mature, but the film avoids traditional rom-com cliches in favor of scenes that are both funnier and more meaningful than your ordinary frivolous fare. There’s also lots of delectable Korean cuisine to swoon over. The best culinary moment occurs when Keanu Reeves appears and gives us a truly extraordinary performance set in a high-end restaurant where diners enjoy sensory experiences with their food.
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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 film, one of the best movies about cooking on Netflix, focuses heavily on Ono’s remarkable sushi creations and how he transformed the art using new approaches. Jiro Ono is widely regarded as the best sushi chef alive, and witnessing his unwavering quest for excellence is equal parts inspiring, soul-crushing, and completely delectable.
6. This Is Not What I Expected
A wealthy CEO and the young chef who mesmerizes him with her culinary talent star in this Chinese romantic comedy. Lu Jin encounters Gu Sheng Nan, a rebellious chef who impresses Lu Jin with her uncompromising cookery. They begin to spend time together, enjoying the food she prepares. They create a complicated friendship as they jump off into their own deep ends, keeping each other company. The cuisine becomes a vehicle for them to confront both the calamities in their lives and the route forward.
7. The Hundred-Foot Journey
This cooking movie has a lightness to it that makes it enjoyable to watch on Netflix. Helen Mirren shines as a tense restaurant owner in rural France who is less than pleased when a South Asian family comes in across the street to launch their own eatery. Hassan, the family’s young master chef, eventually wins Mirren over by making her an incredible omelet. The film then follows Hasan as he rises through the ranks of France’s culinary elite before returning home to Mirren and his family.
Best movies about cooking on Hulu, Amazon Prime and other streaming platforms
8. Burnt
Burnt, starring Bradley Cooper, transports you to the kitchen of a prestigious restaurant vying for three Michelin stars, led by a chef seeking redemption for himself and his profession. Burnt is a fantastic insight into the world of high-end dining and professional kitchens, and any Bradley Cooper fan will like his performance.
9. Ratatouille
Ratatouille stunned everyone with its dedication to outstanding cuisine. You wouldn’t expect an animated picture about a rat that lives in Paris to be one of the greatest films about cooking ever created. The film follows Remy, a rat who is obsessed with good food, as he partners up with clumsy kitchen staff to prepare wonderful food at a prestigious restaurant in Paris while on lockdown. Ratatouille not only celebrates wonderful food, but also the love, hard effort, and artistry that goes into its preparation, sending a powerful message to anybody who is afraid of the kitchen: anyone can cook.
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10. Chef
Chef, directed by Jon Favreau, is one of the best humorous films 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.
11. The Trip to Italy
What could be more enjoyable than a tour of some of Italy’s finest restaurants? Why not team up with comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon for that tour? The two “friends” retrace the paths of the Romantic poets’ epic tour of Italy in this sequel to The Trip, indulging in some scintillating banter and impersonation-offs. The characters enjoy scrumptious Italian dinners in stunning locales from Liguria to Capri while riffing on topics as diverse as Batman’s vocal register, the artistic qualities of “Jagged Little Pill,” and, of course, the value of sequels, as they did in the last film. The film does an excellent job of emphasizing both the food and the comfortable chemistry between Coogan and Brydon, who improvised most of the dialogue.
12. 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. The film 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 culinary sequences are meticulously shot, showcasing Taiwan’s characteristic cuisine and methods. The film, like the others on this list, depicts how food can bring a family together.
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13. Soul Food
Food has always had the capacity to bring families together, and this is the kind of culinary power depicted in the film Soul Food. The story revolves around a family that is pulled together by a medical emergency. Despite their prior disagreements, three sisters work together to keep the long-standing family ritual of a Sunday night meal alive. Not only because of how it symbolizes the importance of eating in a family (delicious cuisine), but also because of how it commemorates traditions and family legacies.
14. The Founder
This one is a little unusual. 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 is played by Michael Keaton, the man who would go on to take a modest 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.
15. The Lunchbox
The Lunchbox is a must-see for anyone who enjoyed The Hundred-Foot Journey or enjoys Indian cuisine. It portrays the story of a neglected housewife whose notes to her husband are unintentionally conveyed to a widower played by Irrfan Khan. 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.
If you’re feeling inspired by this list of the best movies about cooking, try making some of the recipes you see in your spare time in the coming weeks. Now is the time to work on your skills alone. Hopefully, you’ll be able to share your acquired knowledge with someone else before long.