We have increasingly become a nation of foodies. Just look at the TV shows on offer – MasterChef, The Taste, My Kitchen Rules, Top Chef, The Great British Bake Off are all cooking shows that are extremely popular now. There are also food related programs like the now defunct No Reservations, Parts Unknown, Kitchen Nightmares, Man vs Food (Nation) and even odes to excess like Epic Meal Empire.
That’s not even counting the craft beer movement which has spawned shows like Dark Horse Nation and Brew Dogs. All this has made Gordon Ramsay, Anthony Bourdain (he was a chef at Les Halles before he became a host), Graham Elliot, Heston Blumenthal and other Michelin Star chefs becoming household names. Hollywood has also increasingly come up with movies featuring food as the primary theme – starting from Chocolat (which was the first movie that caught my attention) to documentaries like Jiro Dreams of Sushi (about the 3 Michelin Star Sukiyabashi Jiro in Tokyo).
I admit that most of the programming I watch nowadays are food-related shows. I’ve also eaten at Michelin-starred establishments from Hong Kong to France and I pre-order The Red Guide from Amazon every year.
I went to Paris with my better half earlier this year and the primary reason for our trip was to eat at Michelin-starred (and Bib Gourmand) restaurants. We’re both very interested in food, I even do a little cooking myself. I was amazed at the variety and freshness of produce in France – a lot of which we can’t get here.
We also cooked during our trip and one of the interesting things we saw in Paris was a line of ready-to-eat meals by the 28 Michelin Star chef Joel Robuchon. This isn’t your average TV dinner but gourmet meals that you can just heat up and eat. There’s even one called Les St Jacques au Noilly & Riz Basmati cuisine. It’s a fusion of Indian and French food and that’s what a really intriguing upcoming film is all about.
The Hundred-Foot Journey is a film produced by Stephen Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey with Lasse Hallström as the director. It’s based on a novel about the Kadam family, who came from India to settle in a picturesque quaint village in France to open an Indian restaurant called Maison Mumbai.
They run into the chilly chef owner of Le Saule Pleureur (The Weeping Willow), a Michelin-starred classical French restaurant run by Madame Mallory (Academy Award winning actress Helen Mirren) just a hundred feet away and the her protests against the new Indian restaurant threatens to escalate until Hassan’s passion for French haute cuisine (and also the beautiful sous chef, Marguerite – played by Charlotte Le Bon) combines to weave magic between their two cultures and imbue the small town with flavors of life that even Madame Mallory can’t ignore.
At first Madame Mallory’s culinary rival, she eventually recognizes Hassan’s gift as a chef and takes him under her wing.
The Hundred-Foot Journey abounds with flavors that burst across the tongue. A stimulating triumph over exile, blossoming with passion and heart, it is a portrayal of two worlds colliding and one young man’s drive to find the comfort of home, in every pot, wherever he may be.
It sounds like a wonderful movie, and it’s from the award-winning director of Chocolat! I’ve read stories about the “back of the house” like Kitchen Confidential and this production is something I’m really looking forward to! It has all the elements that makes for a great food related movie, and if you’re interested in cuisine, eating, and theater, you’ll love this production.
Watch the trailer here! Life’s greatest journey begins with the first step. #The100FootJourneyMY
The Hundred-Foot Journey will be released in theaters on August 28, 2014. For more information, visit http://100footjourneymovie.com. Like the official Facebook page and follow their official Twitter account to interact!
Contest:
Why do you want to watch The Hundred-Foot Journey? Comment on the blog post below and the best answer will win a pair of tickets in season pass to the movie! Please include your email address in your comment (make sure you fill in the Email bit) so I can get in touch with you! 🙂
Saw the trailer and loved it! Don’t think they will show it here, we only get those violent and horror movies or action ones like Transformers and such. Les Miserables never came, so surprised that they did show Fault in our stars that day. So no point getting those tickets even though I would so very much want to watch the movie.
I guess I will just have to settle for getting the book and reading it – I hear it is on the shelves at a local bookstore.
Yeah, the book looks very promising! 🙂
I plan to get the book too. I know what you mean about Sibu cinemas, there’s only 2 with 3 theatres each so there’s very few options back home – usually summer Hollywood blockbusters and Hong Kong films. I really like The Hundred-Mile journey, it’s something we’re both going to watch soon.
I want to watch the hundred foot journey because I love Helen mirren! I saw the trailer for this movie some months back and was practically salivating. French cuisine had never really been on my to-eat list but I think a fusion of Indian and French would be something really interesting to try at least once! Curry frog legs. Escargot with chickpeas. Bouillabaisse with papadom. Hahahahaha
Haha! I love your wonderful combinations! 🙂
Those dishes you mentioned sounds really good indeed! BTW, speaking of escargot, I realized that a lot of the “canned escargots” from countries other than EU *aren’t* the same species they use in France but the African snail a.k.a. siput babi! It’s cultivated for human consumption though (so no pathogens) but still…
totally agree with you there. Think of Malaysia..think of Makan. Wondering if we eat to live or is it live to eat. But whatever it is, am sure enjoying my food here.
Yeah, I agree Kathy! 🙂
It doesn’t matter how much or even what you eat, as long as you’re healthy and enjoying it!
This looks like my kinda movie / book. Unfortunately, I doubt it will ever get to Japan. Even if it does, it’s probably half a year later or dubbed in Japanese. Will add this to my To-Read list.
By the way, I’m a big fan of Anthony Bourdain. Hahaha.
Me too! 🙂
The upcoming season of Parts Unknown will feature an Iran episode where Tony goes to Iran and he wrote an article about it coz two of the people he talked and ate with was arrested (!!!) for suspicion of espionage…and that kind of charge isn’t funny in Iran.
Wow that’s really unfortunate. I’m always impressed by the hospitality of the people that appear in his show though there has been a few dodgy ones (like the chef from the Parts Unknown Sicily episode).
Yeah, I know what episode you’re talking about! 🙂
The producers at CNN did a great job with Parts Unknown, I liked it a lot better than No Reservations. It’s funny how it’s so hard for US citizens to go to Iran while it’s so easy for us and and it’s so hard for us to go to Israel while it’s easy for them. Politics…
I wanna watch the movie because “life’s greatest journey begins with the first step” – the “first step” being taking part in this competition to win the tickets for the movie. Oh, and I love food and movies-combining the two is a recipe for a great, if not one of “life’s greatest journeys”. 🙂
Thanks for participating Haw! 🙂
Good one, I’ll email the winner soon!
Hi, I want to watch The Hundred Foot Journey because I love all cooking shows and I will love this movie too. I always thought of what if Michelin Guide go to India and rate the restaurants? I actually graduate from studying medical school there in Manipal. I have also wanted to eat at a real Michelin Star restaurant in Paris. It is my dream to do so! I haven’t been to Paris, but I am saving up to do so and in the meantime I would love it if I could at least watch the movie about my favourite thing – food! :))
Nice one Siew Leng! 🙂
Thanks for participating – I’ll email the winner soon!
I love this kind of genre and I’m just curious about the movie… i hope to could win…. thank you… 🙂
Thanks for joining Aliey! 🙂
I’ll be emailing the winner soon!
Aaah.. I believe there are 3 things universal that unites people from all walks of life:-
Food, Music, Arts (movies, dance, visual displays & even language, a form of communication is a type of art).
I would say, if you enjoyed last year’s favourite International movie from Greece – A Touch of Spice which talked about politics, food, herbs with a dash of humor & most of all it talked about uniting people. ; you will definitely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Hundred Foot Journey. I was actually saving up to watch this one. 😀 Gosh, the trailer itself on TV, made me gulped saliva.
I loved the origin of the movie, how the director made the movie inspired from his mom. As a gift for his mom. Sounds sappy, but nothing bets the purity of love between family. The topic of Indian & French food, both are placed at the highest priority in life. Especially the latter, where they will even quit their job (hang their certs), close down their shops in order to deliver the best quality. Other than the French, I’ve only known the Japanese for doing so. Yes. To them, their super mega heavenly serious.
Overall, we in Malaysia are very lucky! Don’t you think so.. look around it’s not hard to get the best of both worlds – Asian & Western. OooH-10-tic ones too haha.
Yeah, it’s already in the makings to be a blockbuster! 🙂
It’s still in the Top 10 in US theatres since it opened, we’re going to watch it soon. I’ve never watched A Touch of Spice, thanks for the recommendation!
Yup, I agree, the French, Italians and Japanese are the most passionate about food. I’ve been watching a lot of Japanese food documentaries like Jiro Dreams of Sushi. I managed to get hold of the version which has the Director’s Commentary in English too, it was really interesting to know what he was thinking of when he shot the movie.
I always joke with my dear that I’m going to eat at Sukiyabashi Jiro next year and she’s doesn’t want to (you have to eat 15 pieces of sushi in 20 minutes or so and they’ll take away your sushi if you slow down) but I reckon I better do it before I die. USD 300 per pax though, it’s a Three Michelin Star establishment (not the Roppongi one, the original outlet) but the concept of service is very different from France.
Must be a good book too. Thanks for the review. Hope to find the book. I liked watching Chocolat. Perhaps there is Johnny Depp in that movie. Lol!
I loved Chocolat too! 🙂
I actually watched it when it first came out, and then again on a plane (think it was Melbourne – Singapore when I was still in uni) and I always thought the story was absolutely engaging so I’ll love to see The Hundred-Foot Journey!
I will love to have the season passes pleaseeeeee:D
This is definitely a must watch for foodies (and chef wannabes like me). Throw in some travel elements, some music…I can totally relate to it because these are some of my favourite things in life. And let this be a teaser for me as I plan my journey to India next year and make another trip to Paris in October. This movie will certainly serve to inspire me more in my trips and adventures.
Wow! Nice, that’s some really good travel plans there. I want to go to India again too, they have a lot of interesting cuisine there, so much more than what we get here, with the regional differences.
Thanks for participating Eve, I’ll email the winner soon! 🙂
I guess I’m one of those foodies, lol. I’d always find the time to watch MKR, Masterchef Australia, Taste with Jason, etc. I do remember Parts Unknown and No Reservations (no thanks to Anthony Bourdain’s free-flow script); it was one helluva program, I must say. ^^
Anyways, back to the contest.
I want to watch the Hundred Foot Journey because cooking is what inspires a chef to live, breathing the air of the culinary arts. It epitomizes that with dreams, one can succeed and with the mutual passion for the culinary world, it bonds people from divergent cultures together. =D
Haha! Me too! 🙂
I love all the shows, am also watching My Kitchen Rules New Zealand and The Great British Bake-off (and the Extra Slice aftershow) now.
Nice entry Ciana! I’ll email the winner soon, thanks for participating!
The final winner goes to missyblurkit! 🙂
She has been contacted and will collect the season pass tickets soon. Congrats!