Chefs On Screen
What movie or TV show best represents what you do for a living?
Fiction allows us to experience worlds beyond our own. It hands us a backstage pass to countless other ways of being human. And we humans love getting to see behind the curtain.
Not all subcultures get the same level of attention. A handful dominate the screen: doctors, lawyers, every single variety of criminal, vigilante, special agent, cop, and investigator. Then there are the angles. Is it purposefully sensationalized? Is it unrelentingly realistic? Like a total hypocrite, I tend not to worry much about accuracy unless I have expertise on the matter. And we’re all experts on at least one subculture: our own.
Last summer I went to a wonderful wedding in DC. I was a plus one, which in this social butterfly’s opinion, is the optimal way to experience a wedding. At dinner, I was seated next to a real life assistant district attorney. “Wow, really?! Real people aren’t prosecutors. That’s only a job in the movies.” I asked him all kinds of questions about being a prosecutor. He wanted to know about being a chef. “Have you seen The Bear?” This question has fully eclipsed “What’s your specialty?” as the default question chefs get asked.
“I’ve seen some of it. I acknowledge it’s a well-made show. A lot of attention to detail on kitchen operations. It just…doesn’t really reflect my experience.” I don’t remember exactly what I said, but it was something like that. I told him about the movie Chef (directed by Jon Favreau) which is my favorite chef movie. I’ve never worked in a food truck (thankfully), but the vibe tracks with my life in kitchens: a few spikes of emotion and moments of self-doubt, yes, but mostly a fun ride while working hard with people I like.
I asked my new friend what movie most accurately reflects being a lawyer. “I know it’s not Suits. Unfortunately.” As it turns out, pretty much all lawyers agree that the most accurate representation of the legal process on screen is…wait for it…My Cousin Vinny.” And just like that, I had a conversation starter for the rest of the weekend.
This is all fun and party games, but there’s a fundamental question here about the importance of accuracy. Does a work of fiction have a responsibility to the subculture it represents? This is all entertainment, and if it’s entertaining, is that the only metric worth measuring?
Ratatouille is Mac’s favorite chef movie (and my second favorite). It fully delivers the nervous excitement of being a rookie. Passionate young cooks are eager and naïve, frantically dog-paddling amidst the chaos of service, desperately seeking any lifeline to stay afloat (whether it’s a more experienced cook or a rat under their toque). It’s refreshing to see the chef protagonist portrayed as something other than a tortured megalomaniacal genius - the most tired trope in all food media. And the final payoff - the jaded critic moved and humbled by a childhood food memory - is a feeling that burnt out chefs yearn for.
So what does accuracy even mean? It’s fairly hard to argue that a sentient rat is realistic. Despite this (or possibly because of it), I would argue that Ratatouille captures the experience of a struggling new cook.
Media representations are often the only example of a particular subculture that a person will experience. A lot of the toxicity demonstrated on The Bear is real (check your newsfeed for recent Noma revelations). But I fear that, even when presented as negative, a tortured chef hero normalizes tortured chef behavior.
But it’s not fiction’s job to change workplace dynamics (though it’s nice if it can). All that really matters is if you treat your characters with nuance and respect. Whatever traits and backstory you give them, let them develop honestly from there. The “reality” of the plot is secondary.
This week, in honor of Ratatouille, we’re serving a classic ratatouille - a deeply satisfying bounty of late summer produce.
Stay tuned for my upcoming article: Top 5 Restaurant Movies. That’s restaurant movies, not chef movies strictly speaking, which is an important distinction.
We’re glad you’re cooking with us.
Cheers,
Sten and Mac
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