Chefs on screen certainly have an audience, and although this particular film received some negative reviews, it still has a fan base. With that in mind, I would like to present a perfect taster menu of movies like Burnt for you to try.
Chef (2014)
Starring highly paid Black Widow Scarlett Johansson and re-invented Iron Holmes Robert Downey Jnr, this John Favreau movie reads like a strange food-based prequel to The Avengers. However, this is a stylish road trip comedy movie about a down-and-out chef who opens a food truck, making it an obvious opener for our list.
The Hundred Foot Journey (2014)
Here is a charming, uplifting film that follows an Indian family that relocates to France and decides to open a restaurant. The trouble is, they are right across the road from a Michelin-starred French eatery, and rivalry ensues. Based on the beloved book of the same name, the themes include the gulf between different cultures.
Mr Church (2015)
Delirious ex-Beverly Hills cop Eddie Murphy stars in this heartwarming film, based on a short story called The Cook Who Came To Live With Us. The story follows a cook who comes to a family home to help with a household where the mother is terminally ill and finds his role more important than he first thought. Food as a metaphor puts this entry on our list.
The Ramen Girl (2008)
Here’s another story where food becomes an important ingredient in the script. This quirky and under-rated gem follows Brittany Murphy, stranded in Japan, and finding her calling cooking ramen for a tyrannical head chef.
No Reservations (2007)
No Reservations is a charming rom-com directed by Scott Hicks surrounded by food. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart star here and the movie takes inspiration from the German film Mostly Martha. Awkward Chef Nick causes problems for Kate, who now has to care for her niece. Food and cooking are integral to the plot, making this similar to Burnt.
Soul Food (1997)
More food and more characters that hold things together with their own personal passion feature here, in this heartfelt drama, with a dysfunctional family that is trying their best to keep the tradition of a Sunday dinner alive. The hope here is that the food and ritual of sharing will help them heal, and this has similar tonal beats to our featured movie on the list.
Big Night (1996)
Directed by Campbell Scott and Italian-loving Stanley Tucci, the drama movie Big Night also has a vein of comedy running through it, like a delicious red wine jus. Like Burnt, the film shows the problems and boiling point tension of keeping a traditional restaurant afloat in a very competitive world. The 1950’s New Jersey setting just adds to the atmosphere.
Boiling Point (2021)
Here is a controversial British drama, and to some extent a thriller, following the inner workings of a busy restaurant and what it takes to manage a team of chefs. Relentless stress, claustrophobic pressure, and a striving for perfection make this story on par with Burnt’s regarding kitchen anxiety, and Stephen Graham is excellent as the head chef.
A Dash of Love (2017)
A more light-hearted affair makes it on our list with this more family-friendly offering. Ambitious Nikki gets a new job at her dream restaurant but is soon fired. She decides to start her own business in a competition to be the best and is joined by an executive chef on this adventure,
The need to succeed makes this a similar, if more lightweight, viewing to Burnt.
The Menu (2022)
We had to include this horrifically satirical comedy thriller on our list of chef-based films. A group of ultra-rich food snobs arrives at the Hawthorn, an exclusive culinary temple run by highly regarded gourmet chef Julian Slowik, played by awkwardly pronounced Shakespearean interpreter Ralph Fiennes. However, Chef has a few surprises up his sleeve in this jagged and spiteful story of a genius chef who has decided enough is enough.
Imagine David Cronenberg directing an episode of Hell’s Kitchen, and you might get the idea of the tone of The Menu.
Do you have any other recommendations for films like Burnt? Let us know in the discussion section!
