People ask me all the time about what my favourite cooking shows are. Truth be told, I don’t watch many cooking shows. I do however love movies about cooking. So, today I thought I would put together a top 5 list of my favourite food/cooking movies.

This list is composed of scripted movies only. I left all of my favourite food documentaries off of this list. Maybe I will do a top 5 food doc. list in the future. Who knows?

I’m going to do my best not to give too much away about the movies on this list but be aware that there may be some spoilers. Okay, enough said. Let’s take a look at

5 – Dinner Rush

This movie centers around one night in a busy restaurant in New York. It is about the old ways versus new ways. About a son trying to prove himself to his father. This movie has gangsters, it has food, it has pretty realistic restaurant and cooking scenes.

All in all this a really well-made movie which you will likely enjoy whether you love cooking or not. Check it out.

4 – Julia & Julia

It should come as no surprise to anyone that I loved this movie. I love all things Julia Child and this movie was very well done.

This movie is based on a blog by a woman named Julia who cooked her way through Julia Child’s “Mastering The Art Of French Cooking”. The story follows both Julia Child’s journey and the modern blogger Julia’s journey. It intertwines the lives, stories, and timelines of these two women in a well-crafted narrative that leaves the watcher feeling a connection through time and space.

This is a great, kind of heartwarming movie that if you haven’t seen you absolutely should.

3 – Soul Kitchen (2009)

Soul Kitchen, where to begin? First of all, this is a German-made movie with English subtitles. It has a very German sense of humour. It is a well-made movie and a well-crafted story.

Soul Kitchen is about this young Greek-German guy named Zinos who owns a really shitty restaurant in a warehouse in Hamburg. The story follows the trials and tribulations of Zinos through the restaurant and his personal life. If you don’t mind reading subtitles you should check this movie out. There is a reason why it made it to number 3 on this list, it is really good.

4 – The Hundred-Foot Journey

An Indian family moves in across the street from a Michelin Starred restaurant in the French countryside. The family opens there own restaurant cooking food from their village in India. Needless to say, the owner of the high-end French restaurant (Hellen Mirren) is not too happy about it.

This movie is funny, heartwarming, and moving. On top of that, the food is absolutely beautiful and the cooking techniques are well researched and executed. If you are looking for a movie that will bring the whole family together and keep everyone invested for two hours, this is the movie for you.

5 – Chef

I don’t know of another movie that so perfectly encapsulates what it’s like to be a Chef.

This movie is about the internal and external struggle of a Chef who is stuck cooking food that bores him, and that has been out of style for years. He eventually leaves the restaurant he has been working in in a very spectacular way and ends up owning a food truck. Being able to cook the food he wants, his passion for both life and cooking is rekindled.

Let’s be honest, you’ve probably seen this movie. If you haven’t, go watch it right now. If you have, watch it again. It is worth it.

Did I mention that Jon Favreau, who wrote, directed, and starred in this movie was so adamant that the culinary details be perfect that he had Chef Roy Choi on set guiding him through all the cooking scenes? There is no bullshit there. It is a well-made movie with a great story.

Honourable Mention – The Five Year Engagement

This movie isn’t really about food or cooking. It just so happens that one of the main characters is a chef. The cooking scenes are intentionally bad, but the movie itself is really good. It is a Judd Apatow comedy so you will definitely laugh.