Say food, and it’s bound to become a conversation starter on any occasion – whether you are a foodie or not, everyone has an opinion or two to add to the discourse. Of late, foodie talks are mostly about the recently-released movie, Tarla. The movie is a biopic of the late celebrated chef and entrepreneur Tarla Dalal. Huma Qureshi stars in the title role and Sharib Hashmi plays her husband, Nalin Dalal. The movie brings to screen her inspiring journey and rise to stardom. If you have seen the movie, here are other movies and web series about food and chefs that will incite you to step in the kitchen and cook.
Loved ‘Tarla’? Here are 7 must-watch movies and web series about food & chefs on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix & more
1. Chef (2017) – Amazon Prime Video
Saif Ali Khan dons the chef’s apron and steps in Jon Favreau’s shoes for this Indian remake of the Hollywood superhit of the same name. Roshan Kalra is a renowned chef and his passion for food has made him estranged from his wife Radha and son Aari. After losing his job, he returns to India to spend time with his son. A series of events leads Roshan to contemplate his life choices and he decides to stay back and start a food truck. The father and son bond over food and cooking and take you on a heart-warming journey.
2. Chocolat – Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
Not exactly about food, but this one is a delight for chocoholics. From the delectable chocolate nibbles on display to hot chocolate, the movie will want you to run to your nearest patisserie to get your chocolate fix. The plot revolves around mother-daughter duo, Vianne and the six-year-old Anouk. The duo arrives in a quaint and conservative French village. Vianne, much to the chagrin of the residents, decides to open a chocolate shop. She does her best to embrace the culture and focuses on changing the residents’ views about her and her shop. Chocolate becomes a healing point for everyone, helping the residents accept change and cope with their individual troubles.
3. Ustad Hotel – Disney+Hotstar, YouTube
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This Malayalam movie stars Dulquer Salmaan, Nithya Menon, and veteran actor Thilakan in pivotal roles. Faizal, aka Faizi, aspires to become a chef, disappointing his father who wants him to study hotel management and start his own hotel. When Faizi gets a job in London as a chef, his father takes his visa and bans him from leaving home. Agitated by the treatment, he goes to his hometown to live with his grandfather. Faizi’s life changes forever when he starts helping his grandfather run Ustad Hotel. Food becomes his healing and helps him learn valuable life lessons. The movie is as much about relationships as it is about food.
4. Cook up a Storm – Netflix
This Cantonese-Mandarin movie revolves around two rival chefs participating in a culinary competition. Sky Ko (Nicholas Tse) is a Chinese chef and Paul Ahn (Jung Yong-hwa) is a French Michelin-trained Korean chef. The international culinary competition turns into a battleground for the two ambitious chefs who want to win it to show their respective families their worth. Despite winning the competition, things don’t go as planned for Paul and he is replaced by his restaurant owner. Surprisingly, the two rivals form a bond and Sky trains Pauls in Cantonese cuisine so that the two can go against masters in the culinary world in an upcoming competition. The movie gives a beautiful peek into Cantonese culture along with its traditional cuisine.
5. Big Night – Amazon Prime Video
Set in the 1950s in the coastal town of Jersey Shore, the plot follows two Italian immigrant brothers, the elder one Primo, who is a brilliant chef, and the younger one Secendo, a businessman. The two set up a restaurant serving Italian-American food and butt head with a local restaurant owner, Pascal. Their restaurant business begins to dwindle, incurring huge debts. Along with the business, the brothers’ relationship, too, takes a turn for the worse. Adding to their woes is Pascal, who leaves no chance to add to their downfall. The movie will tug at your heartstrings as you watch the brothers navigate the competitive culinary world.
6. Today’s Special – Amazon Prime Video
Samir (Aasif Mandvi) is a young chef working in New York. He leaves the job when he doesn’t get the head chef position and decides to go to France to study French cuisine. His life is forever altered when his father, Akbar (Naseeruddin Shah) falls sick. Samir is forced to leave his dreams and aspirations behind to take care of their family restaurant. The responsibility proves to be a challenge for Samir, who lacks knowledge of Indian cuisine. The plot focuses on Samir’s struggles of connecting with his roots while longing for the dreams he left behind.
7. Coldd Lassi aur Chicken Masala – Zee5
Starring the handsome hunk Rajeev Khandelwal and the pretty Divyanka Tripathi, the web series is one of the rare gems from AltBalaji. The plot revolves around ex-lovers Michelin star chef Vikram and a restaurant’s head chef Nithya. The two are forced to work together when Vikram buys stakes in the restaurant Nithya works at. Not having forgotten Vikram’s betrayal, Nithya is angered by his presence in her kitchen. However, old feelings resurface when they begin to invade each other’s space while cooking. This series is fun to watch and the pace of the narrative ensures you are never bored.
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