The Taste of Things

Set in France in 1889, the film follows the life of Dodin Bouffant as a gourmet chef living with his personal cook and lover Eugénie. They share a long history of gastronomy and love but Eugénie refuses to marry Dodin, so the food lover decides to do something he has never done before: cook for her.

The simmering passions of this love story are wrapped around a classic retort to the modern foodie films that shout at us from flickering tv screens. Here the patient and precise crafting of 19th century cuisine is set against dreamy French countrysides and with the music created by the simple sound of kitchen utensils. Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel are in brilliant form as Eugénie and Dodin. Trần Anh Hùng won the Best Director prize at Cannes for this work, which went on to be France’s submission to the 2024 Academy Awards.