Lights, Camera, Action! 5 Movies That Celebrate Food Memories

Change into something cozy and grab your popcorn… it’s movie night!

We’ve already highlighted several of our favorite TV shows that celebrate food memories- check them out here and here.

Now it’s time to share five of our favorite food memory-centric movies. Next time you’re debating what to watch, try one of these flicks (and make sure you have plenty of snacks).

Julie & Julia (Netflix)

Julia Child has inspired countless professional and amateur chefs to tackle French cooking in their own kitchens. As we watch Julia fall in love with France and write her first cookbook, we also follow Julie Powell’s later attempt to cook through that same cookbook in a year.

There’s lots to love about Julie & Julia: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, stories of successful women… and so much incredible food! Most importantly, it’s a dual story of how food can take us on a journey of self-discovery.

At the end of the movie (*slight spoiler alert*), Julie visits Julia’s home kitchen at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC. The kitchen is still there for fans to visit- it was a must-see for Sarah on her last trip!

The Hundred-Foot Journey (Netflix)

The Hundred-Foot Journey tells the story of two restaurants battling for customers and acclaim in a small French village. When the Kadams open an Indian restaurant across the road from Madame Mallory’s upscale eatery, sparks immediately start flying. Ultimately, everyone learns how food helps us to both find common ground and celebrate our differences.

At the center of this movie is the simple truth that food is universal and shapes who we are. As Hassan, a promising young innovator, says to Marguerite, a classically-trained sous chef, “Food is memories.” His memories of jalebi (an Indian snack) might not match hers of pigs’ feet, but both agree that food reminds them of their families and childhoods.

The Princess and the Frog (Disney+)

No other Disney princess loves food as much as Tiana! Inspired by her father, whose big pots of gumbo would bring the whole neighborhood together, she’ll stop at nothing to achieve her dream of opening her own restaurant.

While highlighting the power of food to connect people to their loved ones, The Princess and the Frog showcases New Orleans’ most iconic dishes. Front and center are Tiana’s “man-catching beignets,” topped with mountains of powdered sugar. We’d love to enjoy a big plate of those with a cup of coffee (like these from Cafe du Monde)!

Ratatouille (Disney+)

We saw Ratatouille in theaters and we’ve loved it ever since! The story of Remy the rat and his quest for culinary greatness teaches us three important lessons:

1. Anyone (yes, you!) can cook.
2. There’s nothing better than simple ingredients prepared really well.
3. All it takes is one bite to send someone on a trip down memory lane.

In one of the final scenes (*spoiler alert*), food critic Anton Ego takes his first bite of Remy’s ratatouille and sees his childhood flash before his eyes. That’s exactly what The Food Memory Project celebrates- those foods that are integral to our identities and tell the world who we are.

(Sarah is a huge musical theatre nerd and couldn’t write about Ratatouille without mentioning the wildly popular Tik Tok musical. Unconventional? Yes. Highly entertaining? Also yes.)

Chef (Netflix)

If you’re a food truck fan, this is the movie for you! While traveling the country and serving up Cuban sandwiches, a chef rediscovers his love of food and grows closer with his preteen son.

This is definitely not a movie you want to watch while hungry. Prepare for some beautiful food cinematography as Chef Carl and his son bond over some iconic eats, from beignets in New Orleans to smoked brisket in Austin.

Also, there’s butter. Lots and lots of butter.

While the movie highlights food memories well, the spin-off series does an even better job. On The Chef Show (also on Netflix), director/producer/star Jon Favreau and friends recreate dishes from the movie, plus others that are special to them. (Fun fact: Jon Favreau is also the man behind Elf and The Mandalorian!)

Do you have a favorite movie that celebrates food memories? Let us know so we can check it out!

Grab your free download of our guide, 9 Ways to Record Your Family’s Culinary History. You’ll be glad you did!