A story about the opening of the first restaurant in France - Delicieux
This time I invite you to a different kitchen, not to see recipes but an art film.
When a movie starts with hands kneading flour, eggs, butter until it all metamorphoses into a French pastry, filled with sliced potatoes and carefully cut truffles, what do you do? Exactement! You roll your eyes, swallow dryly and rub your little hands together and sit back comfortably to see what's next. But I warn you, this French film will have you hungry from the very first scenes, so make sure you have at least popcorn beside you before you sit down to watch.
But what is this artistic preparation called? "Delicieux„.
You're told from the start that the food-themed story is steeped in history. Following the story of a master chef thrown out of court for his audacity to serve an unapproved appetizer of his own creation at dinner, the film becomes a story about how the first restaurant in France was created (which seems a little hard to believe that it was opened in the countryside and not Paris, but it really doesn't matter).
Delicieux by director Eric Besnard takes place in 1789 in France, the year of the Revolution. It's a time when delicious food was a privilege reserved for the nobility, while the common people could barely eat. Supposedly during this period in history, people only ate at home or on trips, never going out to eat for pleasure. This is when French cuisine became more democratic and available to the masses, and the first restaurants appeared.
This is not just a film for gourmets, but for anyone who wants to savour a French story, also giving a glimpse inside the French aristocracy. By the end, the film will have you believing that the protagonists, Pierre and Louise, invented French fries and created the restaurant concept.
This movie is enjoyable and funny, sprinkled ocassionally with French-style humour.
Yes, I enjoyed watching Delicieux because it is appealing, a visual delight, with a nice, gentle story, lots of kitchen shots, close-ups on the appetizing and "salivating" food. A combination that worked for me. And when the camera stopped moving, the scenes looked like paintings flooded with warm fire and candlelight. Beautiful movie, for evening, for Sunday, for anytime.
An art movie. On HBOmax.
English 
Romanian