The Wiseman works I've seen up until this point have focused on much grander institutions or municipal systems, so the idea of narrowing our attention to the operation of a Michelin rated restaurant was immediately compelling to me. As you'd expect, there is no real narrative to be found here, no recurring section about Michel passing down the restaurant or about the history of the establishment. Instead, we witness their craft in absorbing detail. Most of the first half or more of the film follows the preparation and serving of a lunch at Menus Plaisirs, which constitutes ingredient prep, menu planning, reservations, guest diets, all the undiscussed tasks of running a restaurant left out of other food-focused media that here is granted loving attention. I found myself genuinely interested in these small moments, the way that I often am in Wiseman films, like the brains being improperly prepared or the briefing of various tables and their food preferences or the many, many shots of food being cooked and plated. There's a section in the middle of the film which also provides an intriguing context to the ingredients and the members of the community responsible for supplying them. Like in Ex Libris or At Berkeley, it really feels like no detail is left untouched by his camera, a steady, patient observer of these people and their art. I think the smaller subject really helps this feel both more focused and more thorough in its presentation. Highly recommend this.
The Wiseman works I've seen up until this point have focused on much grander institutions or municipal systems, so the idea of narrowing our attention to the operation of a Michelin rated restaurant was immediately compelling to me. As you'd expect, there is no real narrative to be found here, no recurring section about Michel passing down the restaurant or about the history of the establishment. Instead, we witness their craft in absorbing detail. Most of the first half or more of the film follows the preparation and serving of a lunch at Menus Plaisirs, which constitutes ingredient prep, menu planning, reservations, guest diets, all the undiscussed tasks of running a restaurant left out of other food-focused media that here is granted loving attention. I found myself genuinely interested in these small moments, the way that I often am in Wiseman films, like the brains being improperly prepared or the briefing of various tables and their food preferences or the many, many shots of food being cooked and plated. There's a section in the middle of the film which also provides an intriguing context to the ingredients and the members of the community responsible for supplying them. Like in Ex Libris or At Berkeley, it really feels like no detail is left untouched by his camera, a steady, patient observer of these people and their art. I think the smaller subject really helps this feel both more focused and more thorough in its presentation. Highly recommend this.
