25 Most Iconic Food Movie Scenes Of All Time
They say that art imitates life, and while that’s mostly true, artistic expression has the ability to go places that reality can’t. It’s a conduit for our imagination. Take film for example, it allows us to imagine different perspectives, non-human characters, and even other worlds. With it, you can take an ordinary Baby Ruth chocolate bar and make it into a magical must-have, or give an inside peek into the super intense world of fine dining and Michelin-stars.
Simply put, a great film can help us see the beauty in the everyday mundane, while other times it can highlight hard truths. From imaginary food fights to the intense inner-workings of professional kitchens, food is beloved in film. That’s why we thought it’d be fun to make a list of some of the most iconic food-related movie.
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Ratatouille
In this iconic scene, protagonist Alfredo Linguini is attempting to fix a soup he accidentally ruined. Remy, a rat that’s trying not to get caught, notices that Linguini is only making the soup worse, so he decides to fix it.
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
Winners of tickets to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory didn’t know they would be tested in order to win the grand prize. In this iconic scene, the self-obsessed Violet Beauregarde eats purple bubble gum after being told it was off limits. As a result, she begins turning purple and expands like a balloon. A hard lesson learned for the youngster.
Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child
The Nightmare On Elm Street film series took nightmares to extreme levels. This iconic scene is a perfect example and involves our titular villain Freddy Krueger force-feeding a girl that has a complicated relationship with food. As a kid it was scary but now as an adult, it truly is nightmarish.
The Goonies
Baby Ruth chocolate bars were already popular before this iconic scene, but after The Goonies, they were immortalized. After being captured, slapstick character Chunk makes an unlikely bond with the friendly Sloth by sharing his Baby Ruth.
Burnt
Burnt features Bradley Cooper as an arrogant, self-loathing, two Michelin star-winnng chef that wants nothing more than to earn his third. In this iconic scene, after taking a beating from mobsters, just when things couldn’t get worse, a Michelin Guide inspector comes into the restaurant.
The Menu
The Menu took the intense world of fine dining to new and obsessive places, showing what happens when perfection takes over meaning. What’s iconic about this scene is that it’s the first time we see the combative and steely Chef Slowik actually enjoying cooking. And all it took was a simple cheeseburger.
Boiling Point
Boiling Point is another film that depicts the reality of working in a professional kitchen. No scene better expresses the stress-inducing environment than this one, where a guest sends back a lamb for it being “undercooked.” It snowballs into a super heated-exchange between the manager and chef that feels eerily real.
Chef
Other films take a more wholesome approach to food like this iconic scene from the food truck-inspired “Chef.” In it, we get a mouthwatering how-to on making a classic Cubano sandwich.
The Hundred Foot Journey
This movie not only involves food, but also addresses cultural differences and similarities. Using an omelet, it manages to find a common ground between the movie’s two opposing protagonists.
Julie & Julia
Julia Childs is one of the most famous chefs in history. In this classic movie, Childs (played by Meryl Streep), has just enrolled into an advanced cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu. As the only woman, she quickly finds that she’ll have to go above and beyond to prove her male classmates wrong.
No Reservations
After her parent’s sudden passing, child protagonist Zoe has closed off from others, and even stopped eating. New sous chef Nick wins over Zoe’s aunt and short-tempered head chef Kate Armstrong when he convinces her to finally eat.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
When the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie first came out, it brought everything people enjoyed about the 90s cartoon into the real world. In addition to April O’Neal and the Foot Soldiers, TMNT also included the shelled heroes’ favorite food: pizza. In this memorable scene, Donatello and Michelangelo have a pizza delivered to a sewer, prompting a funny exchange.
Crazy Rich Asians
In this tale of love and lavish lifestyles, the Asian American protagonist Rachel is taken to Singapore where she experiences the delicious world of the country’s street food. It’s culturally significant and simply watching the scene makes me want to start saving up for a ticket.
Big Night
One of the most classic food-related movies of all time, in this scene from “Big Night,” we get to see the satisfaction a chef feels after serving the first course and finding out that people enjoy it. That initial anticipation leads to an evening of funny conversation and culinary delight.
This Is The End
Probably the funniest movie ever made about the apocalypse, “This Is The End” is back to back scenes of outrageous hilarity. One of the best parts is when Danny McBride wakes up and uses the house rations to make breakfast for everyone. It’s the kindest gesture at the absolute worst possible time.
Spanglish
Nothing sucks more than being interrupted right before you’re about to eat something delicious. Spanglish captures this moment perfectly in this iconic scene where John (Adam Sandler) painstakingly makes an egg sandwich only to be interrupted by an upset Flor (Paz Vega) right before the first bite.
Goodfellas
For one reason or another, mob movies always feature a food-related scene. No film does it better than Goodfellas and this scene that depicts how different prison life is for mob bosses than it is for regular folks. From the razor blade-cut garlic to a steak-packed jail cell fridge, these guys lived like kings beyond and behind bars.
The Avengers
There’s nothing better than celebrating a team victory by grabbing some food. In this unforgettable scene, The Avengers assemble at a nearby shawarma spot to celebrate saving the world. Clearly too exhausted to do anything other than eat, the super-powered crew sits in quiet reflection. It’s a wholesome moment that makes them feel more regular.
Don’t Be A Menace While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood
Within The Wayans Brothers’ world, nothing is off limits. In their genius 1996 film “Don’t Be A Menace While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood,” they parody hood films, while blending in social commentary. One hilarious scene features the resident gangsta Loc Dog whipping up an impressive cake — using curious methods.
Chocolat
Definitely in the top five best chocolate-related movies, at its core, Chocolat is about how sweets can make you feel alive again. One of the best scenes is this one where a taste of hot chocolate finally puts a smile on the notoriously grumpy Armande’s face.
Spirited Away
This frightful scene from Studio Ghibli’s classic anime “Spirited Away,” probably turned you off from eating. After stumbling upon what appears to be a ghost town, the parents of the protagonist decided to partake in some food that’s sitting out unattended. The suspicious food puts her parents under a spell, making them overindulge, and transform into pigs.
Lady and the Tramp
This classic Disney movie features one of the most iconic and memorable food scenes of all time. You definitely can feel the love as Lady and Tramp enjoy a plate of Bella Notte’s renowned pasta. Of course you can’t forget the classic spaghetti kiss.
Hook
In this tale of reconnecting with your inner child, Peter Pan (Robin Williams) has grown old and forgotten about Neverland. After finding his way back in search of his kids, the Lost Boys attempt to remind him how to use his imagination. This imaginary dinner scene made every kid want to be a Lost Boy.
Jiro Dreams Of Sushi
Jiro Dreams Of Sushi is a heartfelt look into one of the world’s top sushi restaurants and its creator. No film delves into the intricacies of the tradition of sushi like it does. For example, in this scene it shows how their meals are divided into three movements like a concerto. It’s mesmerizing and masterful to watch.
American Pie
Easily featuring one of the funniest food scenes in all of cinema, American Pie is a certified classic. It centers around the last days of high school and the hijinks the characters run into while trying to lose their virginity. Let’s just say that apple pie takes on a whole new meaning in this uproarious scene.
