From the original French title of the film ‘La passion de Dodin Bouffant‘ the essential word we must remember is passion. The 2023 film by director Anh Hung Tran (English title is ‘The Taste of Things‘) depicts a love story between a man and a woman in the autumn of life (these very words are used in the film) who work together animated by their shared passion for high class cuisine. In fact, the more correct expression would be ‘create together’, because what they do in the kitchen is art. He is a celebrity chef, she has been his collaborator for 20 years. He conceives the recipes, she executes them by understanding his thoughts and conception. One could not profess without the other. However, the relationship between them is much more than a professional one. Passion manifests itself in many different ways.
It is a period film and the story is quite precisely located in time. We are in France at the end of the 19th century, France where the arts flourish, and culinary art is no exception. The famous chef Dodin Bouffant lives in a castle and prepares exquisite meals for a group of friends who all belong to the wealthy bourgeoisie. Eugénie is his lover and co-worker with whom he works side by side. Without her the dishes he cooks and ultimately his reputation would not be possible, but meals seem to be strictly a man’s business. Eugénie is respected by those around her, but not recognized as an equal by a seat of her own at the same table as the men. Dodin would like to get married, but she is the one who refuses him again and again. To express his feelings, Dodin cooks. He will also cook for Eugénie when she would be sick. Can the most exquisite dishes not only express feelings but also change destinies?
The key question of the film is why does Eugénie refuse Dodin’s marriage proposals? Does she accept her place and consider herself merely the executor of the plans of a genius creator? Has she gotten used in 20 years of collaboration and cohabitation and she doesn’t want to shatter the balance of their relationship? Many of the love stories depict entanglements and power relations between male and female partners (Mars vs. Venus, etc.). In ‘La passion de Dodin Bouffant‘ things are different. Dodin and Eugénie avoid any confrontation, but yet they don’t manage to turn their mutual passion into anything other than splendid dishes. But maybe nothing else is needed. They are artists and biographies of true artists must be subordinate to their art. The acting performances of Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel (once partners in life) are masterful, both in the romantic scenes and in the cooking scenes (they had a famous chef as their advisor). I also noticed the emergence of a very young actress named Bonnie Chagneau-Ravoire who plays the role of Pauline, an extremely talented teenager who becomes Dodin’s apprentice. Pauline in the film is extremely talented in the culinary arts, actress Bonnie Chagneau-Ravoire seems to be equally gifted, and I hope her future career lives up to her promise. The scenes that take place in the kitchen are formidable and I am sure that the recipe books of the dishes prepared in the film are already available. ‘La passion de Dodin Bouffant‘ enters directly and very high in the list of best films with and about the art of cooking and the people around. Not just for gourmets!