- Director : Laura Gabbert
- Media Format : NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
- Run time : 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Release date : April 27, 2021
- Actors : Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, Sam Bompas, Dinara Kasko, Deborah Krohn
- Studio : IFC Independent Film
I think my biggest mistake in the expectations
I had from Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles comes from the knowledge that
director Laura Gabbert previously directed City of Gold, a documentary I love. While
City of Gold was about a man, however, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles
is about history and an event celebrating it. In premise alone, there is more
of an emotional disconnect between the material, and it doesn’t help that a
movie about sumptuous culinary artistry ends with discussion of Marie
Antoinette’s death.
Though we are
given a history lesson along the way, the basic premise of the film is an event
at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York celebrating the decadence of the
food from the age of Versailles to life. This recreation of an era famous for
indulgence and spectacle proves the perfect challenge for a team of chefs that
Yotam Ottolenghi puts together after searching Instagram for the most
innovative dessert artistry. Among these are some famous names like Dominique
Ansel and Dinara Kasko, but fame and ego never seem to be a part of the event,
as they work alongside some relatively unknown chefs.
If you are
interested in this documentary because of the potential to see self-indulgent
and over-the-top cakes and pastry, there is plenty of food porn to satisfy. At
the same time, Ottolenghi does attempt to provide a bit more depth in the
discussion of history, breaking away from the preparation of food several times
throughout the film, despite the short run-time. While there are some interesting
facts in there, the strength of the film remains with the details of the event
itself. Watching the individual chefs problem solve in the kitchen may lack
historical context, but it is endlessly more engaging than photos of the
gardens of Versailles.
Ultimately, however, I imagine nearly everyone
who has a desire to watch this film, whether to see the difficulty of pulling
off the event or to learn about the history, will be most impressed by the food
itself. While there is an effort to celebrate the history, the chefs are given
the freedom to update and add their own signature to classic methods. The
results are staggeringly artistic, from a whirlpool of cocktails to a moving
swan pastry and the fanciest jello shots I have ever seen. Some of the
accomplishments are so beautiful and creative that eating them seems secondary,
though that certainly doesn’t stop those attending the event.
The DVD doesn’t have
much to offer beyond the film itself.
Entertainment Value:
6/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 6.5/10
Historical
Significance: 5/10
Special Features: 0/10
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