Visual feast could do with more flavour and spice
Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles (E, 76 mins) Directed by Laura Gabbert Reviewed by James Croot ★★★
He doesn’t possess the child-like enthusiasm of Heston Blumenthal, the naughtiness of Nigella Lawson, or the sheer sweariness of Gordon Ramsay, but something about Yotam Ottolenghi has struck a chord with foodies around the globe.
As this enlightening, erudite, but ultimately a little too ethereal documentary informs us, over the past few years, the Jerusalem-born chef has become one of the UK’s favourite cookery writers and a restaurateuring phenomenon.
On the lookout for a new challenge, he finds it in an invitation from New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, which wants him to help create a food gala inspired by its latest exhibition, Visitors to Versailles.
As the holder of a Masters in Art Philosophy, it’s an opportunity he finds hard to resist. However, it’s not something he wishes to tackle alone. Assembling a diverse team of pastry chefs from around the globe – everyone from British jelly experts Sam Bompas and Harry Parr to cronut creator Dominique Ansel and Ukrainian ‘‘architectural’’ cakemaker Dinara Kasko – he aims to create a dessert feast that will transport diners back in time to 18th-century France, when the famed palace was the centre of European culture and power.
First things first. Not, under any circumstances, should you watch this on an empty stomach – you’ll never last even the slim-running time without feeling the need for a desperate dash back to the foyer. This is food porn of the highest order, with mouthwatering creations that visually stun.
Also, don’t expect Ottolenghi to be as revelatory as Gabbert’s last subject, LA food truck expert Jonathan Gold, in her stunning 2015 documentary City of Gold.
It is interesting to hear him espouse that a good recipe needs a story, that he decided to become a pastry chef because he could only talk about his academic work with about two other people and, best of all, that he told his kids that the icecream truck only plays music when it has run out of product; but if you’re after a deep Ottolenghi dive, this isn’t that movie.
Instead, it’s yet another film about how wonderful and innovative the seemingly ubiquitous ‘‘Met’’ is (see also
The First Monday in May and Ocean’s 8). Ottolenghi even lists the number of employees and visitors it has each year.
Yes, you’ll learn some interesting history and culinary facts – French patisserie as we know it came from the Italians, chocolate was initially just a drink and Marie Antoinette didn’t really say that famous line about cake – but, ultimately, this is more visually than intellectually edifying.
Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles is screening now in select cinemas.