a friend once told me that eating is a chore but it can be a source of much enjoyment as shown in the two movies i saw in the last week. Love’s Kitchen is about a chef who lost his gift when his wife passed away. new adventure and inspiration revive his ability to cook with love. The Ramen Girl is about a girl who becomes an apprentice to a reluctant noodle shop chef. after weeks of cleaning duties, she finally learns the steps but her broth is bland until the chef’s mother advises her to cook with her heart and feelings, not her head.
from the mixture of the right ingredients, the passion of the creation and the consumption with heightened senses, enjoying food is a developed art. a child may not appreciate food when force-fed needed nutrients – nor – a pregnant woman enjoy food when she can’t keep food down or has to eat every few hours. when one has the ability to appreciate the flavors, food is magic.
while neither movie is a must-see, the joy of cooking and eating is apparent in both. it is fun to remind ourselves of this joy every now and then. afterwards, get inspired to cook and eat a great meal!
________________________________________________________________________________
watch Love’s Kitchen (2011) and The Ramen Girl (2008)
images from wikipedia.org
read review of The Ramen Girl: Broth in translation – The Japan Times Online (Jan 23, 2009)
have you ever had a meal that made you block out anything and everything around you? if so, you may be able relate to this movie. a convicted man on the run from deathrow was so engrossed in enjoying a bowl of doenjang jigae, that he allowed himself to get caught. it was also the last thing on his mind on his last moment.
