REVIEW / FILM REVIEW – “Délicieux”, Eric Besnard’s latest film, whets your appetite, both through its story and its historical context. With Grégory Gadebois, Benjamin Lavernhe, Isabelle Carré and Guillaume de Tonquédec.
Pleasure of the senses
Delicious… Just the mention of this adjective full of promise titillates the taste buds, the eyes and even the smell. Délicieux is the name given by the cook Pierre Manceron (Grégory Gadebois) to his invention in honor of his master, the Duke of Chamfort (Benjamin Lavernhe). A delicate little cabbage made from truffles and potatoes, which the hand-chosen guests nevertheless deem unworthy of their condition. Delicious is especially the title of the last very successful film of Eric Besnard (Family spirit, The Taste of Wonders) and co-scripted with Nicolas Boukhrief.
The film starts from a culinary misunderstanding and double humiliation. First, the annoyance felt by the Duke who had to put on a good face with a meal worthy of a King, in view of his coming to the Palace of Versailles. Then the humiliation of this baker who became a kitchen boy and then the Duke’s tail master, who prefers to leave rather than apologize for having shown originality. For Peter is a man of the people who started from nothing, and who owes the Duke the development of his talent.
The film shows very well the price to pay for social advancement and to what extent man finds himself torn between his recognition of the belly and the conquest of his freedom. Because Delicious intelligently approaches the interdependent relationship between two proud men who share a love of cooking. But the mutual admiration they feel is skewed by the confrontation of their social classes, as well as by their modesty.
A breath of freedom
The historical context is indeed important since it shows, a few days before the storming of the Bastille, the changing world. The people are about to revolt and take power over the nobility, which grants itself all the rights without understanding that it is abusing them. An in-between that also feels Hyacinthe (Guillaume de Tonquédec), the intendant of the Duke, but especially the visionary son of Pierre, Benjamin (Lorenzo Lefebvre). It was the latter who also suggested to his father the revolutionary idea of transforming the old family post house into an inn, and even of creating his own dishes.
But it is the meeting with the mysterious Louise (Isabelle Carré), who wants to learn cooking from Pierre, which will be decisive for the latter’s future. Having lost the taste for cooking after his departure, he first refuses that a woman, who is more very young, be his apprentice. Because back then, women weren’t supposed to get along in the kitchen, despite the positions taken by the Marquise de Saint-Genet (Marie-Julie Baup). But seduced by Louise’s will, Pierre gives in.
Delicious therefore tackles with enthusiasm the subject of the transmission of a passion but also of an art, and shows to what extent this sharing offers strength and courage to dare and free oneself from power. The spectator takes as much pleasure in watching and hearing the dishes being prepared as in seeing them tasted by the customers or the various tasters.
Because Delicious, by its so well filmed images of roasting and simmering and by its carefully chosen vocabulary, obviously refers to other fine films with gastronomic reach. Thus, when we see Pierre busy with his brigade, we remember the stressful atmosphere of Vatel by Roland Joffé. And when you count the hearty dishes prepared for the Duke’s gourmet visit, you can’t help but think of the gargantuan Babette’s Feast by Gabriel Axel.
With its sweet cast and characters who judiciously avoid commonplaces, Delicious thus reveals itself frankly succulent. We strongly encourage you to watch this film which sharpens all the senses with emotion and many metaphors … But without having an empty stomach!
Delicious by Eric Besnard, released on September 8, 2021. Above the trailer. Find all our trailers here.
