Chocolat is one of my favorite Foodie Movies. I also like Big Night, Eat Drink Man Woman and Just Desserts.

Great movies! One of my personal favorites is Tortilla Soup. How can anyone not love adorable Hector Elizondo preparing all of those colorful dishes and meals.

Big Night for sure ... just be ready to cook an Italian feast. And while you are, it's fun to dance around the kitchen to the soundtrack ... promise!

My additions to the food flick list: Le Grande Bouffe -- a tad bizarre, fabulous cast, absolutely worth a place on the list. Also Dinner Rush, with Danny Aiello -- a wonderful food movie, especially for anyone who loves New York.

I don't think these are available in the U.S. on DVD yet, but here are a couple -

- Supermarket Woman (Suupaa no Onna), by the same director/lead actress combo as Tampopo of Juzo Itami and Nobuko Miyamoto. It's about how an 'ordinary housewife' tries to turn around the fortunes of a failing supermarket. It's not as profound as Tampopo but very entertaining anyway. And lots of food of course. The DVD is available in Japan.

- A Touch of Spice (Politiki Kouzina) - beautiful movie from Greece. DVD available from (I think) Australia.

- Who is Killing The Great Chefs Of Europe? A fun movie from the '70s starring Jacqueline Bisset. I wish they'd issue this on DVD.

- Pie in the Sky - a British mystery series - the lead character is a police detective slash chef/owner of a restaurant. Richard Griffiths, who plays Harry Potter's nasty uncle, is the star (and totally different in this). DVDs available in the UK.

The following are available in the U.S.:

- Chef! - another great British tv series starring comedian Lenny Henry as an egomaniacal chef. Absolutely hilarious.

- Jamie's Kitchen - a fly-on-the-wall documentary series about Jamie Oliver's attempts to train some young kids to become chefs for his new restaurant...fascinating.

Elise, I agree with you about 'French Chef'. My husband and I have been Netflixing the DVD's, and we have never enjoyed anything so much! Julia Child really was quite the personality - she is so effortlessly funny and likeable. I'm sorry I wasn't around during the original run - it would have definitely been my favorite show!

P.S. Love your site!

Like Water for Chocolate inspired me to start cooking :)

Once Upon a Time in Mexico.

Agent Sands: (Johnny Depp) El, you really must try this because it's puerco pibil. It's a slow-roasted pork, nothing fancy. It just happens to be my favorite, and I order it with a tequila and lime in every dive I go to in this country. And honestly, that is the best it's ever been anywhere. In fact, it's too good. It's so good that when I'm finished, I'll pay my check, walk straight into the kitchen and shoot the cook. Because that's what I do. I restore the balance to this country. And that is what I would like from you right now. Help keep the balance by pulling the trigger.

On the DVD is a small 10 min feature from director Robert Rodriguez as he makes this in his kitchen. While cooking he holds a camera or lays it down to free up his hands. Good stuff!

I love 'foodie' movies! All these are perfect. Just missing one... "Woman on Top". Like "Like Water for Chocolate" it has a 'mystical' feel but with fun, contemporary overtones. Penelope Cruz is very sensual preparing & cooking food.

You can check out more here http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206420/

Thank you so much for posting this. I'm always looking for food-themed books and movies. My favorite is Babette's Feast, though there are several listed here I haven't seen yet. Of books, my favorite is Aphrodite by Isabel Allende.

Bir Night is definitely one of my favorites. I also like What's Cooking - a take on many several interrelated stories of various ethnic families and Thanksgiving.

Oh, yes! Tortilla Soup is one of my personal favorites; could watch it over and over again for so many different reasons, including the food!

I love "Mostly Martha", saw it a couple of times, and "Chocolat" is another favarite of mine.

You hit all my faves.
Here's some new ones I have discovered
The God Of Cookery (1996) and
The Chinese Feast (1995)

Tampopo is the BEST movie about food.

Simply Irresisable is a wonderful "Foodie" movie.

"Mostly Martha!" I love every single thing about that movie. It is just wonderful. And the subtitles really do not detract from the film at all, in my opinion. "Tortilla Soup" is a good one, too. I'm looking forward to checking out other peoples' picks that I haven't seen.

Great idea for a post, Elise. Thanks! But now I gotta go get something to eat. : )

What? No "Big Night"? That's the best of them all!

Hm.. the foodie movies that really stand out for me are "Big Night," "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover," "Delicatessen," and, of course, the two Willy Wonka-inspired movies. These are all very visceral movies... you can't watch them without imagining the smells and tastes and textures, even if they may be pretty icky to think about.

A French-Vietnamese film, "The Scent of Papaya (1994) is a personal favorite of mine. I've read descriptions such as: mesmerizing; pictorially poetic; and exquisitely detailed; as well as unhurried; and haunting.' Every time I wrap a towel around my freshly shampooed head, I remember this movie because of the scene in which the lovely Vietnamese woman unhurriedly does the same. Somehow, I change gears when this happens. Perhaps that's the haunting part.

Others missing from the contributers' lists are: "Soul Food" (1997,) "Fried Green Tomatoes"(1991,) "Vatel" (2000,) and "A Walk In The Clouds" (1995,)

I saw Tampopo at the theatre years ago. I think of it often and we are always telling our sons about it. It now sits in my Netflix queue waiting to become available on DVD. Mostly Martha is my other favorite...I laughed, I cryed, I was transformed. I wish there were more food movies, I love them.

I saw Tampopo YEARS ago and still remember vividly the description of hunting pigs that have been feeding on sweet potatoes.

In the scene with the bum, I have to ask... is that Ketchup?!?!?!

Tampopo is also by far, my favourite food movie.

I remember for weeks after watching that movie, I couldn't stop myself from slurping down large bowls of Japanese Ramen! Delicious!