Weekend Cooking: Step Up to the Plate (Film)

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Director Paul Lacoste's documentary Step Up to the Plate (Entre les Bras) is a film that often appears on best-of lists for foodies. This movie follows Michel Bras over the course of a year, as he prepares to pass control of his famous restaurant to his son, Sebastien.

Although the movie feels a bit slow and meditative, I enjoyed meeting the Bras family. Right from the start you are introduced to the very nouvelle cuisine style that's the Bras signature. I'm not always a fan of the overly fussy plate, but I was quite impressed with the way father and son painted on the plate with food and sauces. Their presentations are exquisite.

The movie covers much more than just market, field, and restaurant. It's also the story of a family. We meet four generations of Brases, not just at the stove but also at home and in the beautiful French countryside. I especially liked the kitchen scenes, Michel's musings, and Sebastien's evident fondness and respect for his father.

If you crave fast action and exotic ingredients, you might want to pass on this documentary. On the other hand, Step Up to Plate will appeal to anyone who is interested in seeing the human side of running a family restaurant, albeit a world-famous one.