For their latest attempt at in-house synergy, the folks inside the TIFF Bell Lightbox have teamed up again with resident restaurant Luma for a dinner-and-movie series called Food on Film. The monthly event will feature celebrity chefs like Chuck Hughes and Scott Conant giving talks about their favourite food-themed movies and collaborating with chef (and event host) Jason Bangerter to create a dish inspired by the movie, which will be served at the restaurant.
It’s not the first time that Luma has created a film-inspired menu. For last year’s Tim Burton retrospective, Bangerter created Beetlejuice cocktails and minced meat pies taken from Sweeny Todd (minus the cannibalism).
“The connection between food and film hasn’t had the spotlight yet as much as music or fashion. These films pays tribute to the artists and the chefs in the food world,” says Shane Smith, director of public programs at TIFF.
Starting Tuesday (Feb. 7), the series will launch with Scott Conant speaking about Babette’s Feast, a 1987 Danish film about two aging and isolated spinsters that learn to love life through a secretly rich refugee with a heart of gold who cooks a mean meal. To accompany the movie, Luma will be serving Blinis Demodoff (buckwheat pancake made with Carlsberg beer and topped with sustainable Sturgeon caviar, crème fraiche and quail egg, $18), which are served in the film’s dinner scene.
Bangerter hopes it’ll become a regular series since there are so many food films out there. “There are so many films on chocolate and chocolates alone. It’ll be great if we could bring in Thomas Keller and make ratatouille. With Daniel Boulud and David Chang opening restaurants here and the buzz around TIFF, I wouldn’t be surprised if we got more international chefs in the future.”
The schedule is as follows:
Feb. 7: New York chef Scott Conant (Scarpetta) on Babette’s Feast
Feb. 21: Food Network Canada host Anna Olson on Mostly Martha
Mar. 20: Food Network Canada host Laura Calder on Julie and Julia
Apr. 10: Pastry chef Jacquy Pfeiffer on Kings of Pastry
May 15: Food Network Canada host Chuck Hughes (Garde Manger) on Vatel
