The Taste of Things is about the quiet romance that unfolds between a chef and his head cook as the two express their love through the power of a well cooked meal. The film premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival in May 2023, where it competed for the Palme d’Or and Tran Anh Hung won Best Director. It was later submitted as the official French selection for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards. The Taste of Things stars Benoit Magimel as Dodin Bouffant, a successful gourmet and restaurant owner, and Juliette Binoche as his beloved Eugenie, a passionate and talented chef. The two share a love for food and form a twenty year working relationship that blossoms into a romance. After years of enjoying Eugenie’s cooking, Dodin finally decides to return the favor and cook her a meal for the very first time.

An absolute feast for the eyes, food has never looked as good as it does in this film. Each step in the cooking process is elevated to the highest art form, feeling the passion and dedication for the craft with every chop of the knife. The sounds of the kitchen create a symphony of slicing vegetables, bubbling water, and sizzling meat. The camera glides across the kitchen from station to station adding to the musicality of these sequences as if to highlight a soloist within the orchestra. It’s edited with percussive precision, keeping the pace steady and dynamic. It all works together to create a cohesive sensory experience, inviting the audience to participate in its ritualistic preparation. The film sits in these moments for a long time, elevating the mundane domestic work into high art. It is truly remarkable what Tran and cinematographer, Jonathan Ricquebourg is able to accomplish and convey here with one setting and no dialogue.

Binoche plays Eugenie, a woman who has twenty years of experience in the kitchen and is regarded by her restaurant patrons as a culinary genius. She is a humble, but devoted artist who understands the power food has to transcend human connection. She works with a gourmet named Bouffant and the two share a slight romance that has been boiling over the course of their professional relationship. Bouffant adores Eugenie and has an unwavering respect for her ability to transform his recipes into breathtaking meals with ease. There’s no one he trusts more than her to bring his creations to life.

As it becomes clear that Eugenie is succumbing to her unknown illness, Bouffant finally takes the initiative and firmly asks for her hand in marriage. Eugenie brushes off his request, proclaiming that their relationship is fine the way it is and there’s no need to complicate it. Bouffant however has grown wary of how much time has passed while working together, fearing that both of them are in the Autumn of their lives. In one final act of service to her, Bouffant prepares an elegant meal expressing his adoration for her and giving her the opportunity to be the one who’s waited on. 

There’s a deep sense of longing throughout The Taste of Things which informs how the characters see each other and their craft. “Happiness is continuing to desire what we already have.” is muttered by Bouffant who’s aware that this sense of satisfaction comes from knowing what you want and savoring it when you have it. Whether that be the first bite of a meal, achieving notoriety for your craft, or the love of another, the gratitude for life’s pleasures is what sustains a happy and satisfying existence. This quiet undercurrent of longing is aided by the onscreen chemistry between Magimel and Binoche who were previously partnered and share a daughter together. There’s a vast history between the two characters as a result which makes their romance that much more intimate and real. Without verbalizing every detail of their relationship, the audience can feel their history through the slight raise of an eyebrow or a pursed lip. The two actors brilliantly use their own experiences and feelings for one another to breathe life into this understated love story.

The Taste of Things is a touching romance that celebrates the culinary arts and the love language of cooking for another. Preparing a meal is elevated to the ultimate act of devotion. It’s an artform that invites all of the senses and much like love itself, it’s a full body experience and one of life’s greatest pleasures. However, like everything else in this life, it is fleeting and cannot last forever. Happiness comes from being satisfied with what you already have and appreciating it while you still do. We must savor each moment we get and love as deeply as possible because all of this is only temporary.