Ratatouille Movie Review

 I went with my husband and oldest son (he’s 5) to see the new Disney/Pixar movie Ratatouille.  It was great!

I don’t think I have heard or seen a bad review yet and I can see why.  It, of course, has brilliant animation.  A lot of time went into getting the animated food just right.  They actually made all the dishes and took pictures and notes at each stage.  They used the likes of Anthony Bourdain for expert assistance on all there is to know not only about the food, but the kitchen and of course, the kitchen personalities.

The show had a great story as well.  It was typical Disney with a reluctant hero, protagonist, villain and the theme, of just believe in yourself…your dreams can come true.

From a foodie perspective I enjoyed the literal theme, of “Anyone Can Cook”.  The belief that great food is not an elitist idea and the simple joys always bring us back to our love affair with food.  The idea that something as simple as Ratatouille, properly made not only with skill but love, can evoke such emotion is wonderful.  An idea that was lost on our Top Chef contestants last week.

I was so inspired that I had to make some Ratatouille.  I used the base of an Emeril recipe, Grilled Ratatouille.  It may be a peasant dish, but the peasants knew what they were doing.  Everyone, including my 5 year old, loved it.  A couple of other great Ratatouille recipes can be found at Provence Beyond and Chocolate and Zucchini.

So, go make some Ratatouille and go see the movie.  No matter what your age, you will have a great time.