There's a New Chef in Town

Remy, the new super chef is in town! And the critics are giving him a thumbs-up. I am talking about Ratatouille, Pixar's new animation movie which releases this weekend in the USA.

The hero is a young rat, Remy, who lives in the French countryside and has a passion for fine cooking. While the rest of his family is happily content eating garbage and leftovers, he is drawn toward a more lofty notion of food by his refined palate and by the example of a famous chef who insists that “anyone can cook". With unforgettable characters and surprises at every turn, this is the story of how Remy goes on to become a gourmet cook in a Parisian restaurant, no less.

Fellow foodies please note. Chef Thomas Keller, of Per Se in New York and French Laundry in the Bay Area, served as a consultant for the kitchen scenes in this move, and the result is one of the great food movies of all time.
"Displaying the usual meticulousness associated with the Pixar brand, “Ratatouille” is a nearly flawless piece of popular art, as well as one of the most persuasive portraits of an artist ever committed to film. It provides the kind of deep, transporting pleasure, at once simple and sophisticated, that movies at their best have always promised.", says the New York Times. See what the other critics are saying about this movie at Rotten Tomatoes.

This is animation director Brad Bird's new creation for Pixar after the delightful Incredibles. And for those who are wondering, ratatouille is a traditional French stewed vegetable dish.