Life and Art from FT Weekend

Culture chat: ‘The Taste of Things’, starring Juliette Binoche

Mar 1, 2024

This podcast discusses 'The Taste of Things', a French film set in the 1850s, focusing on the relationship between a talented cook and a food connoisseur. The film has received critical acclaim, with a unique depiction of the connection between food and pleasure. The analysis explores the art of French cuisine, comparing it to British food culture and highlighting themes of gender and class. Guests also touch on cultural preferences for media consumption, emphasizing a desire for punctuality and familiarity.

22:21

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Episode guests

Juliette Binoche

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The Taste of Things celebrates cooking as an art form, emphasizing the sensual and intellectual experience of food.

The film explores French perspectives on food, showcasing reverence for culinary traditions and nuanced gender dynamics.

Deep dives

Overview of The Taste of Things French Film

The Taste of Things is a French film set in the 1880s, depicting the lives of a food connoisseur and his talented cook. The film celebrates cooking as an art form and presents a slow, gentle, and romantic narrative. It has been praised for its technical excellence and lavish presentation, being France's Oscar submission for Best Foreign Film.

Introduction

2min

Exploration of Relationships and Privilege in a French Setting

2min

Exploring Complex Dynamics and Idealized Portrayals in a Film

2min

Exploring the Art of French Cuisine in Film

12min

Cultural Preferences and Critiques on Content Consumption

5min

This week, we talk about ‘The Taste of Things’ with Tim Hayward, the FT’s restaurant critic, and our food and drink editor Harriet Fitch Little. The film is set in France in the 1880s and follows the relationship between a talented cook, played by Juliette Binoche, and the food connoisseur who employs her (Benoît Magimel). ‘The Taste of Things’ has received widespread critical acclaim – with critics claiming you can ‘taste every shot’ – and it is France’s entry into the best international film category at the Oscars. What does the film tell us about our relationship with food and pleasure? And beyond the food — what is it really about?

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We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap and we’re on X @lifeandartpod. You can email us at lifeandart@ft.com. We are grateful for reviews, on Apple, Spotify etc.

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Links (all FT links get you past the paywall):

– ‘The Taste of Things’ is showing in theatres now in the UK and US

– The FT’s 5 star review of The Taste of Things, by Leslie Felperin, is here: https://on.ft.com/3InhBNP

– Tim is on X and Instagram @timhayward. Harriet is @HarrietFL

– You can read Tim’s latest column here. You can also preorder his upcoming book Steak: The Whole Story here. It’s out on 24 May.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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