Menus-Plaisirs - Les Troisgros [2023]

 The 50^th directorial effort of legendary documentarian Frederick Wiseman – and his fourth exploration of French cultural institutes, having delved into the fabled theatre Comédie Française, the famous Paris Opera and the risqué Parisian cabaret Crazy Horse – is a pleasantly immersive and painstakingly detailed observational study into the Troisgros family’s acclaimed restaurant “Le Bois sans Feuilles”, which has held onto its Michelin 3-Star certification for over 50 years. This rigorous examination of the myriad aspects that go into its running – from locally sourcing its diverse ingredients, planning its eclectic menu and ensuring readiness to cooking at its massive kitchen, exquisite plating and serving blockbuster dishes to its patrons – made for a complete contrast to the frenetic and hyper-competitive shows that dominate reality television. With a mammoth runtime of 4 hours, culled from around 130 hours of footage shot by stationing himself here for 3 months, it didn’t just peek into this exclusive establishment of gourmet cuisines located amidst tranquil surroundings in Roanne, it also wandered into associated establishments that feed into it like beef cattle farms, cheese ageing units, vineyards, etc. Its central protagonist is the genial and ageing paterfamilias Michel, a well-known chef and third-generation proprietor who’s transitioning this culinary legacy to his stolid eldest son César. We’re also introduced to his wife Marie-Pierre who manages a boutique hotel and his younger son Léo who leads a sister joint. The film’s most captivating sections silently observed the unflagging upholding of their creative standards, be it the three Troisgros men engaged in restrained brainstorming on ingredients, preparations and flavours – thus elucidating their distinctive styles and preferences – or collaborative involvements behind the scenes or regaling the guests with anecdotes and recommendations.

Director: Frederick Wiseman

Genre: Documentary

Language: French

Country: France