Latest news with #culinaryscene
The Guardian
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘Unmistakable gentleness': why Pig is my feelgood movie
Michael Sarnoski's Pig is not an obvious feelgood movie. Its hero is a bedraggled hermit named Robin (Nicolas Cage) who lives in the woods with his pet pig. Robin is kind of a tough hang – a sullen misanthrope who just barely tolerates the occasional presence of Amir (Alex Wolff), the young businessman who buys truffles from him. We don't know who Robin was before, but it's clear that life has taken a lot from him already. And then someone steals his damn pig. He sets off to rescue her and soon finds himself drawn into the grubby underbelly of Portland's culinary scene, where chefs and waiters take part in bare-knuckled fights. We learn that Robin himself was once an esteemed chef and, called back into his old world on a quest for vengeance, it briefly looks like Pig is setting him up to be a scruffy John Wick. But, for Robin, revenge is a dish best served with the utmost care. Rather than violent showdowns we get a series of gentle sit-downs. First, he and Amir breakfast on some poorly cooked French toast. Amir tells Robin about his struggles growing up with a domineering father and a mentally ill mother. Robin responds by reminding him that the entire city of Portland is sure to be obliterated by earthquakes soon, so his personal problems really aren't that big a deal. 'You don't have to care,' Robin assures him. It would be easy to mistake that advice for nihilism, to interpret it as encouragement to swear off humanity the way Robin has. Because he's not wrong – even if you avoid the floods, everything you love in life will be washed away eventually. So maybe it's better not to care. But that doesn't quite jive with the rest of the movie. Setting aside the extremely upsetting pig-napping scene, Sarnoski's film is crafted with an unmistakable gentleness. The woodland where it begins is captured in long, patient takes that highlight the delicate play of light and water. Later, a home cooking scene is lit with such a gorgeous amber glow that it feels like a childhood memory. Each image is arranged with the care of a master chef assembling elements on a plate, and the yearning score from Alexis Grapsas and Philip Klein complements it beautifully. In short, this is not a film that's going to tell us not to care. In fact, it's the very opposite. Robin and Amir follow their breakfast with lunch at a hot new restaurant where plates of foam and smoke are accompanied by impassioned spiels about 'the story' each dish tells. Robin summons the head chef and quickly drives him into an existential crisis by asking him simply, kindly, if he actually likes cooking this stuff. Maintaining the monk-like stillness that he carries throughout the film, Robin asks the increasingly frantic chef why he's letting critics who don't matter and customers who'll never think about him again dictate the direction of his life. 'We don't get a lot of things to really care about,' Robin says. What's beautiful about Pig – beyond the tranquil music, soul-soothing photography, offbeat humour and Cage's meditative performance – is that it's a movie about the importance of choosing to care. There's a reason the film closes with a cover of Springsteen's I'm On Fire, where love is described in terms of knife wounds and flames. Yes, caring will open us up to failure and pain. Robin himself is a walking embodiment of all the damage that caring can do to a person. But, over the course of the movie, we see him being slowly brought back to life – first by his fierce desire to protect the one creature he still allows himself to love, and then in a growing ability to care about other people too. There are plenty of movies that provide a more conventional 'feelgood' role in my life. Ponyo paints the screen with pure joy. Airplane! is a barrage of beautifully braindead humour. When Harry Met Sally fits like a wool sweater and Lord of the Rings sweeps you up into a bucolic fantasy world where good always prevails. But I love Pig because it acknowledges all the reasons there are to feel absolutely terrible and then doubles down on the reasons to feel good anyway. We don't get a lot of things to really care about, but the list surely includes nice food, good company, and movies like this. Pig is available on Netflix in the US, UK and Australia
The Guardian
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘Unmistakable gentleness': why Pig is my feelgood movie
Michael Sarnoski's Pig is not an obvious feelgood movie. Its hero is a bedraggled hermit named Robin (Nicolas Cage) who lives in the woods with his pet pig. Robin is kind of a tough hang – a sullen misanthrope who just barely tolerates the occasional presence of Amir (Alex Wolff), the young businessman who buys truffles from him. We don't know who Robin was before, but it's clear that life has taken a lot from him already. And then someone steals his damn pig. He sets off to rescue her and soon finds himself drawn into the grubby underbelly of Portland's culinary scene, where chefs and waiters take part in bare-knuckled fights. We learn that Robin himself was once an esteemed chef and, called back into his old world on a quest for vengeance, it briefly looks like Pig is setting him up to be a scruffy John Wick. But, for Robin, revenge is a dish best served with the utmost care. Rather than violent showdowns we get a series of gentle sit-downs. First, he and Amir breakfast on some poorly cooked French toast. Amir tells Robin about his struggles growing up with a domineering father and a mentally ill mother. Robin responds by reminding him that the entire city of Portland is sure to be obliterated by earthquakes soon, so his personal problems really aren't that big a deal. 'You don't have to care,' Robin assures him. It would be easy to mistake that advice for nihilism, to interpret it as encouragement to swear off humanity the way Robin has. Because he's not wrong – even if you avoid the floods, everything you love in life will be washed away eventually. So maybe it's better not to care. But that doesn't quite jive with the rest of the movie. Setting aside the extremely upsetting pig-napping scene, Sarnoski's film is crafted with an unmistakable gentleness. The woodland where it begins is captured in long, patient takes that highlight the delicate play of light and water. Later, a home cooking scene is lit with such a gorgeous amber glow that it feels like a childhood memory. Each image is arranged with the care of a master chef assembling elements on a plate, and the yearning score from Alexis Grapsas and Philip Klein complements it beautifully. In short, this is a film that's going to tell us not to care. In fact, it's the very opposite. Robin and Amir follow their breakfast with lunch at a hot new restaurant where plates of foam and smoke are accompanied by impassioned spiels about 'the story' each dish tells. Robin summons the head chef and quickly drives him into an existential crisis by asking him simply, kindly, if he actually likes cooking this stuff. Maintaining the monk-like stillness that he carries throughout the film, Robin asks the increasingly frantic chef why he's letting critics who don't matter and customers who'll never think about him again dictate the direction of his life. 'We don't get a lot of things to really care about,' Robin says. What's beautiful about Pig – beyond the tranquil music, soul-soothing photography, offbeat humour and Cage's meditative performance – is that it's a movie about the importance of choosing to care. There's a reason the film closes with a cover of Springsteen's I'm On Fire, where love is described in terms of knife wounds and flames. Yes, caring will open us up to failure and pain. Robin himself is a walking embodiment of all the damage that caring can do to a person. But, over the course of the movie, we see him being slowly brought back to life – first by his fierce desire to protect the one creature he still allows himself to love, and then in a growing ability to care about other people too. There are plenty of movies that provide a more conventional 'feelgood' role in my life. Ponyo paints the screen with pure joy. Airplane! is a barrage of beautifully braindead humour. When Harry Met Sally fits like a wool sweater and Lord of the Rings sweeps you up into a bucolic fantasy world where good always prevails. But I love Pig because it acknowledges all the reasons there are to feel absolutely terrible and then doubles down on the reasons to feel good anyway. We don't get a lot of things to really care about, but the list surely includes nice food, good company, and movies like this. Pig is available on Netflix in the US, UK and Australia
CBS News
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Three Miami Spice standouts serve flavor and tradition
With the start of August, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau is kicking off its 24th year of Miami Spice, with more than 350 eateries offering three-course menus at steep discounts. Izabella Felpeto, a spokeswoman for the agency, said the program gives locals and visitors, "a great opportunity to really discover the culinary scene in our great destination at a great value." Felpeto said that brunch and lunch menus are priced up to $35, while dinners run $45 to $60, a savings of up to 30% for diners. For Dara and Ella Gilderman, dining out during Miami Spice is special. "It's a mommy-daughter tradition. We go to these beautiful spots, try new dishes and explore places we might not otherwise go," Dara Gilderman said. "The whole menu is affordable and I get to try such diverse items," her mother added. One returning favorite this year is LT Steak & Seafood inside the Betsy Hotel on Ocean Drive. Executive Chef Sandy Rodriguez said the Miami Spice menu brings in locals who might've considered South Beach too pricey by offering "a better price." Among their choices is a $35 brunch that features creamy gazpacho with crostini, Crimean mushroom agnolotti and strawberry vanilla pudding for dessert. For the first time, Campo at Casa Faena is joining the spice celebration. Chef Antonio Maldonado, who brings his Mexican-Asian fusion flair to the table, said it's "the perfect time to showcase our summer menus." His discount dishes include chilaquiles with egg, marinated Key West shrimp skewers and many others. Miami Spice veteran Chef Michael Schwartz of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink is a strong supporter of the program. "We love to participate. It offers value and gives us a chance to play around, try new dishes and it's for the locals," he said. Schwartz and his son Harry showcase a dinner lineup with appetizers that include shrimp and chorizo arancini or beef tartare with house-made chips. Schwartz said he goes all in on the experience by serving up large portions, a variety of dishes and an atmosphere worthy of venturing out despite the summer heat. "We really lean into it. We celebrate the fact that people are getting out of their houses in the dead of the summer to go eat in your restaurant," he said. Micheal's Genuine also has Happy Hour priced drinks, $8 for beer and $10 for cocktails, from 5 p.m. until closing on Monday nights. Miami Spice continues through the end of September.
Washington Post
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
If you like rom-coms and cheesecake, you're in luck
Two nonfiction food writers. Two novels about the foibles of the New York culinary scene. Two protagonists with strong feelings about truffle oil. Here, the similarities between 'Food Person,' the quippy, rom-com-ready first novel by Adam Roberts, and Mark Kurlansky's meandering 'Cheesecake' end. For Roberts — best known for his blog-turned-newsletter the Amateur Gourmet — dietary habits reflect individual character. What you eat, and refuse to eat, indicates whether you are a person who values nourishment, pleasure and community or one who seeks self-improvement and power. In 'Cheesecake,' Kurlansky uses food — notably, the evolution of an ancient recipe for cheesecake — to explore a quirky cast of characters who frequent a Greek diner in Manhattan.
Travel Daily News
27-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
Dubai earns its first Three Michelin Stars
The Michelin Guide Dubai 2025 selection also includes two new One Michelin Star restaurants and five new Bib Gourmand restaurants. DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – Michelin unveiled the fourth edition of its annual Michelin Guide Dubai during a glittering ceremony in Downtown Dubai, which saw the naming of the city's first ever Michelin three-starred restaurants. This year's Michelin Guide Dubai, a dedicated gastronomy guide which features the city's best dining venues and talents, includes a total of 119 restaurants, indicating a 72.5% rise since the Guide's inaugural edition in 2022 when 69 outlets were highlighted. With the results determined by Michelin's inspectors, the increase in selected restaurants reflects Dubai's fast-growing and diverse culinary scene. In addition to the overall increase in selected venues, two restaurants received Three Michelin Stars for the first time since the destination's guide launched in 2022, marking a historical moment in Dubai's culinary scene. This distinction highlights exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey. Having received its first Michelin Star in 2022 and second in 2023, homegrown concept Trèsind Studio, Chef Himanshu Saini's flagship restaurant, is now the first Indian three Michelin Star restaurant in the world. Chef Björn Frantzén, whose restaurants Frantzén (Stockholm, Sweden) and Zén (Singapore) have already been awarded three stars respectively, has added another to his extensive Michelin Star collection with FZN by Björn Frantzén now receiving the accolade. This makes him the only chef in the world to currently hold Three Michelin Stars in three different restaurants simultaneously. The MICHELIN Guide Dubai selection 2025 at a glance: 2 restaurants with Three Michelin Stars (1 Promotion, 1 New) 3 restaurants with Two Michelin Stars 14 restaurants with One MichelinN Star (2 new) 3 restaurants with a Michelin Green Star 22 Bib Gourmand restaurants (5 new) 78 Michelin selected restaurants (15 new) Also among the venues selected in the 2025 edition are three Michelin two-starred restaurants, and 14 Michelin one-starred restaurants, with the city now also home to 22 Bib Gourmand restaurants and three with a Michelin Green Star. Featuring a diverse selection of 35 cuisines, the 119 restaurants featured in the Michelin Guide Dubai 2025 directly underpins the city's vibrant culinary landscape by offering unique dining experiences while also supporting the city's tourism and economic objectives. His Excellency Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Visit Dubai), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), said: 'The launch of the fourth edition of the Michelin Guide Dubai, including the naming of the city's first Michelin three-starred restaurants, marks another pivotal moment in Dubai's journey as a world-class gastronomic destination, and is a testament to bold innovation, extraordinary talent and culinary distinction.' 'Just as three Michelin stars signify a restaurant that is 'worth a special journey', so the same applies to Dubai as a destination; from celebrated homegrown eateries to globally-renowned names, this vibrant gastronomy landscape truly reflects the diversity and dynamism of a city that always aims to inspire the world.' Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guide, said: 'Dubai's rapid transformation into a global culinary hub is testament to its diversity and excellence. As demonstrated by Trèsind Studio's historic achievement of earning Three Michelin Stars in its fourth appearance – making it the first Indian restaurant worldwide to earn the Guide's highest accolade – Dubai embraces a rich tapestry of flavors that reflect the world's gastronomic passions. With the city now home to 119 Michelin-recommended establishments, it stands as a beacon for food lovers, drawing them to experience the very best of the world's culinary traditions, all within one dynamic destination.' Chef Himanshu Saini, Trèsind Studio,said: 'We are deeply humbled to receive this extraordinary recognition. To be awarded Three Michelin Stars is a testament to our team's unrelenting passion and belief in the power of storytelling through food. Our goal has always been to present Indian cuisine not just as nostalgic but as progressive and worthy of the world's highest culinary Studio can only be Trèsind Studio in Dubai. It cannot be the same in any other city in the world.' Chef Björn Frantzén, FZN by Björn Frantzén, said: 'This recognition is an incredible honour, not just for me, but my entire team. Receiving Three Michelin Stars for FZN is a proud moment for us and reflects the hard work and creativity of everyone involved. We always knew we wanted to launch a restaurant in Dubai, and selecting the right partner was paramount. We are grateful to the Atlantis Dubai team for supporting our journey and helping to bring to life our vision.' Home to thousands of restaurants and F&B outlets, including world-renowned and homegrown brands, Dubai is known for being one of the most impressive culinary capitals across the globe. The diverse landscape caters to a host of varied tastes, preferences and budgets and according to the Dubai Gastronomy Industry Report 2024, the city ranks second only to Paris as the world's leading gastronomy capital, and was also named one of the top 10 cities for foodies to dine in. Celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, the Michelin Guide is one of the world's oldest, and most prestigious culinary authorities. Since its inception, it's been rating restaurants anonymously through a three-star approach, in addition to the introduction of Bib Gourmand which highlights first-class affordable dining options. The Michelin Green Star was introduced five years ago to highlight restaurants prioritising sustainability within their offerings. The city's gastronomic evolution has been among the key driving factors behind its continued tourism growth, with Dubai welcoming 7.15 million international overnight visitors from January to April 2025 – a 7% YoY increase compared to the same period in 2024. Michelin Guide Dubai 2025 selection Three Stars FZN by Björn Frantzén (NEW) Trèsind Studio (PROMOTED) Two Stars Il Ristorante-Niko Romito Row on 45 STAY by Yannick Alléno One Star 11 Woodfire Al Muntaha avatāra Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Hakkasan Hōseki Jamavar (NEW) La Dame de Pic Dubai Manāo (NEW) moonrise Orfali Bros Ossiano Smoked Room Tasca by José Avillez Green Star(s) Boca LOWE Teible Bib Gourmand 21 Grams 3Fils Aamara Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant Bait Maryam Berenjak DUO Gastrobar – Creek Harbour (NEW) DUO Gastrobar – Dubai Hills Goldfish Harummanis (NEW) Hawkerboi (NEW) Hoe Lee Kow Indya by Vineet Khadak (NEW) Kinoya Konjiki Hototogisu REIF Japanese Kushiyaki – Dar Wasl REIF Japanese Kushiyaki – Dubai Hills Revelry Shabestan Sufret Maryam (NEW) Teible Michelin Special Awards 2025 Young Chef Award: Abhiraj Khatwani, Manāo Sommelier Award: Shiv Menon, Boca Service Award: Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant Opening of the Year: Ronin
