To live is to journey, and every journey is an opportunity to learn. Everyone has traveled a distance. Whether it is in person or the mind. In some cases one can every find a journey within a hundred feet.

           This sentiment echoes throughout Lasse Holstrom (director) and Steven Knight’s (writer) 2014 film The Hundred-Foot Journey. An adaption of Richard Morais’ novel of the same name, this film emphasizes the importance that food has to culture and life. Food is an expression of culture, and cooking is an intimate act. 

           The Hundred-Foot Journey chronicles the happenings of the Kadam Family and their son Hassan. They attempt to open a restaurant in France and unluckily buy a spot across from an award-winning restaurant owned by Chef Madame Mallory. Eventually, Mallory recognizes Hassan’s talent, and she begins to teach him French cooking. 

           The heart of the film is the importance of food. To introduce this theme, we are shown the moments that led to Hassan’s love of food. His first memories of food are his days of cooking with his mother. Hassan refers to his cooking as an education that was cut short due to the murder of his mother.

            Throughout the film, he refers to these moments when in the presence of loved ones. Upon meeting Marguerite, he says that “food is memories.” Genuine care exists among the family members and all characters that value cuisine. 

Once Hassan reaches the highest heights of culinary success, he loses the love of food. Cooking becomes work, and as he graces magazine covers, the pain of forgetting his origin reveals itself. This culminates in his tears while eating traditional Indian food late at night with one of his cooks. 

The techniques that the director uses in this film to depict the intimacy of cooking are combinations of close-ups, landscape, and wide drag shots. In the opening moments of the film, the Kadam family is shown in close-ups smiling and enjoying their meal. Continuous and slow-motion shots depict the work that it takes to craft meals. 

To create a film with heart, you must have a capable cast. The Hundred-Foot Journey’s cast rises to this challenge and turns in solid performances. The star of the show is easily Manish Dayal as Hassan Kadam. He brings a genuine eagerness to learn and a passion for cooking.

Along with this, Dayal effectively portrays the struggle of losing oneself and adapting to new environments. Gracing the screen with a legendary actress such as Helen Mirren is no easy task, and Dayal does not disappoint. 

In its essence, The Hundred-Foot Journey is a commentary on the importance of food to both culture and love. To share a meal with someone is on an equal footing to interviewing them. Their true feelings shine brightest in these moments. Much like Hassan Kadam, we must hold these memories and moments, dear.