Movie Review: The Menu

The Menu’s plot is based on a fine dining experience held by a world-renowned chef, Chef Slowik, that is reserved for the wealthy elite, (the experience costs $1,250 per person). Each course isn’t merely food, it is intricately crafted art; hence why the Chef insists on each diner to not just “eat” the food, but to “taste” it. Most people may find it difficult to see a distinction between the two words that are practically synonymous, but the slight difference in nuance underlines the main theme of the movie.

Each table of wealthy diners represents different characteristics about the flaws of the upper class: the table consisting of a self-righteous food reviewer and her devout assistant that practically worships her symbolize how one powerful person has the influence to make or break someone’s career through one bad review, the table of rich investors highlights entitlement, the old jaded couple represents mindless consumption, etc. One table, however, stands out from the rest. Tyler, a pious follower of Chef Slowik that had an extra reservation due to his girlfriend breaking up with him, hired a service industry worker, Margot, to accompany him to the dinner. Margot acts differently from the other diners as she points out little things such as the ridiculously small portions of the dishes and mediocre flavors rather than seeing each dish as an item associated with prestige and social status.

As each course is being served, the camera pans to each of the tables critiquing and criticizing the most minute details of the dishes. Chef Slowik recognizes this and seems to have expected it, for he formulated the menu to mock the entitled customers.  Seeing Margot refusing to eat the food and sit in disapproval, Chef Slowik automatically becomes troubled and pulls her aside to talk. Realizing that she didn’t belong in amongst the customers as a worker in the service industry, he gives her an ultimatum: she must either stay with the customers or with the chefs cooking the meals. While giving her time to make a decision, Slowik continues to serve courses that are increasingly brutal (these courses do not include food) to express the deterioration of his passion for serving others as the success of his career made him cater to a clientele that is unappreciative. As the night proceeds, customers demand to leave after witnessing the inhumane demonstrations, but the staff refuses to let anyone leave. Margot, however, finds a route of escape by asking the Chef to make her a cheeseburger. Her desire to eat something so simple and lacking in luxury reminded Slowik of his humble beginnings, and seeing her enjoy this “commoner” meal satisfied his innermost desires: for people to “taste” his food, not to just “eat” it. 

This movie did a great job at making satirical commentary about how the relationship between customers and servers in the service industry is a microcosm of how social hierarchy is established in society. I would give it a 10/10.