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[title]Here’s the thing about living through wild, unpredictable – dare we say unprecedented – times: we’re at the point where we’d believe most things. And it’s no exception when it comes to London’s food scene. A Tomahawk steak covered in gold leaf going for just under £1,500? Seems legit. Off-licences being replaced by stores called ‘Provisions’ flogging nothing but truffle crisps and high-end sardines? Normal! Now past the Scottish mussels with tikka masala sauce and leave me alone, okay?
London’s fine dining scene is borderline-ridiculous at the best of times. And hey, we’re not judging: while you’re waxing lyrical about the silky mouthfeel of the lentil pâté, we’re at the next table over polishing off the last spoonful of coconut dacquoise. So when we saw the trailer for the upcoming film, ‘The Menu’, we knew that we had to at least try to convince London that its bizarre fictional restaurant was real.
So we wrote this. A love letter to Hawthorn: a new fine dining restaurant that, in our editor Joe Mackertich’s words, ‘defines the culinary zeitgeist right now’. And while its dishes like a breadless bread course and a no-cameras rule are by no means beyond the realm of possibility, they’re all references to the restaurant in the upcoming film ‘The Menu’. After all, in the world of fine dining, the chef is God – not only pushing the boundaries of flavour and technique, but telling a story through food. The only difference is that in ‘The Menu’, the tale the chef is telling becomes rather terrifying.
‘The Menu’ (in cinemas November 18) is a pitch-black comedy, skewering the world of fine dining like no other film has. Directed by ‘Succession’s' Mark Mylod, it follows guests Nicholas Hoult and Anya Taylor-Joy, who’ve paid an exorbitant price to visit celebrity chef Slowik’s (Ralph Fiennes) restaurant, called Hawthorn, on a private island. Soon, it becomes clear that Hawthorn is not what it seems – and that’s putting it lightly. Without giving too much away, chef Slowik isn’t opposed to a bit of violence in the name of culinary art.
Intrigued? You should be. ‘The Menu’ truly is a must-see for dark comedy fans and any fine dining lover – or sceptic, for that matter. Both a heart-racing thriller and a clever black comedy, the film is as meticulously executed as a beautiful-looking plate of ingredients you’ve never heard of, but pretend you have. Bon appetit!
‘The Menu’ is in cinemas from November 18. Book your tickets now!