Our Favorite Food Documentaries
Here at Eat Smarter we love food, especially healthy food. One of the ways we like to learn more about the foods we are putting into our bodies and how those food get onto our plates is through documentaries. There are a lot of really great documentaries about the food industry that make a great Saturday evening movie night with a bowl of olive oil popped popcorn.
Cooked
This is a four-part documentary series on Netflix created by food writer Michael Pollan. In Cooked, Pollan looks at each element (earth, air, water, fire) and goes into detail about how it is used to prepare the foods we love. The documentary travels to different parts of the world for each element and looks at how the people there prepare their foods. Another thing we love about Cooked is the fact that they go into the history of cooking and how it developed and changed throughout the years.
Food, Inc.
Food, Inc. focuses on the food industry and the impacts it has on the environment. It delves deeply into what goes into the food we find in the grocery store and are served at restaurants and chains. Food, Inc. goes into how the farming industry turned into a corporate business, and what that has done to our food and our surroundings. To be honest, this one is a little heavy but so informational, so keep that in mind when you plan to watch it.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi
This documentary follows the story of Jiro Ono and his tiny sushi restaurant in Japan. Jiro Dreams of Sushi tells the story of how his subway station sushi joint became a 3 Michelin star restaurant frequented by celebrities and chefs from all over the world. The film also looks at the legacy Jiro will leave behind, and how his two sons have followed in his footsteps in their own ways.
Mind of a Chef
Now in its fourth season, this PBS show allows you to look into the mind of your favorite chefs. The chefs featured in this show include David Chang, Sean Brock, Gabrielle Hamilton and many more. Mind of a Chef follows the chefs as they search for inspiration from their hometowns to the far reaches of the world.
Somm
This film follows the stories of 4 people as they prepare to take the Master Sommelier test. This test is not your average exam, it has one of the highest fail rates in the world and is the ticket to wild success as a sommelier. These 4 candidates will show you what it really means to put everything you have into your passion, sometimes without the intended result.
Bonus! The Great British Bake Off
Ok, ok, so this one is not a documentary. If you are looking for a light-hearted, engaging show about food, look no further. The Great British Bake Off follows contestants as they compete in various challenges following a weekly theme, everything from large structural gingerbread masterpieces to stuffed breads.
