Food is a huge part of everyday life, making it something almost everyone can relate to. This makes it a powerful and memorable element in film. Sometimes, food even becomes a character of its own, influencing the narrative and sticking with us long after the film ends. Food often carries a symbolic weight, signposting cultural identity, character development, or even emotional states. Perhaps the most iconic example (and arguably the ultimate food film) is Academy Award winner Babette’s Feast. The Danish drama transforms the preparation and consumption of food into an exploration of artistic expression, community, and sacrifice.
From Pulp Fiction’s $5 shake to Holly’s famous Danish Pastries, food also offers a sense of comfort and nostalgia to audiences. The relationship between food and cinema is so meaningful that it has led to the creation of food-themed events and immersive dining experiences across the UK. Cork International Film Festival’s ‘Culinary Cinema – Where Food Meets Film’ event, for example, explored the food scene in world cinema, hosting post-screening supper clubs.
On a more recognisable note, some of our favourite food moments include Coraline’s other-wordly meals, The Godfather’s tribute to tomato sauce, and of course, Matilda’s chocolate cake. Join us as we recreate iconic recipes and try the closest we can find in Cardiff!
On today’s delicious menu:
Words by: Megan Campbell
Garfield’s Lasagne
Garfield’s lasagne is one of the best on-screen food moments that holds a nostalgic place in our memories. Ever since the orange lasagna-loving cat was on our screens, the layered comfort food has turned from a simple dinner into a pop-culture moment, causing me to create it in the kitchen.
To recreate the mouthwatering lasagne, I watched the film scene and took inspiration from a variety of recipes. In addition, I took cost and effort into consideration to create a dish that captures the melt-in-mouth feeling that we crave.
The Recipe – Total Cost £8.20 – Cost Per Portion £1.37
- 1 tbsp oil
- 500g beef mince
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- ¼ pint beef stock
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1/2 tbsp chopped thyme
- 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 jar, 470g, White Lasagna Sauce
- 9-12 lasagne sheets
- 100g mature cheddar, grated
Method
- In a large pot brown mince in hot oil, then set aside. Soften the onion and garlic, return meat, and stir in the beef stock. Add tomato purée, and thyme, cooking briefly.
- Stir in tinned tomatoes, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes until the beef is tender.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C.
- Assemble the lasagne in an ovenproof dish by layering meat sauce, pasta sheets, and white sauce three times, topping the last layer with grated cheddar.
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Overall, this dish surpassed my expectations. This hearty and flavourful lasagna is your next go to recipe for a cozy night in. Watching the film alongside a plate of this lasagna brings the whole experience together from the mouthwatering taste to the visual likeness of the on-screen reference. This recipe should be a staple in everyone’s home.
Words by: Rhian James
Sage Deli £8 – When Harry Met Sally
The 1989 Rob Reiner romcom ‘When Harry met Sally’ is an iconic piece of American movie history. The sandwich scene, where Harry gets a Pastrami on Rye and Sally a Turkey with white club bread, creates an iconic setup where Sally fakes an orgasm in Katz’s delicatessen to which a customer says to the waiter, “I’ll have what she’s having.”
Sage Deli isn’t an exact replica of the famous New York deli but their toasted sourdough sandwich ‘The Reuben’ tasted spectacular. I really enjoyed the texture with melted cheese and thick sweet pickles, the pastrami could’ve been thicker but as it’s an eco-friendly and health-conscious food stall I understand why it’s not. Their Cardiff Market stall was clean with a great atmosphere from fairy lights to neon signs and engaging, nice workers. I would recommend this to anyone and if you do end up getting their Reuben sandwich maybe you won’t have to fake an orgasm…
WhoCult Coffee + Donuts £4.25 – The Simpsons
The Simpsons is a long-running satirical cartoon where Homer Simpson has a deep-rooted relationship with doughnuts, with the iconic pink doughnut starting to appear in season 3.
WhoCult Coffee + Donuts is a small, independent bakery. I went to their location in Cardiff and was met with light pink branding and neon signs. I tried their Homer Donut, and it is clear these are freshly made as the dough was so soft. The pink icing tasted like a very sweet strawberry or raspberry and the ratio of icing-to-doughnut was perfect. I would recommend WhoCult Coffee + Donuts, and I will be back there soon.
Words by: Charlotte Reid
Image credits to Megan Campbell
Image credits to Rhian James
Image credits to Charlotte Reid
Image credits to Charlotte Reid
