The Winter Watchlist
We proudly acknowledge the Bunurong as the first people to love, live and dine on the lands on which Attica sits today.
We recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Peoples were the first sovereign nations of Australia from time immemorial, and they never ceded this sovereignty.
The Winter Watchlist
Winter in Melbourne is the season we cook the most, read the most, and think the most about why we do what we do. These are the films and shows that have stayed with us. Most of them will make you hungry. Some of them will make you want to quit everything and travel to far away places in search of perfection. Some will make you want to gather your nearest and dearest and show them how you feel through food. A few will do all of the above.
Kylie Shewry
Published 16.06.26
The Menu (2022)
The Menu (2022)
Darkly hilarious and very accurate. We laughed. We winced. We sat up slightly straighter every time they yelled YES, CHEF! We're not saying more than that.
Pair with: Something very, very expensive in a very, very small glass. And a cheeseburger. Eaten in silence.
Tampopo (1985)
Tampopo (1985)
A Japanese ramen western. Funny, strange, surprisingly erotic, and completely obsessed with the pursuit of the perfect bowl. One of the greatest food films ever made.
Pair with: Cold Sapporo and a dry sake. And of course, ramen.
The Taste of Things (2023)
A quiet, beautiful French film about the relationship between a cook and the man she loves. It opens with a 40-minute cooking prologue with barely any dialogue, just the sounds of the kitchen. This sequence is extraordinary and captures the rhythm of great cooking like nothing else. Watch it hungry.
Pair with: A white Burgundy with a bit of age on it. Good cheese, good bread.
Big Night (1996)
Big Night (1996)
Two Italian brothers, one spectacular meal, and everything riding on a single night of service. One of Ben's favourite cooking scenes in any film is the frittata at the end. Simple, silent, and it says everything. It is also Stanley Tucci's first major role.
Pair with: A rustic Barbera d'Asti and a bowl of olives.
Babette's Feast (1987)
A Danish masterpiece. A French chef in a remote village gets one chance to cook the meal of her life. About generosity and love, as much as food.
Pair with: A glass of Veuve Clicquot, and a Chaource or Langres to eat alongside.
Julie & Julia (2009)
Julie & Julia (2009)
Meryl Streep as Julia Child alone is worth two hours of your time. Plus, another Stanley Tucci sighting! Like comfort food in movie form. Some people hate it, but on a cold Sunday afternoon it soothes the soul.
Pair with: Crémant and a baguette with way too much butter. Even better if you cackle while eating.
Inventing Cuisine (L'Invention de la Cuisine) (2000-2007)
One of the first real looks inside fine dining kitchens as they actually operate. Ben was enthralled by it. If you want to understand what drives great chefs, start here.
Pair with: Two or three coffees. A chef's breakfast of choice.
