As Simran (Kajol) sits quietly, yearning for Raj (Shah Rukh Khan) to return to India in ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ (DDLJ), the cam era lingers not just on downcast face but on plates heaped with aloo parathas and tall glasses of shikanji. Now imagine watching that scene and being served the same parathas and masala shikanji at that exact moment.
That’s the idea behind the growing “movie-to-menu” trend, where what appears on screen is plated up for viewers in real time. While Bollywood blockbusters such as ‘DDLJ’ are popular picks in cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, Chennai chose ‘The Princess and the Frog’ to begin its tryst with the trend.
From sugar-dusted beignets to a rich bayou gumbo layered with andouille sausage, chicken and the ‘holy trinity’ of celery, bell peppers and onions, the dishes in ‘The Princess and the Frog’ are as memorable as its characters, says Payoja S, founder of Ate Bakehouse, who has a simple goal: feed you everything you see on screen.
“The movie-to-menu concept was already popular in Europe and all over my Instagram. Seeing how people in Chennai are eager to try out new experiences, I decided to organise the first edition this month with ‘The Princess and the Frog’,” says Payoja, who organises the screen feasts at private spaces. “The film highlights the Louisiana bayou culture, where the food is a blend of cajun and creole traditions rooted in French, African, and Native American cultures and is characterised by slow-cooked dishes.”
Payoja’s movie-to-menu screenings are limited to 20-30 people per show, where each spectator is served with the dishes that appear on the screen simultaneously. “It requires a lot of planning. We serve five-course meals and need to make sure everything is hot and served at the right time without delay,” says Payoja, who is gearing up for another show on Feb 28 at The Corner Company, an event space in Alwarpet. Movie to menu diners are priced from Rs 1,200 to Rs 3,000 depending on the number of courses served.
Beignets inspired by 'The Princess and The Frog'
Attending the screening felt “enchanting”, says Shyamala P, a Chennai-based English professor, who had not watched the film earlier. “When you see the character Tiana preparing the food on screen, your mouth would water; and then suddenly the same dishes appear in front of you. It’s a unique experience and a great way to meet people,” she says.
While the concept is starting out in Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru have several movie-to-menu experiences of shows ranging from the sitcom ‘Friends’ to movies such as ‘Mean Girls’ and ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ (ZNMD). While Hollywood films such as ‘Ratatouille’, ‘Harry Potter’, and ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ are popular, people request Bollywood hits, says Sanchit Gupta, co-founder of Sunset Cinema Club.
'Friends' inspired fajitas by Taste Cinemas in Gurgaon
“As part of the DDLJ menu, they are served sarson da saag and makki di roti (mustard curry and roti), butter chicken with jeera rice, masala mojito, and gajar ka halwa with saffron ice cream,” he adds.
“In ZNMD, you see the characters travel the length and breadth of Spain at which time the dishes we serve are those popular in each of the locations from Barcelona and Costa Brava to Bunol and Seville. For example, for Bunol, where the characters attend the annual Tomatina Festival, we serve tomatino and chicken tostada.”
Taste Cinemas in Delhi selects a couple of fan-favourite episodes of ‘Friends’ and curates their menu around it. “It features some of the popular dishes such as Rachel’s infamous Thanksgiving trifle, except instead of ladies fingers that she accidentally used, we add pistachio crumble,” says Nitika Kapoor, founder.
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