Plate to Screen: The Hidden Role of Food in Cinema

While we often remember the sweeping dramas and sharp dialogue of our favorite films, it is frequently the meals shared on screen that reveal the true heart of the story. In this lively talk, we will bridge the gap between culinary history and cinematic analysis to examine how filmmakers use food to convey power, love, isolation, and cultural identity. Moving from the elaborate, triumphant feasts of Big Night and Babette’s Feast to the humble, memory-evoking ratatouille of Pixar's classic, this presentation will deconstruct the mechanics of visual culinary storytelling. We will discuss how the dinner table on screen acts as a microcosm of society, inviting the audience to digest the deeper social and emotional realities of the characters we love. About Varud Gupta (https://www.sps.nyu.edu/faculty-directory/21602-varud-gupta.html): Varud Gupta has written the graphic novel Chhotu: A Tale of Love and Partition (Comic Con India "Best Writer") and the travelogue Food of the Gods (Gourmand Cookbook shortlist for "Peace") for Penguin Random House. His food and travel articles have appeared in National Geographic and America's Test Kitchen. He teaches at Columbia University and NYU SPS's Academy of Lifelong Learning (https://www.sps.nyu.edu/join/continuing-education/academy-of-lifelong-learning.html?areaOfStudy=nyus%3Aarea-of-study-%28academy-of-lifelong-learning%29-only-for-all-landing-page&category=certificate%2Ccourses&studyOption=nyus%3Astudy-options%2Fonline%2Cnyus%3Astudy-options%2Fonsite%2Cnyus%3Astudy-options%2Fhybrid). Registration for his Spring 2027 course "Anthony Bourdain: From Page (and Screen) to Plate" opens on October 13th.