Vatel
Roland Joffé, Gaumont, France, United Kingdom, Belgium, 2000
In April 1671 in France, the downfallen, ageing Prince of Condé seeks to win back the favour of King Louis XIV, so that the king might entrust him with the command of a military campaign against the Dutch. He invites Louis XIV and his court to his home, the Château de Chantilly, for a three-day feast in an attempt to win him over. He assigns his faithful head chef François Vatel (i.e. Fritz Karl Watel of Zurich) the task of organising the festivities. Vatel does everything he can to please the king. He puts together opulent banquets with refined, magnificently presented dishes and lavish entertainment. One part of the chosen extracts shows an army of cooks and servants during the preparations, while the other shows gargantuan gourmet meals being enjoyed by the royal court.