The-Hundred-Foot Journey

Displaced from their native India, the Kadam family, led by Papa (Om Puri), settles in the quaint village of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val in the South of France. Filled with charm, it is both picturesque and elegant - the ideal place to settle down and open an Indian restaurant: Maison Mumbai. That is, until the chilly chef proprietress of Le Saule Pleureur, a Michelin-starred, classical French restaurant run by Madame Mallory (Academy Award-winner Helen Mirren) gets wind of it.

Her icy protests against the new Indian restaurant a hundred feet from her own, escalate into a heated battle between the two establishments - until Hassan's passion for French haute cuisine and for Madame Mallory's enchanting sous chef, Marguerite (Charlotte Le Bon), combine with his mysteriously delicious talent to weave magic between their two cultures and imbue Saint-Antonin with the flavours of life that even Madame Mallory cannot ignore. At first her culinary rival, Madame Mallory eventually recognises Hassan's gift as a chef and takes him under her wing.

The Hundred-Foot Journey abounds with flavours that burst across the tongue. A stimulating triumph over exile, blossoming with passion and heart, it is a portrayal of two worlds colliding and one young man's drive to find the comfort of home, in every pot, wherever he may be.

A clash between two very different cultures

The conflict between Le Saule Pleureur and Maison Mumbai is symbolic of a clash between two very different cultures, with Madame Mallory's prideful persistence confronting Papa's unwavering stubbornness. She believes her nationalistic pride in French culture and French haute cuisine is at stake, while he is afraid his family is being chased out of town once again because they don't fit in. Each feels challenged by the other, and neither one is prepared to back down.

Says Puri: "Madame Mallory appears very refined and elitist, but she's more classical in her attitude, while Papa is more rustic. But it doesn't mean that rustic has no right to live." Mirren adds, "It's a feud that becomes a no-holds-barred war within a civilised society, but it's still a war."

"Food plays a big role in bringing the family together," says Winfrey. "It's the central focus for that which allows them to stand out because they feel a great sense of confidence in their ability to make wonderful food, and food that really fills people up spiritually, emotionally, as well as being delicious."

The significance of an omelette

When Hassan approaches Madame Mallory and offers to make her an omelette, she understands immediately the significance. She knows of his aptitude for cooking, but it's not until she tastes his omelette that she sees his technique and realises the true extent of his genius. The omelette had to be made just right, too - as did all of the food in the film - but Dayal was able to add his own flair to the dish when the scene was shot. "I grew up eating a certain omelette that my dad used to make," Dayal reveals. "And that's the omelette we created in the movie. It has chili powder, buttermilk, lots of cilantro and a hint of black pepper."

"When I was reading the script, I was actually salivating over this scene," says Winfrey. "I couldn't wait to try that omelette!" Knight says, "I had a rule of thumb when writing that if at any point there was a plot problem, I could solve it with food. The obligation of the food, the need for Hassan to develop, in the end, is what breaks down the barrier between Madame Mallory and Papa. It's the thing that overcomes the prejudice that separates them across the street."

Indian cuisine is celebrated for its diversity of flavours: the zest of ginger in Chicken Tikka Massala; the rich, aquatic flavour of sea urchin; the sweet, pungent taste of cloves in Chicken Tandoori. Most dishes are heavily seasoned, everything from chilli peppers, cardamom and cumin, to cinnamon, saffron and coriander. The Indian approach to cooking is spontaneous and relaxed, with many dishes eaten sans utensils.

Puri explains: "In India, we are more casual about our food. French food is very concerned with presentation, and Indian food, not so much. But the different cuisines we have in India are amazing and full of spices. The whole world came to India for its' spices."

For the French, flavour is obviously important, but it is more understated. And the preparation, specifically the technique, is as important as the end product. Flavourful cheeses, breads/pastries and wine are most commonly associated with French cuisine, as are their rich sauces (Bechamel, Veloute, Tomat, Espagnole and Hollandaise). When Hassan prepares these sauces for Marguerite - his first attempt at French cuisine - it is her first indication as to the magnitude of his talent in the kitchen.

Betrayed at first

It is this diversity in styles that ignites Hassan's interest in French cooking and motivates him to train with Madame Mallory to learn classical French cooking. As a proud immigrant, Papa feels betrayed at first, but pride in his son soon takes over and, eventually, both adults agree to put their differences aside for the sake of Hassan.

"Because they are two very different people, it takes so much time to embrace each other from such a short distance," Puri says. "Madame Mallory is a hundred feet away, but it took her and Papa so long to become friends."

"This is a journey that Hassan needs to take," says Knight. "To cross over and go to the French restaurant to learn classic French cuisine. It's a very short journey, one that you think will never happen because the two lifestyles seem thousands of miles apart. But when he makes that journey, you realise they're actually right next to each other."

Adds Daya: "That little step signifies a lot. It's the bridge between his childhood at the Indian market and his fledgling maturity as a chef of French cuisine."

Prior to the start of production, Dayal and Le Bon were both schooled in the fundamentals of cooking, giving them the opportunity to experience the differences between the two cuisines at first hand. Chefs from France and India were on set to coach the actors, as well as provide insight as to the best ways to light and shoot the food authentically. They included French chef consultants Vincent Meslin and Lanaic Jourden and Indian chef consultants Anil Abhimanyu Sharma and Floyd Cardoz.

An unusual challenge

When it came to actually shooting scenes with food, the filmmakers were faced with an unusual challenge: how to ensure that all the dishes looked as tantalising and realistic on the screen as they did in person. Of utmost importance to Hallström was ensuring the shots felt organic, as he didn't want beauty shots which would take the audience out of the story.

"My greatest fear was doing a close up of a dish and having it look like one of those spaghetti commercials shot in slow motion," says Hallström. "But our cinematographer Linus Sandgren has a natural instinct for how to approach food in a poetic way, so that it looks mouth-watering when we zoom in."

"Every hundred-foot journey is like The Wizard of Oz," says Winfrey. "It's never any further than your own backyard. And food can bring back a fondness or a feeling of being nurtured, supported and loved. Every bite makes you think of being loved and every bite takes you home."

"Food is the great equaliser," says Spielberg. "It levels the playing field and brings anybody from any country, any faith and any discipline together on the same page. Food is the ambrosia that draws them together."

"Don't go to dinner until after you've seen this movie," says Mirren. "Then go to a really nice French or Indian restaurant."

Make sure to see The-Hundred-Foot-Journey. It releases nationwide on 22 August.

Read more about the film and other new releases at www.writingstudio.co.za