Troigros

I greatly enjoyed Frederick Wiseman’s documentary, Menus-Plaisirs: Les Troisgros.

It’s not for everyone. First: it’s four hours! Second, it’s all found sound, and there’s no narrative: it’s strictly daily life in a Michelin 3-star restaurant in Roanne, France. (I was led here because I’m working on reading French, and was misled by the trailers into thinking you could get French subtitles. I’m never going to learn to hear French, not with my ears, but during the pandemic a colleague shamed me into working up a reading knowledge. I’m still pretty hopeless, but can manage a light novel and can plough through weightier things at need.). Still, there’s lots of interesting material:

• It’s true: men don’t wear ties anymore.
• The documentary is shot as chef Michel is gradually handing the reins to his son, César. It’s an interesting study of a transition in a significant family business.
• We spend quite a lot of time in meetings, discussing a dish or a wine. It’s interesting how they work things out.
• The balance in the documentary between the front and back of the house is very well done. It’s great to hear cooks discuss a dish and then hear servers describe it.
• Michel gives a nice table side talk about kitchen visits, and how they like to have guests visit the kitchen early so the cooks can see the patrons and see who “table 2” really is. I’d sensed that it was an imposition to ask, but that if asked it should be done late, when things were less hectic.
• Are any of the Troisgros books worthwhile?