With culinary throwdowns becoming commonplace and food shows quickly replacing dating shows as the reality television trend, it should come as no surprise that the latest Pixar effort, “Ratatouille,” is expected to be one of the biggest films of the summer. If the nation has succumbed to food mania, then the Bay Area just might be the epicenter of food obsession, a claim supported by Pixar’s six years of food research in the Bay Area. In addition to attending San Francisco culinary school classes, one of the research subjects was none other than Thomas Keller:
“The central challenge was making food look appetizing in animation,” said [Brad] Lewis, adding that when it came to the actual ratatouille, it really had to be spectacular.For inspiration and authenticity, they went to Keller. The Yountville chef tutored the film’s creators on the inner workings of a French kitchen and acted as the key consultant for the cooking. Producer Lewis, who interned in the French Laundry kitchen as part of his research for the film, gave the chef an extra challenge.”I asked him how he would prepare the ratatouille if he knew the most famous critic in the world was coming in to the restaurant,” he said.
Additionally, “Ratatouille” features Keller’s voice in a cameo role as a restaurant patron. In the French version, the role went to Guy Savoy, while the Spanish one has El Bulli’s Ferran Adria.
Just think of all the children who will be inspired to become the next great chef; maybe they’ll roles in “Ratatouille 4: Cook Free or Die Hard.”
Bay Area flavors food tale [SFGate]
[Photo courtesy: Official Site]
