The 9 most delicious movies to watch while you're actually eating.

Right, let's establish some ground rules here. I have very strict criteria for what constitutes acceptable dinner-watching material.

No horror films (because nobody needs jump scares while they're trying to enjoy their carbonara), absolutely no movies with big dramatic deaths (looking at you, Titanic), and definitely nothing that's going to make me ugly-cry into my pasta. Life's depressing enough without voluntarily adding trauma to mealtime, thank you very much.

Watch the trailer for Chef. Article continues after video.

But here's what I will watch while eating: food movies. Glorious, mouth-watering, butter-soaked food movies that make my humble Tuesday night dinner feel like I'm dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris. Give me sizzling pans, perfectly plated dishes, and chefs who treat cooking like an art form, while I scarf down my reheated leftovers.

Ready to turn your dining room into a cinema and your dinner into an event? Let's dive into the most deliciously distracting films ever made.

Chef (2014).

Image: Open Road Films

Jon Favreau's Carl Casper is a talented chef whose creativity gets crushed by his profit-obsessed boss until a viral Twitter meltdown costs him his job. So, he grabs a beaten-up food truck and hits the road with his son, rediscovering the joy of cooking through the magic of Cubano sandwiches.

And when I say Cubano sandwiches, I mean deliciously mouth-watering Cubano sandwiches. Every sandwich assembly is filmed like a love letter to food — the way the roasted pork glistens, the precise layering of sauce, the satisfying press of the sandwich iron, and that final moment when the cheese oozes out the sides.

The sizzling sounds alone will make you want to book a trip to Miami immediately. Perfect for when you need a side of optimism with your dinner.

You can stream Chef on Stan and Netflix.

The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014).

Image: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

This movie is one of my all-time favourites — mostly for the heartwarming story, but also because the food scenes are absolutely divine.

A family from Mumbai opens an Indian restaurant directly across from a snooty French Michelin-starred establishment, sparking an epic culinary culture clash.

And the food porn is next level in this movie. Watch as vibrant Indian spices dance in hot oil, creating aromatic clouds that practically waft through your screen. The contrast between the precise French techniques — delicate sauces being whisked to perfection — and the explosive colours and textures of Indian cuisine creates a visual feast that'll have you questioning why your spice rack is so tragically understocked and why you can't just whip up a beautiful charcuterie board with bits and bobs at home.

You can buy or rent The Hundred Foot Journey on Prime Video or Apple TV.

No Reservations (2007).

Image: Warner Bros

Perfectionist chef Kate's meticulously controlled world gets completely turned upside down when tragedy strikes, and she suddenly becomes guardian to her niece, Zoe.

Enter Nick, the charming new sous chef who has the audacity to cook with opera blasting and somehow gets Zoe to smile for the first time since losing her mum. As Kate struggles to balance her demanding career with unexpected motherhood, she slowly learns that the best things in life — like the best recipes — can't always be controlled or measured.

The kitchen scenes in this movie are pure comfort. Steam rises from perfectly al dente pasta, rich tomato sauces bubble away, and there's something deeply satisfying about watching Kate's precise knife work as she channels her emotions into her cooking. The film captures that therapeutic quality of cooking — the rhythmic chopping, the gentle stirring, the way food becomes a language of love when words fail.

It's comfort food in movie form — warm, predictable, and exactly what you need when you're eating dinner in your pyjamas. Pro tip: Watch with actual pasta for maximum effect.

You can stream No Reservations on Stan and Netflix.

Burnt (2015).

Image: The Weinstein Company

Bradley Cooper's Adam Jones is a disgraced chef chasing redemption and a third Michelin star in London's most demanding kitchens. The vibes in this movie are, well… intense, but the food is absolutely stunning.

Every dish is plated with surgical precision, truffle shavings fall like edible snow, and the close-ups of seared scallops with their perfect golden crusts will make you question every meal you've ever cooked. The kitchen scenes crackle with tension — flames leap from pans, knives flash through ingredients, and every plate that leaves the pass looks like modern art you'd be afraid to eat.

You can stream Burnt on Stan.

Ratatouille (2007).

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

In a nutshell: A rat with extraordinary taste teams up with a hopeless kitchen hand to save a failing Parisian restaurant from a vicious food critic.

While the story is beautifully written, and I love me a Pixar animation, it's the food that makes this movie incredible. Watch Remy's tiny paws delicately season a soup, see ingredients transform into colourful symphonies of flavour, and prepare to ugly-cry during the final ratatouille scene where simple vegetables become a masterpiece that transports the critic back to his childhood. Pixar somehow makes animated food look more delicious than most real restaurants manage. The cheese and strawberry that Remy eats in one bite? Yum. That final ratatouille scene? Chef's kiss literally. You'll never look at vegetables the same way again, and suddenly your simple dinner feels like it has potential for greatness.

You can stream Ratatouille on Disney+.

Julie & Julia (2009).

Image: Columbia Pictures

This delicious double story follows Julia Child's culinary awakening in 1950s Paris as she discovers French cooking and writes her revolutionary cookbook, while simultaneously tracking Julie Powell's 2002 quest to cook all the recipes from 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking' in just one year — and blog about it. Julia's journey from diplomatic wife to culinary icon is pure joy (Meryl Streep is absolutely divine), while Julie's modern-day challenge becomes an obsession that nearly destroys her marriage but ultimately transforms her life.

Both women find purpose, passion, and themselves through the transformative power of French cuisine. There are several scenes — one featuring bruschetta and another with boeuf Bourguignon — that still live in my mind rent-free.

Fair warning: You'll want to cook everything immediately, and yes, that means using an obscene amount of butter.

You can stream Julie & Julia on Stan.

Spirited Away (2001).

Image: Studio Ghibli

When 10-year-old Chihiro's family stumbles upon an abandoned theme park, her parents are transformed into pigs after greedily devouring food from an empty restaurant. Trapped in a magical spirit world, Chihiro must work at a bathhouse for spirits to save her parents and find a way home.

While it's not technically a food movie, the eating scenes are absolutely mesmerising — from her parents' frenzied feast to the mysterious spirits gorging on elaborate delicacies. Studio Ghibli knows how to make animated food look more appetising than most real restaurants, and you'll find yourself staring at your own meal with newfound appreciation and maybe a touch of childlike wonder.

You can stream Spirited Away on Netflix.

Eat Drink Man Woman (1994).

Image: The Samuel Goldwyn Company

Master chef Chu is a widowed Taiwanese father who has lost his sense of taste but continues to prepare elaborate Sunday feasts for his three grown daughters as his way of showing love and maintaining family connection. As the weekly dinners continue, family secrets are revealed, relationships shift, and everyone must navigate the changing dynamics of modern life while honouring tradition.

Every dish tells a story, every meal reveals secrets, and Ang Lee masterfully shows how food becomes the language of love when words aren't enough. It's beautiful, it's emotional, and it'll make you want to call your mum and ask for her best recipe.

You can buy or rent Eat Drink Man Woman on YouTube.

Eat, Pray, Love (2010).

Image: Sony Pictures

Julia Roberts plays Liz Gilbert, a woman whose perfect-on-paper life is falling apart — messy divorce, identity crisis, the works. So she does what any sensible person would do: jets off on a year-long journey of self-discovery and travel.

Let's talk about the food! The first act is basically a love letter to Italian cuisine that'll have you booking flights to Rome before the opening credits finish. Watch Liz discover the pure joy of eating without guilt as she devours plates of pasta, pizza that's charred to perfection, and gelato that she approaches with the reverence it deserves.

The film captures that magical moment when food stops being about restriction and becomes about pleasure — every bite Liz takes looks like a small revelation.

You can stream Eat, Pray, Love on Stan and Netflix.

Feature Image: Sony Pictures.