The latest documentary by legendary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman, Menus-Plaisirs—Les Troisgros, will premiere tonight on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS App.
VENICE, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 03: Director Frederick Wiseman and Michel Troisgros attend a photocall for ... [+]
The film, about the Troisgros family in central France and their award-winning three restaurants, was selected as the best non-fiction film of 2023 by the New York, Los Angeles and National Film Critics Associations.
According to GBH, Boston’s public media producer and presenter of the documentary, it is “about the Troisgros family and their restaurants, Troisgros, Le Central and Colline de Colombia, located in three neighboring locations in central France. Much of the film takes place near Roanne at Troisgros, where the present chef, César Troisgros, is the fourth generation of the family to be in charge. Founded 93 years ago, the restaurant has maintained three Michelin stars for 55 years.
“The film explores the day-to-day operations of this restaurant, from purchasing fresh vegetables at the market, visits to a cheese processing plant, a vineyard, a cattle ranch working on best farming practices, and an organic farmer whose farm, along with the garden of the restaurant, provides organic produce for the restaurants.
“The film shows the great artistry ingenuity, imagination, and hard work of the restaurant staff in creating, preparing, and presenting meals of the highest quality. Characterized by his signature long-form style, Wiseman juxtaposes the choreographed chaos of the kitchen with pastoral shots of the French countryside, resulting in a comprehensive portrait of the Troisgros dynasty,” GBH concluded.
Wiseman said “a film about a restaurant aligns with my institutional series and making a film about a three-star Michelin restaurant has always been one of my fantasies. While visiting Burgundy in the summer of 2020, I had lunch with friends at Troisgros. After the meal, I spontaneously asked Chef César Troisgros if he would consider a documentary film about his restaurant, which started the incredible journey of producing this film.”
In an interview this week with Forbes, Wiseman—who has lived in Paris on and off for many years, making documentaries about the Comedie-Francaise and Crazy Horse, the Parisian cabaret, among others—said that before making the Troigros film, he had had “no experience hanging around a three-star restaurant.”
He called Cesar Troisgros “a great artist. What he produces is ephemeral art (that) you consume with your mouth and nose.”
GBH said the film illustrates the Troisgros family’s interest in biodiversity, which Wiseman said he unexpectedly came across when he was invited to visit cattle and goat farms as well as a cheese factory.
“I’m sure it’s clear I had fun making (the film) and hope people enjoy it,” Wiseman said, adding, “I’ve never seen any films about restaurants, I don’t own a TV. There’s no yelling and screaming, it runs counter to this cliché.”
Wiseman, a theater and film director of 44 feature-length documentaries and two fiction films, has received the Pennebaker Award for Lifetime Achievement at the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards; an honorary award for lifetime achievement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Board of Governors; a MacArthur Fellowship; four Emmys and numerous other honors.
