Step Up to the Plate

Following in the footsteps of last year’s wildly popular El Bulli: Cooking in Progress comes another mouth-watering foray into that burgeoning sub-genre known as foodie cinema. Paul Lacoste’s Step Up to the Plate takes us to the Aubrac region of France where the legendary Michel Bras has been running his restaurant—recipient of three Michelin stars—for decades. But the time has come for the passing of the torch to his equally talented son Sébastian. Lacoste follows the father-son duo for a year, providing delicious insight into the similarities and the differences between the two. And he doesn’t stint on gloriously shot images of the culinary masterpieces both seem able to toss off on a whim…

"Like the dishes for which the legendary [chefs] are famous, Step Up to the Plate is an elegantly simple work, yet softly layered and richly rewarding… There is plenty of kitchen footage, of course; patrons should be warned to eat heartily prior to viewing this film lest your hunger pains prove crippling mid-session. But the underlying drama… is in watching the intricate hierarchal psychology play out within the context of a family business that is generations old. Lacoste… examines the legacy of gastronomic prowess, of the Bras’ heritage and connection to the land and its customs… The fading into legend of Michel and the emergence of a new force in Sébastian, structured within the complexities of the paternalistic dynamic, makes for enriching, compelling drama."—Simon Foster, SBS.com.au