In THE RAW AND THE COOKED German filmmaker Monika Treut pootles about Taiwan in a vague spiral, taking in the cuisines of the various regions and ethnic groups. What sets the film apart, though, is Treut’s side-table presence, despite fronting the venture.
Given that Treut barely speaks any Mandarin, past her narration she tends to appear seated off-centre, letting the various delicacies take the lead. It’s a surprisingly liberating approach from the hectoring of celebrity chefs. Anyone used to Keith Floyd and his successors may have to adjust their napkins to cope with this cookery documentary seasoned with subtle hints of Clement Freud, Michael Palin and Werner Herzog.
Undoubtedly the highlight is Shitiping, where a chef from the Ami people whips up a fish stew …
Starting from a famed dumpling joint in Taipei, where they profess to having tested the optimal number of folds for their signature dish, it’s soon off way into the sticks for a culinary tour of the nation. Undoubtedly the highlight is Shitiping, where a chef from the Ami people whips up a fish stew in a hollowed-out tree trunk. As per convention, he’s caught the ingredients himself that morning. Preparing the meal under a canopy beneath a thunderous sky sets the tone as the diners start to sing. Scalding stones are then dumped into the broth causing a frenzied flash boiling. With steam wafting across the venue, the concoction imparts a visual performance that holds up for audiences gazing in envy.
One visit she makes is to a naturalised US-lawyer who stores his faeces in barrels …
Treut seems aware of the wackier side of organic die-hards. One visit she makes is to a naturalised US-lawyer who stores his faeces in barrels on his roof to make fertiliser. Overall though, the film suffers from the modern obsession with locally sourced, organically grown food. This is particularly relevant for a densely populated country like Taiwan, that could benefit from industrial farming methods because it has to import certain foodstuffs. The mass-produced dumplings are a rarity in this depiction of the country.
Despite pre-emptively stuffing myself before watching THE RAW AND THE COOKED, I was ravenous within the first five minutes. One image to take away from the film are the beaming smiles on the faces of some Buddhist monks after a cookery class. Treut seems to find smiles everywhere.
THE RAW AND THE COOKED screens at Cambridge Arts Picturehouse at 20.15 on 14th September. Monika Treut will attend for Q&A after the screening.
httpvh://youtu.be/p51AN21ZYk0