Film truly is magical. It can lead you to places you otherwise wouldn’t allow yourself to go; worlds you might never see, conversations you might never have, emotions you might not otherwise feel. To me, one of the most glorious things is when a film takes its characters down a soul seeking path of emotional self discovery.
A favorite movie of mine, which is perfect for February for so many reasons, is Chocolat. Not only because I am a chef and I love food centered movies, but because of the gorgeous story woven through the entire film. So many themes are presented and beautifully braided together during those ninety minutes: Personal struggle, mother-daughter discovery, passion, independence, enlightenment of a small town. And, ultimately, a deep and satisfying desire quenched with one of the world's sexiest foods-chocolate. There is such a beautiful message presented of understanding a food, loving the emotion it elicits, allowing it to bring people together to experience the joy of sharing time spent over a beautiful table filled with incredible food.
Food can bring so much happiness, it can bring people together to bond, which is why one of my favorite things is to bake with my clients children. We giggle, we get messy and I know it takes them on a journey they might not otherwise get to travel.