Film and Food: In Search of Israeli Cuisine

In it’s 11th year the Food Film Festival never disappoints us. It’s not just because we get to eat and watch at the same time but because the films are always stellar both in story and production value. The idea that food pairs with movies just warms our hearts in way that only an ex-Dinema Supperclub runner could love the Food Porn Party, sorta just like it sounds. October 19th-22nd in NYC.

You did it. You pulled closed the curtain, flipped a few old timey feeling switches, stuck an “I voted” sticker on your sweater and now, this most monumental of decisions, is out of your hands. After all the sensationalism, scandals, SNL skits and Twitter fights, you need a place to hunker down and watch as this countries leader is chosen. Of course, you need some snacks and drinks to accompany this evening so you don’t bite your nails off waiting for the electoral votes from the west coast to be tallied. The Brooklyn Bazaar is providing just this with an Election Night Viewing Party. Depending on the out come, and your preference in candidates, you can continue post-decision celebrating and/or crying with booze that will flow into the wee hours. Make sure you stock up your belly with enough of their awesome food options to pad the alcohol typhoon that’s bound to follow. Tuesday, November 8th 7PM – 12PM in Brooklyn.

Is it just me, or is watching foodie films and TV shows part pleasure, part torture? All those drool-worthy dishes trapped behind a screen with nonstop chatter about their prep, taste, and texture is enough food foreplay to make a person go crazy with desire. It’s all talk, no action, and I’ll be honest, in my case, it’s led to more than one unnecessary takeout order that I’ve been less than proud of the morning after. But, this month, the NYC Food Film Fest’s going to let us taste what we see with a four-day roster of indie food films paired with their starring cast of culinary characters. Tickets include movie showings, after-party access, and, of course, scrumptious sustenance served up by some of the world’s best chefs. So go forth and fill up on film-inspired food to your belly’s content. Try not and get used to this perfect pairing. Uber Eats has yet to partner with Bourdain’s Parts Unknown to deliver Vietnamese noodles to your door. October 20 – 23 in NYC.

The most impactful journey of my recent travels was meandering through Cuba in 2016 just as the country started opening up it’s doors to mass US travel. The Havana Film Festival New York’s closing film, Cuban Food Stories, touches a nerve and floods back many of those memories. The director, Asori Soto, calls it “a road-trip adventure all around the island to discover the most authentic flavors and stories behind the Cuban cuisine.” With access to remote parts of this culturally rich island nation, Asori goes beyond the cliches, Ropa Viejo and cigars to show us the kind of Cuba Cubans know. Beyond this film, there’s a whole incredible week of programming. In collaboration with Havana’s International Festival of New Latin American Cinema, Havana Film Festival New York showcases Cuba, Latin American,Caribbean and Latino creators and their films in a light that makes for a multi-cultural experience for the Latino culture and more importantly, beyond. In other words, if you like film, this is for you. If you like food and film, closing night is on order. April 6th-17th in NYC. Cuban Food Stories is April 17th at 6:30PM in NYC