Food documentaries have become a powerful genre of their own. These food-focused films have changed the way that people think about food and the way that they eat. Meat-eaters embrace veganism after watching Food Inc. and junk food eaters want to try juicing after watching Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. Food documentaries can inspire. They can motivate, inform, educate, stir emotion and, even, of course, make you hungry...very, very hungry. We have selected a few of our favorite food docs that inspire appetites and leave us craving more.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

If you ever need a movie to make you ravenously crave simple yet perfect maki this is it. Jiro Dreams of Sushi tells the story of Jiro Ono, considered one of the world's best sushi chefs, and his three Michelin-starred basement-level, 10-seat restaurant. He has perfected the art of sushi with a 30,000yen (almost $300) chef-picked sushi omakase. The documentary captures Jiro while he is passing his legacy and skills to one of his sons and shows the intense pressure of living up to the standard of such genius. Bright, vibrant close-ups of the freshest simple sushi will have you ordering sushi the second the film ends.

EAT

Stunning colors and quick-paced shots paired with epically-synched music makes this one of our favorite food documentaries. Three friends traveled through 11 countries in 14 days and created 3 amazing short films, Move, Learn, and Eat. The images are delicious and will have you booking your next trip immediately.

Kings of Pastry

If you love over-the-top cooking competitions and gorgeous desserts you will love Kings of Pastry. This fondant-filled film follows world-class pastry chefs as they bake to win the hyper-competitive competitive Meilleur Ouvrier de France.

Spinning Plates

This by turns heartwarming and heartbreaking documentary tells the story of 3 very different lives of restaurant owners: the world renowned chef Grant Achatz, who showcases his top of the line tools and creative food, a family who owns a local restaurant that brings a community together, and a Mexican family who opens a restaurant in the painfully all-too-common attempt to create a new life for themselves and their young daughter. The stories describe the highs and the gut-wrenching lows of surviving in the restaurant industry. Foodies will also love the continuous shots of each restaurants' specialties. It will have you craving breakfast burritos, fried chicken, berry pie, and molecular gastronomy delights.

Three Stars

You will be in awe of the countless perfectly plated culinary delights as you watch Three Stars, which tells the tantalizing story of restaurants that have earned the coveted Michelin stars. Food legends, like Jean-Georges Vongerichten of Jean Georges in New York and René Redzepi of Noma in Copenhagen, discuss the guide's influence on the food industry. Despite the varying opinions of the guide's importance, foodies will celebrate the enticing dishes and even add a few more restaurants to their dining bucket list.

three stars chefs
HMR Produktion GmbH, by Hajo Schomerus

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