- Details
- Category: Haute This Issue
- Published on Thursday, 09 October 2025 14:17
- Written by Janet Walker
The Kitchen Brigade, from Tull Stories, presents a delightfully charming sleeper hit, as a disgruntled chef takes a going nowhere job as a cook in a hostel for underage immigrants and begins her own journey of self-discovery.
The film begins with Cathy Marie, played by Audrey Lamy, a sous-chef working the restaurant of "Let's Cook" show winner, Lyna Deletto, played by Chloe Astor. On this day, the crew for the show is filming in the kitchen and as in any gourmet restaurant the orders are being shouted, the stress is high, and Lyna pushes Cathy Marie away and supersedes her decision on how to best bring out the flavors of the dish. Cathy Marie refuses to follow the instructions of the chef. The two have an argument and Cathy Marie quits.
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Now, even with her skills she is unemployed, and we see as she is working the phone, the plans for her restaurant are on the wall, ever present. Unfortunately, the funding needed is further away each day.
She finally is given an interview for a chef, at a charming restaurant. When Cathy interviews for the job, we realize the advertisement was a bit embellished. And while it does satisfy some of her requirements, immediately she feels the job is beneath her. Her friend Fatou, played by Fatoumata Kaba, convinces her to stay, and save the money for the restaurant. With no offers, she reluctantly agrees.
We met Francois Cluzet, played by Lorenzo Cardi, who is the director of the hostel, and Sabine, played by Chantal Neuwirth, who works with the boys. As Cathy attempts to create cuisine worthy of her standing, we understand the boys simply want to eat canned ravioli and watch soccer.
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As they are attempting to gain work visa's for France the requirements are strenuous, and in additional to academic requirements, they have to be placed in programs. With an overload of immigrants, many of whom travel thousands of miles alone, through many nations, hoping to find refuge and simply for the chance to work and send money back home to help their families.
Soon, the boys, many of whom are teens, are willing to help in the kitchen and slowly Cathy has them understanding the kitchen is run with respect. Cathy begins to understand how better to teach the teens by incorporating soccer into her instruction.
After a while both the teens and Cathy are working together as a team, and more. She introduces them to the art of cuisine, not simply how to cook or use a microwave. She takes them to the farm, and they begin to understand the importance of herbs, fresh vegetables, and fusing flavors to elevate dining into a sensory experience.
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We begin to understand how the students respond to the culinary instruction, as in their math classes, Francois is hitting a brick wall until he begins to turn each math problem into a recipe and suddenly the class is active with everyone participating.
The progress has turned this introverted hostel into a warm and helpful home away from home. However, the authorities have decided if the young men cannot produce papers, their age will be determined by bone scans. For those determined to be over 18, they will be deported. The loss of one team member is felt by all.
As Francois continues to try and find vocational programs for the students, he decides to attempt to create a culinary program. Of course, building the program becomes arduous, and Cathy Marie decides desperate times call for desperate measures. She confronts her old nemesis and signs up for "Let's Cook," with a plan. This ushers in the unexpected final act.
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The Kitchen Brigade is a family friendly feel good film. Charming, and poignant, The Kitchen Brigade fuses the explosion of culinary shows, with the behind the scenes access of television production with some humorous spoofing, and an actual dilemma daily confronted by the thousands of immigrants who arrive on Europe's shores hoping for a better life.
With brilliant performances, the ensemble cast is authentic, genuine, and their feelings are palpable. We feel the disillusionment, anger, loss, and despair, as well as the hope. The film showcases so much more than simply entertainment.
Amusing and relatable, The Kitchen Brigade, a comedic drama, will have you wanting seconds. In cinemas throughout the UK and Ireland now. See it.
Country: UK.
Language: French with English subtitles.
Runtime: 97 minutes.
Director: Louis-Julien Petit.
Producer: Liza Benguigui.
Writer: Louis-Julien Petit, Liza Benguigui, Sophie Bensadoun, Thomas Pujol.
Cast: Audrey Lamy, François Cluzet, Chantal Neuwirth, Fatou Kaba, Yannick Kalombo, Amadow Bah, Mamadow Koita, Alpha Barry, Yadaf Awel, Demba Guiro, Boubacare Balde, Irakli Maisaia, Mohamat Hamit, Sayed Farid Hossini, Saikat Barua, Amadi Diallo, Aiham Deeb, Stephane Brel, Chloe Astor, Christophe Aironi, Adele Galloy.
Janet Walker is the publisher, founder, and sole owner of Haute-Lifestyle.com. A graduate of New York University, she has been covering international news through the Beltway Insider, a weekly review of the nation's top stories, for more than a decade. A general beat writer/reporter and entertainment/film critic, she is also an accomplished news/investigative news/crime reporter and submitted for Pulitzer Prize consideration "Cops Conspire to Deep Six Sex Assaults" in the Breaking News Category and was persuaded to withdraw the submission. Ms. Walker has completed five screenplays "The Six Sides of Truth," "The Assassins of Fifth Avenue," "The Wednesday Killer," "The Manhattan Project," and the sci-fi thriller "Project 13: The Last Day." She has also published "Unholy Alliances: A True Crime Story," and "Days, Times, Seasons, and Events: A Collection of Poetry & Prose," which can be purchased here. She is a member of the Los Angeles Press Club, the National Writers Union, and a member of the International Federation of Journalists.
