STEP UP TO THE PLATE

After a fulfilling and successful career, renowned chef Michel Bras is preparing to retire and hand the reins of his Michelin three-starred restaurant to his son, Sebastien. Director Paul Lacoste’s feature film debut Step Up to the Plate follows the two men over the course of their final year of work together, providing a visual diary of this culinary changing of the guard.

For the uninitiated, a Michelin-starred restaurant is a serious business. Dishes are as much about design as they are about flavour and texture, and both men labour over plates that would not look out of place in a modern art gallery.

Step Up to the Plate has its wonderful moments: the composition of Michel’s signature salad dish will delight foodies and casual observers alike. But Lacoste’s penchant for gauche symbolism is too much, and ultimately the exploration of the relationship between father and son feels a little underbaked. (KS) ***1/2