Cooking History

If you got hold of ten recipes used by military cooks who served in World War II, French Algeria, Chechnya, and the Balkans, would it occur to you to make a documentary? Fortunately for us, it did occur to Slovak director Peter Kerekes when he was cooking at home with his father. COOKING HISTORY is a hilarious look at how cooks can affect the battles that shape history. Kerekes himself hails from a region that was variously Hungarian, German, and Slovak, and he's interested in the endeavors of chefs under fire to cook huge amounts of nutritional, morale-enhancing national dishes. Kerekes interviews cooks in many languages, including some who still process sausage in their gardens, Marshal Tito's personal taster, and French gourmets striving for the freshest coq au vin. There is historical footage, clever re-enactment scenes, and ridiculous Monty Python-esque touches. When Kerekes asks a Hungarian chef who kept working for the Soviets after they invaded his homeland, “How did you feel, cooking for people who blew up your goulash in 1956?” you know you're in surreal territory. Be forewarned: COOKING HISTORY will not appeal to vegetarians. But please do remember to always add a pinch of salt. (In Russian, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Bosnian, Slovak, French, Czech, Serbian, and Croatian with subtitles) – B.B.