Tag Archives: 2016

02.11.16
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[VFF ’16] How to Achieve Perfection with Chef Sergio Herman, A Documentary Review

poster3Victoria Film Festival
Sat, Feb 13th, 8:45pm
The Vic Theatre
808 Douglas St.
Victoria, BC

Sergio Herman’s high standards of cooking, gastronomy and culinary presentation is very prominent in the documentary of his life, Sergio Herman: F***ing Perfect. As former head chef and owner of Oud Sluis, a 3-star Michelin rated restaurant in Sluis, Netherlands, he pushed his staff to excel at what they do. He was not harsh or cruel like Chef Ramsay. Like him, they are both superstars in this culinary world. While Gordon Ramsay went on to achieve celebrity status in television, Herman never had the time to put his face on any other screen.

In the documentary, the last years of his time at the Oud are looked at. He talks about his struggles with trying to maintain a family (he has four children) and keeping up with two restaurants at the time. He admits to being a workaholic. It’s a virtue engrained in him when he apprenticed at the Oud when his father was head chef. He inherited the operation and to put closure on this chapter on his life was difficult. The film nicely highlights the issues he faced and spices up the story with teases of delectable meals he makes. From traditional dishes like langoustines à la nage to experimental like having a sea urchin shell filled with cream of rutabaga, the seafood lover will be salivating!

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02.10.16
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[VFF ’16] Foodies: A Culinary Jetset Should Be More About Haute Cuisine

poster1Victoria Film Festival
Sun, Feb 14th, 1:00pm
Cineplex Odeon Victoria Cinemas
780 Yates Street
Victoria, BC

FOODIES: A Culinary Jetset is not necessarily a comprehensive look at the culture of taste-testers from all around the world wanting the best in what dining is about. A lot of emphasis is placed on fine-dining instead of the everyday. Not everyone can afford to go to Michelin star restaurants and they tend to be concentrated in major metropolises instead of areas of the Pacific Northwest like Seattle. As a catalog of high-end restaurants, I’ve noted what this film suggests as places to go. However, I’d be interested in knowing what I can hit nearby instead of flying elsewhere to get a taste of the best.

Narrator Adrian Moar talks about the lives of Andy Hayler, Katie Keiko, Aiste Miseviciute, Perm Paitayawat and Steven Plotnicki. These individuals go to extremes to taste the best in what these restaurants offer instead of exploring what’s around the corner. As Plotnicki points out, the people who actively travel and blog about it are doing it for status. These people who have high readership on their online journals can have influence upon the establishments who are wanting to keep tabs on them. Soren Ledet of Geranium in Copenhagen, Denmark knows it.

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02.08.16
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2016 Victoria Film Festival Opening Weekend Recap & What’s Coming

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The 2016 Victoria Film Festival (VFF) started off with a great bang with the Friday night screening of My Internship in Canada, a very funny political satire by Philippe Falardeau (Congorama). This movie explores how democracy should really work instead of who can sway prevailing opinion.

CTV Arts Reporter Adam Sawatsky introduced this film and Exantus, one of the two leads. He was present for this screening. Kathy Kay, festival chief, welcomed film enthusiasts who came down for this movie and party. On a blustery evening packed with many events around town (including a broader movie festival at Cineplex theatres and a Jim Brynes concert up in Sidney), competition is getting tough. The VFF is a fixture for cinema buffs to enjoy and I was here instead of anywhere else!

The night continued strong with a Gala party at the historic Promis building, located off Government street. Filmmakers, performers and attendees of the festival mingled.

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