Frederick Wiseman’s 18th film is Menus-Plaisirs – Les Troisgros, a four-hour documentary shot in Spring 2022 over 35 days about the Troisgros family’s restaurants, mainly focusing on the famed Le Bois sans feuilles (The Leafless Forest), which has been designated a Michelin 3-star restaurant for over 50 years. The film is typical of Wiseman’s past work in that there are no interviews or narration from the subjects to augment what has been recorded by the cameras.
Buy Five Films by Frederick Wiseman: Titicut Follies, High School, Welfare, High School II, Public Housing bookCurrently overseen by Chef Michel Troisgros, grandson of founders Jean-Baptiste and Marie Troisgros, his son César works there as head chef while his son Léo is the head chef at their restaurant La Colline du Colombier. The film opens at a local farmer’s market where ingredients are sought and bought. Michel and his sons sit together in their Le Central restaurant and it’s fascinating to see the drama that occurs as they figure out a menu, particularly when there are two dishes that use almonds.
At Le Bois sans feuilles, there’s an extended prep sequence in the kitchen and it’s clear that the chefs are both craftsmen and artisans. The chefs are always tasting and always teaching those with less experience. Michel goes over the wines on hand and to be bought with his sommelier. The documentary then takes a detour to the farm where the restaurant gets its beef. It’s run by a conscientious farmer concerned about the environment.
Back at the restaurant, changes to the menu occur so the chefs and the wait staff are informed as both the front and back of house all have to be well versed in the dishes being served. One diner talks about his dish looking like “a work of art,” which is an accurate statement for most, if not all, the dishes that are shown.
After about two hours, the film focuses on La Colline du Colombier for about 30 minutes. Although a smaller restaurant, the standards and struggles to achieve them remain the same. The film then focuses on other sources of the products used in the restaurants: a farm for goats and another for vegetables, the staff attends a cheese ripening company, and a vineyard. Also a quick look at the hotel connected to Le Bois sans feuilles. While the farm-to-table journey for each element is interesting, they don’t add much to the overall story of the restaurants. Considering the film’s runtime, each segment could have been cut down, if not completely excised, without impacting the main story.
With the plethora of fictional and reality shows set in restaurants, the activity in Menus-Plaisirs – Les Troisgros is familiar but the staff at Le Bois sans feuilles set a high bar and complete their work without all the screaming and histrionics that usually accompanies it. At four hours, Wiseman may challenge your attention span in one sitting, but for those interested in the artistry of food, the documentary is well worth sampling.
