Ready your fork and knife. 6 food documentaries that will change how you see what's on your plate Ready your fork and knife. By Declan Gallagher March 12, 2026 5:00 p.m. ET Leave a Comment :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/1Somm2FoodIncand3JiroDreamsofSushi062031020261228727b19b54fd4a17d78f69601f5d0.jpg) Three flavors of the food industry: 'Food, Inc,' 'Somm,' and 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi'. Credit: River Road and Participant; Samuel Goldwyn Films; Magnolia Food documentaries offer us something special. It might be a comfort watch, a creative spark, or a window into other cultures.

Ready your fork and knife.

6 food documentaries that will change how you see what's on your plate

Ready your fork and knife.

By Declan Gallagher

March 12, 2026 5:00 p.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Three flavors of the food industry: 'Food, Inc,' 'Somm,' and 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi'. Credit:

River Road and Participant; Samuel Goldwyn Films; Magnolia

Food documentaries offer us something special. It might be a comfort watch, a creative spark, or a window into other cultures. These films contain more than just mouth-watering shots of simmering broth or sliced beef; they tap into the stories, obsessions, and systems behind what we eat.

Films like *Jiro Dreams of Sushi* turns craftsmanship into poetry, revealing the devotion and discipline behind a single perfect bite. Then there's *Food, Inc.*, which challenges viewers to rethink the journey from farm to plate, while character-based efforts like *Somm* capture the almost masochistic intensity of one corner of the beverage industry.

Each of these documentaries satisfy our hunger for beauty, truth, and the human passion that fuels every dish (or pour). Here are **'s picks for the best food documentaries that inspire and delight.

City of Gold (2015)

Jonathan Gold puts in an order in 'City of Gold'.

Courtesy Sundance Institute

*City of Gold *is a warm portrait of Los Angeles foodie and critic Jonathan Gold, who made a passionate daily life (and Pulitzer-winning career) of seeking out singular food experiences throughout the city. This is a tremendously entertaining documentary about the life of its subject, but it's equally concerned with the highly variable world of cuisine in the City of Angels.

Gold's quest to try as many distinct dishes as he can is as admirable as it is ceaseless. One gets the impression that you could eat for years and still not see a fraction of what L.A. has to offer.

Where to watch *City of Gold*: Mubi

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Food, Inc. (2008)

'Food, Inc' makes the case against Monsanto.

River Road and Participant

Robert Kenner's Oscar-nominated film* *is a frightening exposé on the ways corporate greed, concentrated to just a few companies who have ostensibly replaced farmers, has impacted the U.S. supply of clean and sustainable food.

*Fast Food Nation* author Eric Schlosser narrates, while talking heads like writer Michael Pollan and food-safety advocate Barbara Kowalcyk illuminate how steeply food quality has plummeted — and how profoundly the industry has changed our diet without us realizing it. In sounding the alarm for food safety, *Food, Inc.* offers solutions along with its portents of doom.

Where to watch *Food Inc.*: Amazon Prime

Forks Over Knives (2011)

Dr. Colin Campbell promotes the health benefits of a vegan diet in 'Forks Over Knives'.

Monica Beach Media

*Forks Over Knives *isn't exactly subtle, but it's a thought-provoking treatise on the health benefits of switching from meat-based to plant-based diets. This well-argued film avoids overt preachiness, instead letting the work of a doctor and a biochemist guide the discussion.

The findings of both men's research can speak well enough on its own. The implications about diet and disease — and the possibility of drastically reducing our most fatal ailments — are convincing. Even if the film doesn't have you completely abandoning cheeseburgers, it'll demonstrate that changing your diet isn't as difficult or icky as it might sound.

Where to watch *Forks Over Knives*: Tubi

Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)**

Jiro Ono (left) in the documentary that made him immortal, 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi'. Magnolia

Jiro Ono, a now-100-year-old sushi chef, was 85 years old when this film was made, following his famed 10-seat restaurant in a Tokyo subway station. As Jiro faces the end of his legacy, he looks to his eldest son to continue the family business.

*Jiro* tells a universal story about family, passion, and ambition that will be recognizable to anyone who's ever had parents. The precision with which he approaches his creations seems entrancing to the outsider, but for his family, it has different and greater meaning. This is a heartfelt but tart-tongued, spiky documentary that doubles as poetry.

Where to watch *Jiro Dreams of Sushi*: Amazon Prime

The Search for General Tso (2015)

'The Search for General Tso' digs into the mystery behind the popular dish.

General Tso's chicken is a staple on menus of Chinese restaurants across America, but remains something of an enigma in China. Ian Cheney's brisk but sprawling doc interrogates the origins of the dish, who invented it, how it got popularized, and the eponymous 19th-century military leader who may (or may not) have inspired it.

*The Search for General Tso* is light on its feet and always a joy to watch, but what it asks about the commodification of ethnic food and culture scratches a deeper itch. If nothing else, this movie might make you crave a nice chicken dinner — how authentic that dish might be is up to you.

Where to watch *The Search for General Tso*: AMC+

Somm (2012)

The road to Master Sommelier status gets a personal touch in 'Somm'.

Samuel Goldwyn Films

So you want to be a Master Sommelier? In the case of the three primary subjects of Jason Wise's *Somm*, they've put their money where their Malbec-loving mouths are, attempting to earn the rare title through a rigorous examination process. The documentary follows our wine stewards as they prepare to test their palates (and their memory for historical and geographical minutiae) against the highest standards in the world.

This is a genial, character-based doc along the lines of *Spellbound* and *Wordplay*. It's also an eye-opening look at the world of sommeliers and the changing face of the wine industry.

Where to watch *Somm*: Tubi

- Documentary Movies

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Documentary"

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Source: Documentary

Published: March 12, 2026 at 11:38PM on Source: RED MAG

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