Local foodies and cinephiles can experience a new way to take in dinner and a movie, as the Westin Tempe has partnered with Fork N' Film to bring an immersive, seasonal film series to the Valley. The first event, which featured the film "Ratatouille," sold out in minutes. But the series will bring multiple events to Phoenix this fall and winter.
Each event includes a multi-course, gourmet prix fixe dinner, during which attendees are transported into the world of their most beloved films to eat and drink alongside their favorite characters. The concept aims to “create a multi-sensory adventure where every bite mirrors the magic unfolding onscreen," according to the Fork n' Film website.
“Fork n’ Film is all about bringing people together through nostalgic films and food. Phoenix felt like the perfect place to expand," says co-CEO Francesca Duncan. "We were drawn to the vibrant dining and entertainment scene; it has such a unique energy right now."
Duncan founded Fork N' Film with her partner, Nicholas Houston, on a whim after watching one of their favorite movies. The couple, who share a love of film and the arts, met in 2022. They were at home one evening watching "Matilda" when the infamous cake scene came on.
In that 1990s classic, the nefarious school headmistress Miss Trunchbull forces a hapless student to consume an entire chocolate cake as punishment. Duncan and Houston began talking about how good the cake looked, and how cool it would be to actually be able to try the food from your favorite movies.
With some brainstorming and planning, they put together their first event just a few weeks later, inviting friends to Houston's apartment rooftop in Los Angeles. The concept was an immediate hit, and over the next few years, the brand quickly expanded. Tempe is the tenth city to host the culinary and cinematic experience.
Event attendees can expect multi-course gourmet menus, plus cocktails and mocktails, created by chef Raine Carter, who helps bring the founders' visions to life from screen to plate.
“I create all of the menu concepts, watching the movie tons of times," Duncan says. "I then send my ideas and sketches over to chef Raine, who creates recipes and order guides from my ideas."
Carter and Duncan are committed to making the experience as screen-accurate as possible. Their recreation of the "Ratatouille" menu mimicked Remy’s “trash can salad” with a salade composée and assiette de charcuterie, moved into his “lightning mushroom puffs” with a Champignon Farcis with oyster mushrooms and Mahon cheese, and raised the dramatic stakes with the restaurant-saving potage Parisien potato leek soup.
The meal, like the film, culminated with a Plat du Chef, in this case a pan-seared, white wine-braised chicken thigh with mustard and tarragon sauce, and an exacting replica of Remy’s Dues ex Machina Ratatouille (technically a confit byaldi), followed by a vanilla creme brulee denouement.
While recreating a film’s show-stopping dishes is one thing, bringing them out at the exact moment they appear on-screen is a production all its own.
“There is very specific timing for each dish. The servers have about a five-minute window to drop the plates before the scene comes on screen, so the entire process has to be extremely organized, and the servers have to be very efficient. Once they get the hang of it, it's like watching magic,” Duncan says.
More opportunities to delve into delicious Disney classics are on sale now.
"Hocus Pocus" will be shown on Oct. 3, 4, 10 and 11. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" will run on Oct. 17, 18, 24 and 25. And "Frozen" will play on Nov. 7 and 8.
While the most popular features lean heavily toward Disney favorites, anticipate classics like "The Polar Express," "Elf," and "The Grinch" to be on the menu for the upcoming holiday season.
Tickets for Fork N' Film start at $199, which typically includes five to seven courses and unique cocktail pairings. With limited seating availability, attendees are encouraged to buy tickets early.
"We are super excited to expand into Phoenix, because of its mix of energy, culture and community. It is full of college students, young professionals and families who love unique experiences," Duncan says. "We can't wait to share Fork n' Film with them."
Fork N' Film
The Westin Tempe11 E. Seventh St., Tempe
