The public continues to be fascinated by the stories behind their favorite chefs, and two upcoming documentaries explore the lives of a few of our local heroes. The first is Food Roots, the story of Sunda New Asian restaurateur Billy Dec. Produced by three-time Oscar-winning executive producer Doug Blush, Food Roots tells the story of Dec traveling among the 7,641 islands of his mother’s native Philippines searching for the last remaining elders of his ancestral family after his godfather and great-aunt both passed away on the same day.
Along the way, Dec traveled by motorcycle, boat, plane and on foot to find and preserve the lost recipes of his ancestors, discover Filipino culinary and cultural treasures, and discover stories of his family. He brought many of those recipes and traditions back to the menu at Sunda.
In honor of Filipino American History Month, Dec is holding a series of events on Saturday, Sept. 30, to introduce the story to his Nashville fans as part of the Nashville Film Festival. (Stay tuned for more coverage of NaFF next week.) The day will kick off at 11:30 a.m. with a red carpet event and premiere screening at the Regal Green Hills followed by a panel discussion, Q&A, remarks and photo ops. Then the celebration will travel to Sunda in the Gulch for an afterparty featuring a 40-foot-long Kamayan feast for all attendees of the film. If you’ve never experienced the delicious family celebration meal that is a Kamayan, you definitely need to check this out!
On Tuesday, Oct. 10, The Cafe at Thistle Farms will host the Nashville premiere of A Fine Line, a documentary about the difficult conditions of female chefs in the restaurant industry. Directed by Joanna James, the founder of the nonprofit MAPP (Mentorship, Advocacy, Purpose and the Power of Women), the film features stories from world-renowned chefs including Dominique Crenn, Cat Cora, Mashama Bailey, Elizabeth Falkner and more.
To give the event a local touch, MAPP will present a panel discussion from Nashville chef Star Maye, Yay Yay’s CEO Charlotte Miller, and Thistle Farm's director of hospitality and cafe services Dana Wronski, who will tell their own stories and also offer signature dishes to the assembled crowd. Nashville media host and author Kirbee Miller will host the red carpet welcoming guests and moderate the panel.
Tickets for the screening and panel discussion are $55 and available on Eventbrite.
