Film critic reflects on My Dinner with Andre and contemporary food media parallels

In 2019, a screening of Louis Malle's 1981 film My Dinner with Andre at the Metrograph theatre in New York sparked discussions about contemporary digital food content. The film stars Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory, who play fictionalized versions of themselves, engaging in a dinner conversation at a French restaurant. This was juxtaposed with the YouTube series Try Everything on the Menu at... by Bon Appetit magazine, where editors taste entire menus from restaurants. Both formats emphasize lengthy dining experiences, with characters ordering an Amaro digestif to prolong their meals. The film showcases New York neighborhoods like Tribeca, SoHo, and the Lower East Side, which have changed significantly, now featuring establishments such as Russ & Daughters and Katz's. Roger Ebert highlighted the film's originality in 1999, commending its avoidance of clichés. An article published online on 30 October 2019 examines how both the film and the web series celebrate the importance of enjoying shared meals and experiences.