benoît Magimel is a constant in the cinema of our French neighbors. Discovered in 1986 when his mother saw a call for open casting in the newspaper “Libération” and he simply went there, he has steadily expanded his career: from the twelve-year-old child star who conquered the world audience in “Life is a Long, Quiet River”. , to the Cannes prize winner who plumbs the depths of the human soul. In “The King Dances” he played the fleet-footed Sun King Louis
Now, shortly before his 50th birthday, the Frenchman can be seen in an opulent ode to culinary virtuosity and the intimacy between two people; He plays alongside his former partner Juliette Binoche in the historical drama “Beloved Cook”.
Monsieur Magimel, how good are your cooking skills? Could you impress those around you with meals or sophisticated menus?
I have a great passion for cooking! My mother had to work a lot, so we often ate frozen and canned food at home. And when my father grilled, we were served completely dry steaks with mustard and dried herbs – pretty disgusting. As soon as I got my first apartment, I bought fresh vegetables and meat at markets and taught myself how to cook. Looking back, I think it was my desire for something that actually tasted that sparked my passion for cooking. It was a kind of reaction to what my father had once put my brother and me through.
Was it hidden from you that there are other culinary levels beyond the charred? In France?
I remember telling my mother when I was twelve years old when I played my first role: “It’s funny, they all talk about food on set, they don’t talk about anything else all day long!” That really surprised me. Today it has become an obsession for me too.
What is the philosophy behind your obsession? In your opinion, what distinguishes a simple cook from a real expert at the stove?
The high art lies in turning simple things into something sublime, sublimating them, recognizing the perfect cooking time and learning the right steps. I could watch chefs for hours just because of their routine moves, which reveal that they have done something thousands of times. It's about achieving precision. And then finding joy in literally getting the most out of it with your fingers. If I didn't have a passion for cooking, I wouldn't have made a film about cooking!
How much did you have to learn as an amateur, as a lover, in order to be a professional in front of the camera?
We had a great maître at our side as an advisor, the star chef Pierre Gagnaire. In his videos I had already observed how much he does with his hands. For me, cooking is a variety of sensual pleasures that begin right from the preparation stage. Working with your hands is the first stage in the chain of these sensual pleasures.
Who benefits from your obsession?
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