How food on screen became the secret ingredient of storytelling

Happy 4/20, everybody! Whether or not you plan on actively partaking in this holiday by smoking cannabis or eating it in edible form, you can still get in high spirits with some special streaming.

While marijuana is often known for inducing relaxation, contentment, or laughter, it can also bring on some serious munchies. In these moments, when the high hits, so does hunger, leading you to see food in a whole new light. Food becomes a feast for all five senses, tasting better than ever as it satisfies and delights your hankerings.

Similarly, there are movies and TV shows that take viewers on a sweeping sensory journey, igniting hunger, evoking memories, and stirring up all sorts of feelings inside. In particular, titles featuring food can take viewers on an all-encompassing expedition that you don't have to be stoned to appreciate (though it just might elevate your viewing experience).

From sustenance-centered movies to food and travel titles to hunger-inducing series and more, there is plenty of media that will stoke appetites or sate cravings as much as any cannabis. Embrace the sensation with these seven food-forward movies and shows perfect for consuming this 4/20.

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

There's no better way to celebrate the joy, surprise, and adventure of an excellent meal than by watching the late great celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain do his thing in Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. This reality travel and food series ran from 2005 to 2012, following Bourdain as he explored different cultures and cuisines both domestically and abroad. Rediscover gastronomic hotspots and hidden gems alike with this satisfying series on 4/20.

Chef

If you're hungry for a title featuring food, where better to look than a movie literally called Chef? This 2014 road comedy-drama centers on chef Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) as he leaves his coveted position at a prestigious Los Angeles restaurant and is forced to completely start over in his home city of Miami. There, he attempts to find himself as both a chef and a man while running a food truck with his best friend (John Leguizamo), ex-wife (Sofía Vergara), and son (Emjay Anthony).

Gilmore Girls

This may seem random compared to the other titles in this list, but hear me out! From Friday Night Dinners to Luke's Diner to delectable dishes of Sookie St. James, Gilmore Girls is full of meals, restaurants, and cooking characters that both inform characters and bring them together to the point it's hard to watch this series without craving food (or coffee). Food is baked into the DNA of this iconic 2000-2007 comedy-drama series about the personal and professional lives of Lorelei (Lauren Graham) and Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel), making every episode burst with flavors and feelings worth savoring.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

No matter your age, you can have some serious food-centered fun on 4/20 by streaming this 2009 animated sci-fi comedy that honestly feels like a fever dream, whether or not you're actually high while watching it. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs follows eccentric inventor Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) as he seeks to break his streak of failed contraptions with a groundbreaking machine that turns water into excellent eats. But what at first seems like a life-altering success soon turns into a nightmare as his pleasant food rains turn into intense food storms and tornadoes that put the entire world in danger.

Somebody Feed Phil

Take a trip while tripping with this delicious Netflix travel docuseries that originally ran from 2018 to 2025. Somebody Feed Phil follows TV writer, producer, and host Philip Rosenthal on a voyage all across the globe to try various foods amongst friends, new and old, all while highlighting local traditions, charities, and non-profit organizations in hopes of eating well and doing good.

Tampopo

This 4/20, enjoy a movie as unconventional and memorable as cannabis-induced cravings with Tampopo. This tender 1985 Japanese comedy is cited as one of the greatest food films of all time for good reason, standing as a love letter to food with both its main story and accompanying unrelated vignettes. Tampopo follows truck drivers Gorō (Tsutomu Yamazaki) and Gun (Ken Watanabe) as they help transform the titular widowed single mother's (Nobuko Miyamoto) ramen shop from a struggling business to an astounding success story.

The Bear

Of course, we can't talk about fascinating food titles without mentioning Christopher Storer's award-winning FX on Hulu series, The Bear. With a fifth and final season of the comedy-drama set to premiere this year, there's no better time to dig into the juicy tale of Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) as he works through professional and personal struggles to transform his late brother's (Jon Bernthal) sandwich shop into a Michelin Star-worthy fine dining restaurant. Taste the flavor and intensity packed into every episode by watching The Bear this 4/20.