Reinventing Mirazur gives life@Tribeca 2022

Many of us are more than tired of the media painting a gloomy picture of how the hospitality/restaurant industry runs. Especially with tyrants such as Gordon Ramsay who has made a profit by berating cooks and up-and-coming chefs. This kitchen smut television cultivated other cooking shows where everyone is abusive and belittling each other to win prize money. But this type of reality television is not showing what it takes to run a kitchen. Especially when it comes t a Michelin-star restaurant like Mirazur.

Mirazur: The Restaurant

Argentinian world-renowned chef Mauro Colagreco breaks that redundant tyrannic narrative being the focus of Reinventing Mirazur. The Menton-based French restaurant Mirazur won first place as part of The World’s 50 Best Restaurant List in 2019. Furthermore, awarded three Michelin stars. Directed by Vérane Frédiani and Franck Ribière, the documentary is a deep-dive look at the life of Chef Mauro. He became interested in French gastronomy when he was younger in Argentina. He was also invested in the natural world as he became known as the top working chef in the world. The biggest challenge he faced was the pandemic in which he is forced to close operations.

What’s admirable about this film is that it shows the difficulty of closing down a restaurant unexpectedly during a pandemic. Especially when you are at the top of your game like Chef Mauro. Who at the time was flying all over the world and showing his skills to world-renowned chefs. The lockdown in France was a turning point for Chef Mauro. He reflects on his life, the restaurant Mirazur and his rise to fame with directors Vérane Frédiani and Franck Ribière. He becomes closer to his family and works in the garden closest to Mirazur.

The Lunar Experience

While the rest of the world was in lockdown, Chef Mauro reinvigorated himself and Mirazur. After suffering the loss of his mother and best friend/mentor, he found a new sense of himself. This would cause a new course for his restaurant. He would introduce new menus that were influenced by the cycles of the moon. Most of the restaurant’s fresh produce was from the garden he invested his time in during the lockdown. The produce was planted and harvested according to the moon cycles. All the menu items that made Mirazar get rated with Michelin stars were no longer part of the mix. The lunar experience became part of Mirazur where the guests would dine in the restaurant and have a picnic in the garden.

What makes Reinventing Mirazur stand out is the film’s ability to capture the process. These dishes from the mind of Chef Mauro, his garden and all local suppliers are a journey in itself. Most chefs would emphasize the idea of farm to table and this is exemplified well in a cinematic format. The work that goes into these curated dishes is an art form in itself and its operation-like process. But no other film reflects the importance of teamwork when it comes to the restaurant/hospitality industry than Reinventing Mirazur. Chef Mauro knows this so well as he praises his whole staff before reopening Mirazur to the people of France.

Teamwork is the Dreamwork

This among other sequences in the film show the beauty caught in the new process for Mirazur during the pandemic. With interviews with family, staff and mentors in the industry, all of this would not be possible without their support. Reinventing Mirazur emphasizes the importance of how much team and support is the most important aspect of running a restaurant. This is not touched upon when it comes to the focus on restaurants and the hospitality industry. From the head chef to the dishwasher, every person has a role to play when it comes to the new vision for Mirazur.

Reinventing Mirazur is an up-close and personal look at the reality of a top chef in the world. Epsecially, how he navigates his Michelin-rated restaurant through a lockdown and a pandemic to show his true passion. Both directors Vérane Frédiani and Franck Ribière show that no chef is immortal. Too much of the narrative has shown chefs having no empathy for their supporting cast. Reinventing Mirazur is the best documentary to depict how the entire staff must go through endless challenges to provide a spectacular experience. One person can make a difference but it does take a nation of people to get to a higher level.