Ratatouille
French cuisine through the eyes of Remy the rat chef.
Ratatouille follows a food-loving rat who dreams of becoming a chef in Paris, and in the film, food quite literally drives the plot — one dish is able to move even the harshest critic. Ratatouille itself, a vegetable stew of eggplant, zucchini, pepper, and tomato, becomes a work of art on screen thanks to its neatly layered arrangement. The story carries a simple idea: even a humble country dish can be moving when made with care and attention to detail. Here are recipes in the spirit of the film — a beautifully presented vegetable stew you can actually recreate at home.
Frequently asked questions
What is ratatouille, actually?
It's a traditional French vegetable stew of eggplant, zucchini, pepper, onion, and tomato, originating from Provence. In the movie it's served in an unusually neat, layered arrangement that became one of the film's most iconic images.
Can I recreate the movie's beautiful vegetable arrangement at home?
Yes — the vegetables are sliced into thin, even rounds and layered in an overlapping spiral over the sauce before baking, creating that decorative, appetizing look.
Should the vegetables for ratatouille be fried or baked?
Classic recipes often lightly sauté or bake the vegetables until tender, which helps them hold their shape rather than turning mushy, unlike long-simmering everything together.