Tribeca Review: Kitchen Chaos in “La Cocina”
Wednesday, June 12, 2024 at 9:00AM 
Most people probably don’t want to see behind the curtain of the fancy restaurants they go to, since things are surely not as glamorous – or appetizing – as they might seem. Cinematic antics aren’t likely in as full supply in reality as they might be in movies and television, but the presentation of a dish still doesn’t come without all the messy preparation behind-the-scenes that goes into it. There can, however, be fascinating stories to go with the food, and La Cocina proves that with a mesmerizing tale of the kitchen of a Times Square restaurant brimming with drama, tension, and lots of flavor…
Estela (Anna Díaz) hazily makes her way from the subway to The Grill, with no knowledge whatsoever of English but a promise from Pedro (Raúl Briones) that there’s a job waiting for her. The discovery of some missing cash distracts Luis (Eduardo Olmos) enough to hire her on the spot, bringing her to the busy kitchen where she meets Pedro, who barely has any idea who she is. As lunch approaches, she soon begins to see how much is involved in this particular operation, meeting a handful of colorful characters who work in the kitchen and in more customer-facing positions.
La Cocina, which comes from director Alonso Ruizpalacios and is based on Arnold Wexler’s 1957 play The Kitchen, covers a great deal in its 139 minutes. While at times it feels like the story could well have been wrapped up with the preceding scene, there’s always a worthwhile new direction each time a new interaction begins. Estela is by no means the protagonist of this story even though she’s the one seen as its start, and instead Pedro takes on that role as his antics affect all those around him, including Julia (Rooney Mara), the waitress he’s impregnated, who isn’t sure what she wants but has more than enough to contemplate.
Shot in black-and-white, this film sometimes feels like a fever dream in the best possible way. While a computer screen is seen at one point during the film and a printer pops out receipts with each order as they furiously arrive from the front of the restaurant, there’s little else to tether this film to any one moment in time. There is an array of cultures represented among those who work in the kitchen and the waitstaff, and reductive jokes often quickly give way to full-blown fights. One scene in particular evokes the kitchen chaos of The Bear and takes it to an entirely new captivating level, staying remarkably grounded in the moment as things spiral increasingly out of control.
This film features superb performances all around, with supporting standouts including Laura Gómez from Orange is the New Black as a new hire in way over her head on her first night and Lee Sellars as the militant chef prone to rage who still can’t keep a handle on what’s happening under his watch. Mara is terrific as always, bringing a sincere individuality to her conflicted character, and Díaz displays a remarkable calm as Estela observes the craziness around her. The man who carries it all is Briones, injecting infinite unpredictable energy into Pedro, who never knows when to stop but seems to enjoy the chance to always keep going. His passion is mirrored by this film, which at times feels like an ordeal but proves to be a very wise investment. A-
La Cocina makes its North American premiere in the International Narrative Competition at the 2024 Tribeca Festival.
Reader Comments (1)
Raul Briones should have is own entry, tag or whatever you call it.
He´s been constantly showing his talent, not just in his clean win in Ariel awards with Asfixia, Una Película de Policias and El Norte Sobre el Vacío, his performances in Güeros, Estanislao and the recent Fiesta en la Madriguera is a prove he can do.
Terrific actor.