The movie, “Vatel” was taken place in May, 2000. Louis XIV creates the French feudal history of the most prosperous period. Louis XIV has overruled France for 72 years and he launched four major wars. Due to frequent wars based on Louis XIV’s lust of conquering for territorial expansion as well as various overtaxed policies, the French economy scale became unstable and being on the verge of bankruptcy. Meanwhile, citizen of France have to contribute to the expenses of the state and the royal family. The poor get poorer, while the rich get richer. Several banquets, parties and celebrations were organized frequently, and nobles as well as rich lairds were invited and asked to attend by the King. In contrast, the whole expenses were put on the citizens’ shoulders, which shows the huge gap between the 2 different classes. Consequently, it leads to the extreme conflict and potential revolution of a coup.

In the move, “Vatel”,  via 3 dinner, the director shows the rich and extravagant of French aristocratic life, and expresses the poor and miserable of French civilians. Meals were all prepared perfectly with fresh ingredients, supplied by the citizens. Meanwhile, civilians need to prepare the entertainment to to please them, and the luxury and erosion attitude influence aristocratic’s life. The movie specifies the classes differentiation since the King and the nobles have the absolute control over the citizens.For example, Vatel, the head chef at the ceremony, was originated from the lower class which can be shown by his way of clothing, demeanor and his acknowledgement towards the poor but he is still under the King control even though his cooking and management potential are undeniable and potential.

Otherwise, the customer’s seat reflects the customer’s social hierarchy. For example, the guest who sit the right side beside the host has the higher social class level than the left side. Therefore, when serving the meal, the first dish is to give the guest of right side, and the second dish is to give the guest of left side.

The meal of noble also has the requirements and has to be perfect-organized. For example, the first and second courses of meal are the appetizer, after the third course of meal is the main course, which include beef, veal, sheep, swan, crane, heron meat and many kinds of fish such as salmon, trout, cod and sole. Those wild ingredients reflect the high-end ones which can cost you a fortune to have at that period that the impoverished cannot afford. This feature is similar to the cast system which is still existing in Indian that Indians are categorized to a social class based on their own origin and it will stick to your whole life, unless you regenerate into a high social class family. The social class defines the authority to access to the culinary resource.

The best red wine comes from Burgundy, Auxerre and Kurran. And the banquet must be used for more than four years of wine.