'Food and Country' - Food Critic Ruth Reichl Explores Struggling Food Industry in Pandemic Aftermath

(courtesy Food and Country by Laura Gabbert)

Food and Country official trailer and release date — (courtesy Food and Country by Laura Gabbert)

The documentary ‘Food and Country’ follows NY Times food critic Ruth Reichl as she navigates the American food scene that was affected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The film had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and has since been screened at numerous other film festivals including the 2023 SXSW Film Festival and the 2023 Hot Docs Festival.

Release Date

Directed by Laura Gabbert, ‘Food and Country’ opens in theaters on October 2, 2024 and on VOD on October 22, 2024.

Synopsis

Ruth Reichl in Food and Country directed by Laura Gabbert

Ruth Reichl-trailblazing NY Times food critic, groundbreaking Gourmet Magazine editor, best-selling memoirist, and for decades one of the most influential figures shaping American food culture grows concerned about the fate of small farmers, ranchers, and chefs as they wrestle with both immediate and systemic challenges as the pandemic takes hold.

Reichl reaches across political and social divides to discover innovators who are risking it all to survive on the front lines. As one person leads her to the next, she follows the unfolding stories of ranchers in Kansas and Georgia, farmers in Nebraska, Ohio, and the Bronx, a New England fisherman, and maverick chefs on both coasts. As she witnesses them navigate intractable circumstances, Reichl shares pieces of her own life, and in doing so, begins to take stock of the path she has traveled and the ideals she left behind. Through her eyes, we get to know the humanity and struggle behind the food we eat. As Reichl says: “How we grow and make our food shows us our values – as a nation and as human beings.”

Reviews

Lisa Kennedy in a Variety review praised the documentary, writing, “In introducing us to people who care deeply about the work they do, the animals they ranch, the people they employ and the food they bring to market or offer at their tables, the documentary stirs a sense of possibility.”

Alissa Wilkinson in a Vox review also praised the documentary, writing, “A celebration of the role that farmers and restaurateurs play in their communities, and an invitation into caring about the truth of how we eat.”