City of Gold

Laura Gabbert's 2015 documentary is about Jonathan Gold, the food critic of Los Angeles. Rather than expensive restaurants, Gold wrote about small places in immigrant neighbourhoods, and became the first food critic to win a Pulitzer. The idea is that food writing is the drawing of a map of a city: through the places Gold wrote about, the migration history of Los Angeles emerges. The film also gives the restaurant owners a voice, and what a review does to a small business becomes concrete. Gold's own working method is set out in detail. The narrative is loose and some sections repeat. Who it's for: viewers interested in food culture and portraits of a city. Who it's not for: anyone wanting recipes and kitchen technique, or who will find a loose structure scattered.