It’s not hard to picture a piece of food when we think back on our favorite movie and TV scenes. The film industry has spent decades turning to food — and especially to beef — as a device capable of evoking emotion and building atmosphere.
Family barbecues in the backyard, a shared burger at a classic American diner, or a hot dog stand making passersby happy on a crowded street. These are common scenes that show how film and television have managed to elevate beef, popularizing it and turning it into an essential part of our diets.
The most iconic scenes
It’s impossible to forget the scene where Jules eats the Big Kahuna Burger belonging to his soon-to-be victim in Pulp Fiction (1994). In another iconic film, When Harry Met Sally (1989) elevates a pastrami sandwich to legendary status, even though the real star of the scene is the exaggerated display of pleasure while eating it. Beef was also an unmistakable narrative device in Raging Bull (1980), where an overcooked steak sets off Jake LaMotta’s fury.
In more recent years, we’ve also seen a Cuban sandwich become a symbol of reinvention and passion for authentic cooking in Chef (2014). Barbecues and grilling also play a starring role in many episodes of the iconic series Breaking Bad (2008), and Parks and Recreation (2009) offers an endearing scene when Ron Swanson, a die-hard grill devotee, hosts a barbecue competition in the park that turns into pure ensemble comedy.
Ultimately, the burger has carved out a place on both the big and small screen as something that blends the everyday with the indulgent — the success of a symbol recognizable across any culture.
The achievement of connecting with young audiences
These kinds of scenes keep showing up today. Perhaps through different visual codes, like those of social media, in shorter formats shared by users — but clips from movies and shows where beef takes center stage still reach new generations.
The aesthetics of food on screen work: the sounds, the close-ups, the gestures of pure enjoyment. Film and television keep training our eyes to experience food as an increasingly inventive visual experience.
A shared memory built around beef
Food’s — and beef’s — footprint on film and television runs deep, and this food’s presence explains the role these dishes play in pop culture. It is, then, more than just food: it’s a shared element and a marker of identity and celebration.
That starring role helps explain why young audiences keep talking about beef, eating it, sharing it, and celebrating it. On screen, in shows, on social media, and in real life.
At BioTech Foods, we recognize beef’s tremendous cultural contribution, and we want to keep it present on our screens and at our tables. It’s about innovating to reinforce beef’s value, its meaning, and its contribution to society — securing its place for generation after generation.
