Cooking at the World's End

Director Alberto Baamonde's Spanish-language culinary documentary explores the world of the chef collective Grupo Nove, a charismatic group of experts with numerous Michelin stars between them, all centered in the Galicia provinces of Spain. Combining interesting shots of food preparation, bubbling dishes, dribbled sauces, eagle-eyed workers, and grinning patrons, Cooking at the World's End features a meeting of members to discuss their mission and mull over the requirements for new inductees, as well as trips to sources for the local products that gastronomes hold dear, including a rustic cattle ranch, a nighttime farm stop for perfect pea pods, and grape harvesting along craggy rocks. Other subjects include a Fraga Do Eume High School competition and the group's Decimo Anniversario. Cuisine devotees will likely appreciate this colorful and upbeat look at an association that shows respect for food culture, uniqueness, and quality. Recommended. Aud: P. (J. Williams-Wood)