'I tried a Devil Wears Prada eat-along film, it wasn't quite what I expected'

28 September 2023 , 13:58

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There's a Devil Wears Prada Dining Experience in London (Image: Barry Wetcher)

The Devil Wears Prada is famous for its fashion and not so much for its food. However, it's no secret that if Stanley Tucci is involved in a movie, there are likely some delicious moments along the way and there are certainly some memorable foodie moments in The Devil Wears Prada.

Having always been a huge fan of The Devil Wears Prada, I knew right away this was an event I couldn't miss, so I headed down to The Refinery CityPoint in Moorgate on the opening night to see if it was worth the £75 price tag. Spoiler alert: It's good fun, but there were definitely a few things I'd have changed about the menu.

They serve the food you see on screen (Courtney Pochin)

When I think of food in this movie, there are three particular items that spring to mind - Andy's onion bagel from the opening credits, the corn chowder she ladles in the canteen at Runway for lunch, and then the fabulous cheese toastie containing $8 worth of Jarlsberg her boyfriend Nate makes her after a hard day of work being Miranda's personal slave. Only one of these three items made it onto the menu for the evening, which was a bit of a surprise to me.

The Taste Film eat-along screening kicks off with a small open bagel with salmon and cream cheese, and while there's not an onion in sight it's an easy win. Next came a hot vanilla espresso martini to sit back and enjoy as you watch Andy anxiously run around Manhattan getting Hermes scarves and Starbucks for her new boss.

Around 50 minutes into the movie when the tension was really building we were served the aptly named 'Steaks are High' main course, which consisted of steak with Chimichurri sauce, Lyonnaise potatoes, and tenderstem broccoli. I assume this was a play on the steak Andy has to run and get Miranda - which ends up being thrown into the sink in the office. The main course was followed up with some party punch and then a Parisian-themed chocolate tart for pudding as Andy and Miranda headed off to Paris Fashion Week, leaving poor Emily behind in the hospital.

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I think the concept for Taste Film is genius and the drinks and dishes were always brought out promptly and with little fuss/interruption to the film which I really appreciated, but for me, the food itself wasn't quite cutting it. For a dining experience, I'd have hoped the food would really be the star of the show, but if I'm being completely honest it was a bit underwhelming - like cheap pub grub. It was fine, it just didn't exactly tantalise the tastebuds.

The concept is genius (Courtney Pochin)

Courtney found the food a little disappointing (Courtney Pochin)

As someone who loves a good theme, I was also a little disappointed that a little more effort hadn't gone into making the food and drinks look as similar to those on screen as possible. We've touched on the onion bagel with no onion, and then there was the party punch that Andy is served at the James Holt party. In the film, her drink is yellow with a small red garnish and served in a champagne flute, while ours was a purplish-red drink, served in a coupe-style glass. These might seem like small things, but in my opinion, it's little details like these that can really make or break an event.

Despite these issues, I still had a fun night out and enjoyed how the screening brought together some major fans of the movie, as people cheered, booed, and quoted along with some of the film's most iconic lines. It felt like being among friends, even though we were all strangers. I think if you're a massive foodie then this might not be the right event for you, but if you just want to get together with your besties and watch your favourite film in a rather unique way, then this could provide a little novelty for you all. It would certainly make for a good hen-do activity if you're looking for something different.

If Devil Wears Prada isn't your thing but you're intrigued by this event, then fear not as there are a number of other experiences coming up including Ratatouille, White Chicks, The Holiday, and Home Alone. The company offers standard and veggie or vegan menus for all those attending and the venues change depending on the screening. For more information and tickets visit tastefilm.co.uk

Have you been to a Taste Film event? Let us know what you thought in the comments below.

Courtney Pochin