Summary:
- In The Menu, Chef Julian Slowik orchestrates a deadly dining experience that culminates in a shocking final course.
- The finale is marked by the meticulous execution of the restaurant’s plan, leaving only one survivor.
- Key symbols include the supplemental cheeseburger and human s’mores, which reveal the chef’s internal conflict.
- The film’s ending critiques elitism and the commodification of art, offering a stark commentary on modern luxury dining.
The film The Menu centers on an exclusive dining experience at the remote Hawthorn restaurant, where Chef Julian Slowik (portrayed by Ralph Fiennes) curates each course to deliver both culinary excellence and a potent social critique. As the final courses unfold, the film shifts from dark satire to an almost inevitable tragedy, culminating in a finale that leaves one survivor and a legacy of brutal honesty about the modern food industry.
The Menu: The Setting and Build-Up
From the outset, the film establishes Hawthorn as more than just a restaurant—it is a stage for a carefully orchestrated performance where every dish carries meaning. Throughout the evening, Chef Slowik explains the significance of each course, highlighting how the ingredients and presentation serve as metaphors for broader societal issues. The guests, a mix of wealthy business people, celebrities, and food critics, represent the upper echelon of society, whose taste for luxury is both admired and reviled.
Key details from earlier courses—such as the ambiguous lemon caviar served before arriving at the restaurant, the symbolic Amuse Bouche that asserts the chef’s control, and the raw, elemental First Course: The Island—all work to foreshadow the brutal destiny that awaits the diners. These dishes set the tone for the final act, creating a palpable tension that is both theatrical and foreboding.
READ MORE: The Menu Decoded: Meaning Behind Every Dish
The Supplemental Cheeseburger: A Turning Point
One of the most crucial elements of the finale is the appearance of the supplemental cheeseburger. Unlike the elaborate dishes served throughout the evening, the cheeseburger is a return to culinary basics—simple, genuine, and profoundly personal. In the film, Margot (played by Anya Taylor-Joy) requests this dish, and it becomes the catalyst for her survival.
Ingredients and Presentation:
- Double Patty and American Cheese: The burger is crafted using two well-seasoned patties of high-fat ground beef (80/20), layered with perfectly melted American cheese.
- Buttered Sesame-Seed Bun: The bun is lightly toasted with butter to achieve a crisp yet soft texture that complements the juicy patties.
- Classic Toppings: Thinly shaved yellow onions, sliced pickles, and a chosen burger sauce add balance and a burst of flavor to each bite.
Symbolic Significance:
The cheeseburger symbolizes a return to authenticity. While the other courses are extravagant and laden with hidden messages, the cheeseburger represents the pure joy of simple, honest food. For Chef Slowik, who has become disillusioned by the high expectations and artifice of the elite, the cheeseburger is a reminder of his original passion for cooking—a passion that was rooted in the basic act of feeding someone well. By preparing this dish for Margot, the chef momentarily reconnects with the art of cooking, setting her apart from the self-absorbed diners and ultimately granting her the chance to escape the murderous plan.
READ MORE: The Menu Cheeseburger: Recipe & How-To Guide
The Final Dessert: Human S’Mores and the Inevitable End
As the dinner reaches its climax, the final course—the Human S’mores—cements the film’s descent into darkness. This dessert, deceptively simple in appearance, carries the weight of the chef’s final act of retribution.
Ingredients and Presentation:
- Deconstructed S’mores: The dish features the classic components of s’mores—graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallow—reinterpreted in a macabre style.
- Element of Fire: Chef Slowik ignites the final course, setting the stage for the catastrophic end that follows.
- Symbolism of Innocence and Destruction: S’mores are traditionally associated with childhood innocence and communal warmth, yet in this context, they become a harbinger of death.
Narrative and Thematic Impact:
In the finale, the Human S’mores serve as the final, unifying element of Chef Slowik’s plan. As the flames consume the restaurant and the guests prepare to meet their fate, the dish symbolizes the ultimate sacrifice of everything that has been built on pretense and superficial luxury. The irony is stark: a dish that typically brings back memories of joyful gatherings becomes the instrument of mass annihilation. In this act, the film delivers its final commentary on the perils of elitism and the inherent corruption of a system that values art over humanity.
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Visual and Thematic Resonance
Director Mark Mylod employs a meticulous visual style throughout The Menu, ensuring that every frame contributes to the overarching narrative. The finale is no exception, with the stark lighting, claustrophobic set design, and intense close-ups all working together to create a sense of impending doom.
Visual Cues and Symbolism:
- Flames and Smoke: The imagery of fire is used repeatedly, symbolizing both purification and destruction. In the final moments, as the restaurant is engulfed in flames, the visual motif reinforces the idea that the old order must be burned away to make room for something new.
- Contrasts in Color and Texture: The vivid contrast between the pristine presentation of the dishes and the chaos of the unfolding disaster underscores the film’s central conflict between appearance and reality.
- Close-Ups of the Chefs and Diners: The intense close-ups capture the raw emotions of both the chef and the guests, revealing the inner turmoil and resignation that pervade the final act.
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Musical and Auditory Elements:
The film’s score, a subtle yet pervasive element, heightens the tension during the finale. The gradual build-up of sound, culminating in a cacophony of flames and screams, serves as an auditory representation of the collapse of the system that The Menu critiques. This careful layering of visual and auditory cues ensures that the finale resonates on both an emotional and intellectual level.
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