THE MENU Breakdown & Ending Explained

The Menu is a shocking thriller about food and classism--and we're here for a full MENU Breakdown & ending explained. What did the clap mean at the end? What does every dish mean? Why did Chef do it?

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Written and edited by Colton Ogburn (https://twitter.com/Colton_tho)
Hosted by Ryan Arey (https://substack.com/@ryanarey)

#TheMenu #EndingExplained

The Menu was by far one of the best films 2022 had to offer. Starring Lord Voldemort himself, Ralph Fiennes (Pronounced “Ray Fines”) as Gordon Ramsay, I mean Chef Slowik. And the very talented Anya Taylor Joy, who you may recognize from projects like The Witch, Split, The Northman, and the phenomenal Netflix Series, The Queen's Gambit.

So, we’re going to break down the movie and its themes. Share with you some culinary easter eggs, references, and little things you might’ve missed. AND what the heck that final shot really means for the fate of Taylor Joy’s Margot. (Margot is the character's name.)

So the film begins with a group of wealthy individuals making their way to a very exclusive restaurant. The restaurant resides on a private island miles from the city. Amongst this elite crowd we have actors, celebrities, big tech tycoons, and various other la-di-da people.

And then there’s Margot, she’s there with Nicholas Holt’s character, Tyler. He’s a big foodie.

Once the group arrives on the island they meet Chef Slowik and his culinary team. As soon as they set foot on the island we’re met with a very uncomfortable feeling of dread. Something just feels off.

We as the audience feel very out of place. And that feeling stems from us seeing everything from the perspective of Margot, who we later learn is NOT supposed to be there. [clip, Clerks, I’m not even supposed to be here today.]

When dinner begins we’re met with a series of dishes that are all more than meets the eye.

Our first dish is Lemon Caviar Served On Raw Oyster with Mignonette. We hear Tyler man-splain to Margot that lemon is essential to give the dish a “mouthfeel.” [clip, don’t say mouthfeel.]

Margot however finds the lemon to be a bit of an odd choice and prefers the oysters on their own. This is yet another example of Margot being a “normal” person with a normal pallet. She’s not looking for anything weird and extravagant for the sake of being weird and extravagant.

We think that the oysters are meant to represent the ocean they traveled on to get to the island. And the lemon, a sour fruit, is meant to represent the group of elites and how their presence has disgraced both the sea and the island.

Next we have the Amuse Bouche. Come the end of the film you may think back to how the appearance of this dish was foreshadowing the gruesome end for the guests. More on that in a bit.

Now those were just the appetizers, we now move into our first course, The Island. Of course by the name we automatically know this is referencing the island in which these events are taking place. This dish is made entirely from the nature of the island. The scallops, the plantlife, and even seawater are present.

The Chef then makes it a point to mention that the ingredients this dish was made from are eternal in the eyes of man. He talks about the timeless nature of, well, nature. And how man is merely a passerby. Not only a visitor on the island, but a visitor in life itself. This is again foreshadowing the lethal end that’s to come. And mocking the level of seriousness these elites ascribe to themselves.

Next up, the Breadless Bread Plate. This second course is an empty plate served with sauces that you’d dip bread in, if you had any that is. The guests' responses to this course perfectly represent the nonsensical views one might hold if they don’t have to worry about real world struggles. Such as rent, groceries, healthcare, and so on.

Some guests think the dish is brilliant in its messaging. [clip, food critic’s take]

But other guests are very perturbed. [clip]

And even though they’re wealthy individuals who never have to want for anything. You can see how spoiled they are by how they respond to not receiving something as simple as bread.

Margot on the other hand has the normal person response, the correct response. She views it as a stupid and pathetic stunt attempting to be art. An attempt to give something a deeper meaning that isn’t really there.