Hot Docs

Dish delves into Toronto’s diners, Montreal’s “sexy restos,” Paris’ haute eateries, and Tokyo’s fantasy “maid bars” in an insider’s look at gender, power, and the art of service. Former waitress and Gemini award-winning director Maya Gallus dines out and dishes the dirt with waitresses, restaurant owners, and maître d’s about the demands of the job. What’s revealed are the fantasies, desires, and prejudices projected onto women servers—including those of substitute wife, girlfriend, and personal servant. She discovers that as prices on the menu rise and serving acquires the respect and salary of a vocation, the number of women servers declines; the most sophisticated eateries employ only men to serve their well-heeled patrons. From the hustle of a busy truck stop to the discreet hush of a Parisian house of fine dining, Dish serves up a delicious and illuminating look at the lives of women in the restaurant biz. - Lynne Fernie

Media Coverage

Xtra! (Capsule Review), Globe and Mail (Story), Toronto Star (Interview with Director), CityNews (Capsule Review), BlogTO (Capsule Review), NOW Magazine (Review)