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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 28 May 2020
Documentary focuses on unlikely champion of Mexican cuisine

By MARK KENNEDY those recipes in an official
AP Entertainment Writer way. She saw an opening
NEW YORK (AP) — If you there to take on a responsi-
add garlic to your guaca- bility like that and she obvi-
mole, we have bad news: ously devoted her life to it."
You're not doing it right. When Kennedy makes gua-
Do you mince the onion? camole, she uses serrano
That's also a no-no. And, peppers ("Keep your hands
please, leave the avoca- off the jalapeno, por favor!"
do lumpy. she says in the film). Add
So says 97-year-old Diana salt, finely chopped toma-
Kennedy, a foremost au- toes, but no lime. There is
thority on traditional Mexi- cilantro, and if some guests
can cuisine. Over many don't like it she has this ad-
decades, she has mas- vice — "Don't invite them."
tered, documented and "She sees it as her responsi-
become fiercely protec- bility to share and perfect
tive of the culinary styles of the original way that things
each region. have been done. And that
if other people want to de-
viate from that, they have
This image released by Honeywater Films shows Diana Kennedy in a scene from the documentary to know the rules first," said
"Diana Kennedy: Nothing Fancy." Carroll. Jinich, host and co-
Associated Press
producer of PBS' two-time
This summer, a portrait as makes coffee — toasting ates a lot on instinct and I James Beard award-win-
zesty as her dishes comes in her beans in an antique think that there was just an ning "Pati's Mexican Table,"
the form of the documen- toaster. "It's some of the instinct of trust between us." said Kennedy's outsider
tary " Diana Kennedy: Noth- best coffee I've ever had. I Kennedy, a culinary pur- perspective helped as she
ing Fancy," which marks know that sounds like what ist, arrived in Mexico in the documented the pillars of
director Elizabeth Carroll's I'm supposed to say, but it's late 1950s and has trav- the cuisine.
feature film debut. true," said Carroll, laughing. eled thousands of miles "It's no coincidence that
The documentary traces The film includes various TV throughout the country, this British woman had to
the unlikely rise of an Eng- appearances by Kennedy often alone, seeking out re- come and see and rec-
lishwoman who became during her career as well gional foods. She's written ognize and be fascinated
one of the most respect- as interviews with notable nine cookbooks, faithfully with everything that for us
ed authorities on Mexican chefs, including Alice Wa- acknowledging where and Mexicans was just our Mexi-
food. She's been called ters, José Andrés, Rick Bay- from whom the recipes can food," Jinich said. "I
"the Julia Child of Mexico," less, Pati Jinich and Gabrie- were obtained. Kennedy feel like the entire country
"the Mick Jagger of Mexi- la Cámara. It's less a cook- has received the Order of of Mexico is indebted to Di-
can Cuisine" and even the ing lesson than a beautifully the Aztec Eagle from the ana Kennedy."
"Indiana Jones of food." drawn character study. Mexican government — Kennedy and Carroll met in
Carroll's camera follows "I just felt really drawn to her the highest award given a serendipitous way in 2013.
Kennedy as she navigates and very comfortable with to foreigners for service to The filmmaker was in Austin,
Mexico in her trusty Nis- her, like there was some Mexico. Texas, and beginning to re-
san truck, walks through kind of unspoken under- "She saw a need for re- search a film about how
her remarkable garden, standing between us when cording recipes that were recipes and traditions are
teaches professional chefs we would look at each potentially being lost by passed down. She soon re-
in a harrowing class in her other," said Carroll. "I think industrialization," said Car- alized she'd have to talk to
home, and meticulously she's somebody who oper- roll. "Nobody was recording Kennedy.q

NASA chief “all in” for Tom Cruise to film on space station

By MARCIA DUNN ing it to Cruise and SpaceX
AP Aerospace Writer to provide the mission de-
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. tails. Asked about Cruise
(AP) — NASA is rolling out filming on the space sta-
the International Space tion, Musk told "CBS This
Station's red carpet for Morning," "Actually, I think
Tom Cruise to make a that remains to be seen.
movie in orbit. We are supportive and I
The space agency's ad- think NASA is supportive
ministrator, Jim Briden- of anything that captures
stine, said before Wednes- the imagination of the
day's planned launch public."Bridenstine said
of two NASA astronauts the whole reason NASA
aboard a SpaceX rocket created "this commer-
that Elon Musk's company cial marketplace" is so
is already getting custom- SpaceX, Boeing and oth-
In this Aug. 29, 2018 file photo, Tom Cruise poses for photos ers eager to blast off. er private companies can
during a red carpet event for the movie "Mission: Impossible
- Fallout" at the Imperial Ancestral Temple in Beijing, China. Cruise is one of them. attract customers besides
Associated Press Bridenstine said he'll leav- the U.S. government. q