8 Oscar-Worthy Dishes Inspired By This Years Best Picture Nominees

The 88th Academy Award Ceremony is upon us and what better way to celebrate than by serving meals based on the eight Best Picture nominees? Invite all your film-buff friends, roll out the red carpet (and your sleeves) and host the hottest Oscar viewing party of the year.

1. The Revenant

Two words: RARE MEAT. In the movie, we watch a famished Dicaprio eat the raw liver of a bison. If you want to eat something nearly bleeding to rare, go with a top round, sirloin tip or flatiron steak. Want something slightly more cooked? Your best options are rib eye, tri-tip, filet mignon, porterhouse or hanger steak. Anything cooked longer and the fun is lost.

We know you’ve tried your very hardest to swipe the visuals of the bear attack from your memory forever. But that doesn’t mean you can’t feast on some delicious bear claws. We promise you, no one will be injured while enjoying these sweet pastries.

2. The Martian

Presumed dead and left behind by his crew on Mars after a fierce storm, Mark Watney is forced to ration what food remains, along with growing potatoes using fertilizer from a less than ideal source – human waste.

Besides serving potatoes in a variety of ways (French fries, chips, baked), have some fun by providing a plethora of dehydrated food packets. There are a ton of options ranging from chicken to meatloaf, scrambled eggs, lasagna, tuna noodle casserole, and vegetable quiche!

Just make sure you don’t microwave the packets. If you don’t have a specialized thermostabilized pouch heater (p.s. no one does), all you need to do is dunk them in boiling water until heated through.

3. Mad Max: Fury Road

Mad Max: Fury Road takes place in a brutal, post-apocalyptic, Australian dystopia. I don’t know about you, but I will take any opportunity to eat meat pies. Meat pies happen to be the epitome of this savage land Down Under. Close enough connection right?! Delight your guests with this delicious, flaky, meaty package.

While you’re at it, grab a bowl and fill it with macadamia nuts. They’re native to eastern Australia and a perfect finger food for guests to pop into their mouths throughout the overlong show.

4. Bridge of Spies

This fact-based historical drama is about a Brooklyn lawyer recruited by the federal government in 1960 to negotiate the release of a downed U2 pilot from the Soviets. However, all he wants is some scotch and a warm bed.

Treat your guests to a whiskey cheese fondue. Toss cheddar cheese, jack cheese, cornstarch, garlic cloves into a saucepan and set to heat. Add your favorite wine to bring a simmer. And then, of course, whiskey. Stir until the fondue begins to bubble. Serve hot with bread sticks and carrots.

5. Room

Mother and son captives confined to a windowless room enact a risky plan to escape consisting of being rolled up in a carpet and transported away in the rear of a truck. Mimic the escape by serving your guests a variety of rolled-up snacks.

You can either go with pigs in a blanket or for a more colorful spread gather a variety of your favorite thinly sliced meats, cheeses, and spreads. Roll them up, secure them with toothpicks and use your favorite olives to garnish each.

I recommend prosciutto, capicola, finocchio, and turkey for the meats. Goat cheese, manchego, Roquefort, and Emmental for the cheeses. For the spread try fig jam, vegemite, and hummus.

6. Spotlight

Journalists in Boston work tirelessly to uncover abuse in the Catholic Church. What’s more fitting than serving your guests a dish that they have to break? And what’s more Boston than seafood?

Shellfish are the name of your game. You can go simple with clam chowder or mussels cooked in a garlic butter and white wine sauce, up the ante with a raw oyster bar complete with fixings, or if you want to go super fancy, try lobster.

7. Brooklyn

A woman torn between her new life in Brooklyn and her old life back in Ireland makes for a great story, but as food goes this is simple – Brooklyn style pizza. Make it a large pie with a thin, crispy crust.

If you’d rather celebrate her Irish heritage, fry up some bacon, blood sausage, eggs, or just steal some of The Martian’s rations and go potatoes.

8. The Big Short

Who would have thought a comedy based on the biggest economic collapse since the Great Depression could work so well. I guess it helps when you have talents like Christian Bale, Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling and Steve Carell as the leads.

Regardless, you can’t throw a party without cake. And this occasion, in particular, calls for a big (strawberry) shortcake! Grab some shortened dough, whipped cream and lots of strawberries. Just make sure to share – wouldn’t want to be greedy.