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La Cocina (2024): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

La Cocina (2024) movie poster

La Cocina is a 2024 drama starring Oded Fehr as Rashid, Raúl Briones and Rooney Mara. It runs 2 hours 19 minutes and earned $278,850 worldwide on a $770,000 budget. It earned 2 award nominations, including Best Cinematography at the Spirit Awards 2025. Critics gave it 75 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.0/10.

IMDb rating
7.0/10
worldwide gross
$278.9K
award nominations
2
Echo Score
74
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La Cocina (2024) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 19m (139 min)
Genre
Drama
Original language
Spanish
Budget
$770K
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is La Cocina About?

The premise of La Cocina without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

During the lunchtime rush at The Grill, a popular New York tourist spot, money disappears from the cash register. As the restaurant serves a typical busy Friday crowd, all the employees are questioned. Most are undocumented immigrants, and they fight to protect their jobs and the sense of belonging they provide, while navigating the chaos of the kitchen.

La Cocina Themes & Keywords

· 42 tags
  • cook
  • waitress
  • restaurant
  • missing money
  • abortion
  • new york city
  • unwanted pregnancy
  • pregnant waitress
  • illegal immigrant
  • immigrant
  • pregnancy
  • short order cook
+30 more
  • male female relationship
  • female nudity
  • female frontal nudity
  • female full frontal nudity
  • group shower
  • overlapping conversation
  • cherry coke
  • subway
  • accusation
  • female topless nudity
  • angry man
  • kitchen
  • female pubic hair
  • crisis
  • violence
  • brief female full frontal nudity
  • kitchen staff
  • despair
  • slang
  • black and white
  • pubic hair
  • shouting
  • language barrier
  • tension
  • emotional breakdown
  • brief female frontal nudity
  • locker room
  • female rear nudity
  • dark comedy
  • psychological drama
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Cast & crew

La Cocina Cast & Characters

Oded Fehr leads the cast as Rashid, with Raúl Briones as Pedro and Rooney Mara as Julia.

Also Starring in La Cocina

· 2 more
Ratings

La Cocina Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave La Cocina 75 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.0/10. Our Echo Score gives it 74/100, strongest in art & craft (85) and weakest in story & flow (60).

74 /100

La Cocina Echo Score Breakdown

Overall, La Cocina presents a compelling fusion of stylistic ambition and thematic urgency with occasional structural unevenness. Its visual direction continually reinvents itself through a blend of monochrome imagery punctuated by selective color accents and long takes that heighten emotional immediacy. The lead performance offers nuanced reflection on immigrant experience while supporting characters underscore collective anxieties. Pacing can falter in protracted climaxes and theatrical staging occasionally undermines narrative cohesion. Despite these fluctuations, the film’s strong artistry and resonant commentary secure a memorable and impactful cinematic statement.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 85

    In terms of art and craft, La Cocina excels in its bold visual choices and inventive framing. The black-and-white palette with intermittent color punctuations and dynamic long takes contribute to an immersive aesthetic. At times, theatrical staging can feel overt. Overall, the film’s visual ambition and editing rhythm demonstrate a high level of craftsmanship.

  • Character & Emotion 80

    In terms of character and emotion, the lead portrayal delivers a layered exploration of resilience under pressure. Supporting roles reflect authentic interpersonal dynamics within the ensemble, highlighting themes of solidarity and tension in a high-stakes environment. Some character arcs receive less development amid the sprawling cast. Overall, the performances provide substantial emotional resonance.

  • Story & Flow 60

    When it comes to story and flow, La Cocina presents a multifaceted narrative that intertwines social critique with dramatic tension. The thematic ambition around labor and immigration resonates, but the integration of thriller, workplace drama, and surreal elements sometimes dilutes narrative focus. Extended pacing in key sequences and a protracted finale can hamper momentum. Overall, the storytelling remains thought-provoking despite occasional unevenness.

  • Sensory Experience 80

    When it comes to sensory experience, the film immerses through its striking visual design and atmospheric soundscapes. The deliberate contrast of monochrome and color enhances emotional beats, while ambient audio underscores the workplace’s intensity. Specific musical or sound motifs are less prominent but overall contribute to a cohesive aural-visual tapestry. Consequently, the sensory approach amplifies the film’s thematic depth.

  • Rewatch Factor 65

    For rewatch factor, La Cocina offers substantial thematic layers that may reveal new insights on subsequent viewings. The immersive art direction and nuanced performances encourage reflection on its social commentary. However, the lengthy runtime and occasional staging intensity could deter repeat viewings for some audiences. Overall, the film maintains a moderate replay value driven by its depth and craftsmanship.

Plot

La Cocina Plot Summary

What happens in La Cocina from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Rashid, a successful Arab American entrepreneur, runs The Grill, a large upscale Times Square tourist trap. The kitchen, tucked away underground, is staffed by undocumented immigrants—mostly Latin Americans with a handful of Arabs—who must push themselves to the limit during the rush hours to deliver orders brought by the waitresses, who are predominantly white Americans. Rashid repeatedly promises to secure legal status for the cooks but consistently fails to act on those promises, leaving the workers in a precarious, high-pressure cycle.

Full summary

The whole story of La Cocina, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

La Cocina Box Office & Budget

La Cocina grossed $278,850 worldwide on a $770,000 budget, 36% of what it cost.

2024 box office

Worldwide gross

$278.9K

36% of its budget back

International
$278.9K
Budget
$770K
Awards

La Cocina Awards & Nominations

La Cocina earned 2 award nominations, including Best Cinematography at the Spirit Awards 2025.

2 nominations1 ceremony

Videos

La Cocina Trailers & Videos

7 videos: 3 trailers, 1 teaser, 1 clip and 2 featurettes.

All 7 videos
Official Trailer
  • Trailer Official Trailer #2
  • Trailer Official Streaming Trailer
  • Teaser UK Trailer #2
  • Clip First Look
Quiz

How Well Do You Know La Cocina?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the name of the upscale restaurant owned by Rashid?

Details

La Cocina Also Known As

18 alternative titles, including “آشپزخانه” and “A konyha”.

Also known as
  • آشپزخانه
  • A konyha
  • The Kitchen
  • 라 코치나
  • Aragoste a Manhattan
  • The Grill
  • 厨房
  • Mutfak
  • Apetyt na więcej. La Cocina
  • לה קוצ'ינה
  • V kuchyni
  • Köök
+6 more
  • Кухня
  • A Cozinha
  • Aistrų virtuvė
  • La Cocina - Der Geschmack des Lebens
  • 廚房
  • La Cocina – Aptit på livet

Seen La Cocina?

FAQ

La Cocina FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, cast, box office, ratings, awards, post-credit scenes and language of La Cocina, each answered in a sentence.

How long is La Cocina?

La Cocina runs 2 hours 19 minutes (139 minutes).

When was La Cocina released?

La Cocina was released on October 25, 2024.

Who is in the cast of La Cocina?

La Cocina stars Oded Fehr as Rashid, Raúl Briones as Pedro and Rooney Mara as Julia, among 6 credited actors.

How much did La Cocina make at the box office?

La Cocina grossed $278,850 worldwide on a budget of $770,000.

How is La Cocina rated?

La Cocina has 7.0/10 on IMDb, 75 on Metacritic and 69% on TMDB.

Was La Cocina nominated for any awards?

La Cocina received 2 nominations across 1 ceremony.

Does La Cocina have a post-credit scene?

No. La Cocina has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is La Cocina in?

The original language of La Cocina is Spanish.

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