Laura Gabbert feature documentary credits include” “No Impact Man,” “Sunset Story,” and “City of Gold.” In 2017, she was a director on the Netflix show “Ugly Delicious,” and directed the Field of Vision short film “Monument | Monumento,” about a unique spot on the US-Mexico border.

“Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles” was scheduled to screen at the 2020 Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival. A digital version of the fest has been organized due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hot Docs Festival Online launched May 28. “Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles” has opted not to screen in the digital fest.

W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.

LG: The film follows chef and cookbook author Yotam Ottolenghi as he assembles an international group of pastry chefs to create an event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibit “Visitors to Versailles.”

The documentary follows Yotam as he explores the cultural, political, and culinary connections between 18th century France and today.

W&H: What drew you to this story?

LG: Yotam Ottolenghi. I love his cookbooks, columns, and restaurants, and knew that any documentary placing him at the center would transcend most of the typical food content that’s out there. He’s deeply curious, and dives into all endeavors with a lot of passion and rigor.

The other element that drew me to the story was the collaboration between Yotam and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I loved the idea of exploring the intersection between food, art, and history.

W&H: What do you want people to think about after they watch the film?

LG: A couple of things. I hope people come away with an appreciation for the artistry, dedication, and rigor it takes to be an internationally renowned pastry chef. Yotam selected five chefs who are all so different from each other, but each one brings something extremely unique and personal to their craft.

I also hope people think about the cyclical nature of history, and see some of the parallels between the end of Louis XI’s reign and society today.

W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?

LG: The biggest challenge was that we had a very condensed schedule for pre-production and production. I was a director-for-hire on this project and I was brought on board only a few months before production. We shot the documentary in New York, London, and Versailles in about 10 days.

In a perfect world, we would have had the time and resources to film earlier in Yotam’s research and collaboration with the MET, and spend more time with the international pastry chefs in their own countries and environments in the weeks leading up to the event.

W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.

LG: The film was a collaboration between Original Productions and 50 Degrees Entertainment. It was funded by private equity after a short period of development between the two companies and myself.

The whole collaboration really started with an introduction to Yotam Ottolenghi, who spoke to us about his event with the MET. We felt it sounded so compelling that we wanted to document it, and from there, we were off to filming.

W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

LG: I loved reading fiction growing up and in school, and my parents were passionate about the visual arts, but I grew up in Minneapolis in the ’80s and the idea of being a filmmaker was outside my realm of imagination. In my early 20s, living in New York and San Francisco, I worked in publishing and as an artist’s studio assistant, but spent all of my free time going to the movies.

The San Francisco International Film Festival opened my eyes to the world of documentary and international cinema. One day it occurred to me that I could sign up for a filmmaking class. I took a super 8 filmmaking class at UC Berkeley extension, and that sealed the deal.

W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?

LG: While I was in grad school for film at UCLA, I do remember professors and peers alike discouraging me from pursuing documentary filmmaking. To be fair, it wasn’t bad advice at the time. The documentary world was very different then, with far fewer opportunities than there are now.

One of the best experiences I had — not quite advice — was working for conceptual artist Paul Kos in the early ’90s in San Francisco. I was inspired by the way his art and life felt fused together. He found inspiration for his art in the greater world, whether it was politics or culture, and his art also infused his personal life. I remember that being a revelation to me — that one’s craft or career can evolve along with you and they can sort of merge into a way of approaching life.

W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?

LG: Just go make something. Although it’s important to learn from mentors and gain experience working on other people’s films, I always encourage young directors not to wait too long to make their first film. It’s fine to start with a two-minute film.

W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.

LG: It’s pretty hard to pick one. A recent documentary that I admired was “On Her Shoulders” by Alexandria Bombach. I was so impressed by the disciplined filmmaking approach Bombach took as DP, director, and editor of the film. Her technical and storytelling choices created a deeply compassionate portrait of Murad, while also critiquing media’s coverage of the collateral damage of war.

W&H: How are you adjusting to life during the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you keeping creative, and if so, how?

LG: Pretty early during the pandemic, Ruth Reichl and I began collaborating on a food related documentary examining the impact of COVID-19 not just on restaurants, but on suppliers: the farmers, the fishermen, the dairy farmers, and more.

For the most part, we are making this documentary remotely — through Zoom calls and iPhone diaries. There are incredible stories unfolding every day, and it’s been gratifying and moving to capture those stories. It’s also been pretty challenging learning to adapt to a new way of shooting and storytelling.