One unlucky evening, Louis Cropa, a part-time bookmaker, discovers that his restaurant has become a hotbed of conflicting characters. In addition to having to please a whiny food critic, Louis must fend off a hostile takeover from a pair of gangsters, to whom his sous-chef is in debt. Further, Louis has an argument with his son, the star chef, whose culinary creativity has brought success to the business.
Acting
Danny Aiello simmers with wounded pride in every scene.
Direction
Bob Giraldi shoots the kitchen like a pressure cooker about to blow.
Editing
Real-time pacing makes you sweat along with the staff.
Director
Bob Giraldi
Danny Aiello
Louis Cropa
Polly Draper
Natalie Clemente
Alex Corrado
Paolo
Zainab Jah
Adrian
John Rothman
Gary Lieberman
Michael McGlone
Carmen
Edoardo Ballerini
Chef Udo Cropa
Manny Perez
Gabriel
Vivian Wu
Nicole Chan
Lexie Sperduto
Lucy Clemente
Ajay Naidu
Ademir the Matre'd
Summer Phoenix
Marti Wellington
Jamie Harris
Sean the Bartender
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director Bob Giraldi was a legendary music video director who shot Michael Jackson's 'Beat It' before making his feature debut here.
The film captures the exact moment when fine dining shifted from French dominance to American chef-driven cuisine, with Carmen's experimental plates mirroring real 2000s kitchen revolutionaries.
US
