| Director | John Wells |
|---|---|
| Genre | comedy film, drama film |
| Runtime | 103 min |
| Country | United Kingdom, United States |
| Budget | $20 million |
| Box office | $36.6 million |
Once the chef at a high-class Parisian restaurant owned by his mentor Jean-Luc, Adam Jones' drug use and temperamental behavior destroyed his career and the restaurant. Exiling himself in New Orleans, he shucked a million oysters to sober up. Adam heads to London to start over and earn a third Michelin star.
Seeking former colleagues, Adam finds his mentor's maître d'hôtel, Tony Balerdi, now The Langham Hotel, London's manager. Checking in, Adam then visits his old friend Conti, noting the sous-chef Helene's talent, but she immediately dismisses him for his arrogance.
Former Paris colleague Michel, whose restaurant Adam had sabotaged out of envy, finds him. They scuffle, reconcile then Michel asks for a job. Going to long-standing rival Reece's cutting-edge eatery ends poorly. Discovering he is back in Europe, Adam's former drug dealer attempts to collect his outstanding debt.
Adam convinces famed restaurant critic Simone to dine at Tony's hotel. Realizing Adam set it up, Tony trepidaciously allows him to cook, fearing his kitchen's poor condition could jusify Simone's shutting down his restaurant. Her favorable review convinces Tony to renovate the hotel's kitchen and hire Adam as head chef, under the condition that he subject himself to weekly drug testing with Tony's psychiatrist Dr. Rosshilde.
Adam agrees to the testing, although is disinterested in therapy, and throws himself into preparations for the grand opening. Another old friend Max joins Adam's team once released from prison. Helene rebuffs further job offers until Conti fires her and sends her to Adam's. She is irate, but Adam convinces her by tripling her salary.
Opening night is a disaster, so Adam furiously closes early. He publicly humiliates Helene, blaming her, being both verbally and physically aggressive, so she quits. Tony convinces her to return by doubling her salary, giving insight into Adam's behavior. To increase the restaurant's publicity, Adam makes a talk show appearance he had previously rejected.
At the second opening, the restaurant receives a positive review, enraging Reece. Adam's attitude improves, but he refuses to let Helene off for her daughter Lily's birthday. Later, he discovers Helene's daughter is there under Tony's supervision, so she is not alone on her birthday. Adam is upset, but later bakes Lily a birthday cake, impressing Helene.
With their reputation established, Adam focuses on the third Michelin star, while avoiding his drug dealer, although Tony offers to pay off his debt. Adam takes Helene to the reopening of Reece's restaurant. He and Reece are civil, but Adam is taken aback upon spotting his ex-girlfriend Anne Marie, Jean-Luc's daughter. She is surprisingly forgiving, although he abandoned her in Paris and missed her father's funeral.
The encounter unnerves Adam, causing him to relive his Paris failure. The next morning, Helene finds him at the fish market, where they kiss in the alley before returning to the restaurant. The drug dealer's thugs interrupt, taking Adam away. He returns that night during dinner service, beaten and bruised.
The maître d' Kaitlin warns that two Michelin reviewers have arrived, so Adam opts to cook, rather than go to the hospital. They send their meals back for being too spicy, and Michel reveals he sabotaged the sauce with cayenne pepper to avenge his lost restaurant before leaving.
Adam also leaves the restaurant, about to break. Wandering, he eventually arrives drunk at Reece's restaurant. Once inside, he breaks down emotionally. Reece soothes him, and they part on better terms in the morning. Adam attends an AA meeting, then returns to the hotel.
There, Adam learns Anne Marie has paid off his debt, she gives him her father's knives and her approval of Helene. Tony and Helene find him to reveal the two 'Michelin inspectors' were actually visiting businessmen. Grateful for the second chance, Adam kisses him.
Admitting his insecurities to Helene, she comforts Adam, telling him to trust his crew. Tending to his wounds, they kiss, their relationship rekindled. Adam returns to the kitchen to prepare for the Michelin inspectors' meals. When asked the plan, he insists the whole kitchen will decide together as a team. With Adam's new attitude fostering teamwork in the kitchen, the restaurant gains its third star. Adam later enjoys a family meal with the rest of the crew, which he had not done before.