Do you sometimes dream of walking through the food markets of a beautiful French village picking lovely fresh produce then turning them into a mouth-watering meal? If the answer is yes, this movie is definitely for you!

A foodie’s must-see with the amazing Helen Mirren and and a whole lot of very talented actors, whose dedication to making this feel-good movie is obvious.

The story: An Indian family moves to England after a political turn and subsequent unrest causes the family restaurant to burn down. They find “the vegetables have no soul” there, so they decide to try their luck in Europe.

Their battered old van breaks down near a beautiful village in France. The next day, the head of a family, “Papa”,  finds an abandoned restaurant being advertised for sale and decides to buy it despite of the protest of his children.

The only problem is Madame Mallory, the snobbish owner of the restaurant across the road, who is less than happy to see this vile and loud intrusion on the refined taste of French cuisine and dining.

The rest is a moving and heart-warming story of how two totally different cultures can come together to celebrate and fuse everything that’s great about food and become friends along the way.

This movie for me was about leaning back, relaxing and taking in the picturesque scenery and the story that includes rivalry, cultural and racial clashes, that eventually turns into mutual respect and love. What I really liked is how tastefully and subtly the romantic thread was woven through the story and the stunning cinematography.