Off the Menu

Off the Menu is a romantic comedy about being true to yourself, getting outside your comfort zone, and spicing up your life - literally! Javiera Torres is a strongwilled chef whose temper is as fiery as the spicy dishes she serves at her popular restaurant in the New Mexican town of Villanueva. Following her culinary passion with the support of family and friends, her life seems complete, until an out of towner arrives unexpectedly. Enter Joel Flanagan, an unlikely heir to a fast food fortune who is obsessed with working out and eating “clean”…in other words, Javiera’s complete opposite! Joel’s family has sent him to New Mexico on a mission to find an “authentic” dish that will save their company. Could Javiera’s homegrown green chile peppers be the secret ingredient he needs to turn things around, and secure his inheritance? At first, the sarcastic Joel is at odds with the fiery Javiera, but eventually the heat from her kitchen warms his heart, and stealing her secret recipe becomes a lot harder than he thought when they start to fall for each other. With his loyalty torn, will Joel choose the life he’s always known, or a life with Javiera that he never imagined? (Santa Barbara International Film Festival)