Not a testament to food but to good food and the social ties built upon good food.

Spinning Plates follows three very different restaurants; Alinea, Breitbach’s Country Dining and La Cocina de Gabby. The parallels between all three restaurants is what makes the film.

Alinea is a high-end restaurant in Chicago pushing the limits of molecular gastronomy. Breitbach’s is a family-run restaurant that has been in operation since 1852. La Cocina de Gabby is a newly opened homestyle Mexican restaurant.

Though they may serve vastly different cuisines they each have had their hardships and they each find strength in family, friends and good food. Spinning Plates is a simple film yet it delivers the heart and soul distinctly lacking from The Food Network. You really get a sense of who these people are and what their food means to them. Unlike programs from The Food Network which have become more about cooking as part of competitive reality shows, Spinning Plates really is just about the food and the people who make it.

There are no duelling chefs, no tantrums and no broken friendships.

This is essential viewing for professionals, home cooks and foodies. Each story is inspirational in its own way and speaks to the viewer on levels that transcend mere cooking and dining.