Kate Armstrong is the head chef at the trendy 22 Bleecker Street Restaurant in West Village of Manhattan, New York.

When Kate’s sister Christine is killed in a car accident, her nine-year-old niece, Zoe, must move in with her. Kate is devastated by her sister’s death and with all of her problems, Paula decides to hire a new sous chef to join the staff, Nick Palmer, who is a rising star in his own right and could be the head chef of any restaurant he pleased. Nick, however, wants to work under Kate. Nick loves to listen to opera while he cooks and he loves to make the staff laugh. And Kate finds herself strangely attracted to Nick, whose uplifting personality has not only affected her staff but Zoe as well, who has been coming to work with Kate.

In the end, Kate allows herself to become vulnerable and tear down the walls she has built throughout her life so that she and Nick could start fresh. The movie concludes with Zoe, Nick, and Kate having opened their own bistro.