A Taste of Summer

Gabby is a talented sous-chef in New York City working under her mentor, Franco. After her boyfriend David reveals he accepted an executive chef position at a restaurant where she expected a marriage proposal, Gabby realizes she has lost her passion for her current life. Following Franco's advice to rediscover her 'joie de vivre,' she quits her job and moves to Bright Shore to visit her sister, Christina. Christina, a real estate agent, shows Gabby a closed-down bakery, and Gabby decides to take a leap of faith and open her own restaurant, 'Grace,' named after her late mother. Upon arriving, Gabby meets Caleb Delaney, the owner of Delaney's Coastal Grille and a former minor league baseball player. Caleb is skeptical of Gabby’s high-end culinary background, warning her that many restaurants fail in their first year. Their relationship begins as a prickly rivalry, especially after Gabby critiques his iced tea as 'watery.' As Gabby prepares for her grand opening, she begins mentoring Caleb's daughter, Emily, who is struggling with her confidence on the softball field. Gabby uses the Babe Ruth quote, 'Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game,' to inspire Emily, which also resonates with Caleb, who has long regretted leaving baseball behind to run his family's restaurant. The competition between the two restaurants intensifies when Caleb, feeling complacent, starts modernizing his menu with soufflés and sweet potato fries. On the night of Gabby's grand opening, Caleb runs a 'bottomless chicken wing' special that draws the town's crowd away from her restaurant. Despite this, they remain 'amicable' until both decide to enter the 'Taste of Summer Festival.' A misunderstanding occurs when Gabby discovers Caleb is serving lobster rolls, believing he is copying her seafood-centric menu and trying to one-up her again. At the festival, disaster strikes when Gabby's sous-chef, Sergio, suffers a second-degree burn from hot oil. Seeing her in distress, Caleb abandons his own booth to help her prep and plate her seafood empanadillas. He even secretly invites Gabby's mentor, Franco, to witness her success. Gabby wins the grand prize at the festival, and Caleb reveals that he has finally pursued his own dream by becoming the head baseball coach at the local high school. The film concludes with the two acknowledging their mutual inspiration and sharing a romantic kiss, having both found their true passions and a new future together.