Roux the Day: A Gourmet Detective Mystery

The film opens with a clandestine deal for the legendary Belvedere Chef’s Book, which is interrupted by a mysterious figure. Henry Ross, a culinary consultant, is hired by lawyer Eric McClearen on behalf of an anonymous client to authenticate and purchase the book at a charity auction. At the auction, Henry and Detective Maggie Price learn from organizer Josie Klein that the book was sold privately to antique dealer Michael Goldstein. When they visit Goldstein’s shop, they find his employee, Richie Palmer, murdered and the book missing. The investigation initially focuses on food critic Elsa Edwards, who wears a specific 'Black Dahlia' perfume found at the scene and owns the same model of gun used in the murder. However, the plot thickens when Henry receives a ransom note for the book. During a sting operation at Dolores Park, Henry realizes the book being offered by a man named Daniel Whelan is a masterfully crafted forgery, identified by the smell of walnut oil and uniform handwriting. Daniel escapes but is later found murdered. The detectives discover that Leah Rollins, a local chef, was Daniel's ex-girlfriend, but she is cleared of the murder. Maggie eventually connects a windmill painting at the estate of Nicholas Belvedere, the restaurant's heir, to a local distillery called 'Windmolen' (Dutch for windmill). They discover that Nicholas and his partner Dom Lambert are running an illegal distillery operation. It is revealed that the original chef's book contained recipes using thujone-heavy absinthe, which is illegal. Josie Klein had the book forged by Milo Kraus to protect the Belvedere family legacy from lawsuits. Nicholas, desperate to keep his illegal wormwood-growing operation and the family secret hidden, attempts to kill Henry and Maggie. Maggie manages to disarm him using a concealed backup weapon. The film concludes with the recovery of the real book, the arrest of Nicholas and Dom, and a surprise visit from Maggie’s daughter, Abby, who returns from college to try a new 'Abby Special' mac and cheese at Henry's restaurant.