Love on the Menu (2019 TV Movie) User Reviews (28)

Caveat to restaurant owners and my humble opinion about the movie

[laramia-garcia · 8/10 · 27 February 2019]

The movie, at least for me, is beautiful. I won't go into the technical stuff, because I have no right to do that, but as a foodie, and a former restaurateur, I think I could say something(not totally). The problem began because (not really a spoiler) because a person wasn't treated well because they thought another person was the food critic, and they were wrong. As much as possible, please train your staff not to play favourites or put your best behaviour just because you think a food critic is there. Just do your best, no matter what. As these actors or whoever else are in the movie act or whatever even if they are not feeling good, do your best no matter what, and you would be noticed. It's also a note to self in case I go back to the food industry, but I'd rather be client instead. :-)

Now that's out of the way, what do I think about the two lead stars?

KAVAN and AUTUMN, do they have chemistry?

All I can say is that there was something about the trailer that made me want to watch this movie badly. I don't know if it's because of the story...well, maybe not. It was because I saw that the partnership is believable...so I guess you could say that there's chemistry.

I can't really expect much because this is a TV movie, but I did enjoy the movie.

I liked JORDYN ASHLEY OLSON...I mean, I like the young girl. She could act. I think she's a natural. Her role is a fifteener undergoing a lot for her young age, but she still has a lot of reason to smile. For me, she became Hannah, Chef Hank's lovely daughter.

It's also refreshing to have BARBARA NIVEN and WILLIE AAMES on board.

I also liked almost everyone who acted in the movie, especially the kitchen crew.

Mr. Smith was a convincing chef. Maybe people would notice this and that, but I'm talking about his acting. He made Chef Hank very human...He has his outbursts, but he also knows how to admit when he is wrong. Yes, it's the screenwriter and the director we should thank for the character. attack, treatment, what-have-you, but Mr. Smith was able to bring Chef Hank to life.

Does the movie offer something new? Something old, something new, something "borrowed", something blue... :-)

Thankfully, yes.

It's relatable. It has old elements, and some new ones.

I guess I'll stop now before I give real spoilers.

Your opinion might vary from mine, and that's only natural, but I hope at least one or two might agree with me.

Thanks for your time.

REALLY GOOD - LOVED IT!

[stevewyzard · 8/10 · 25 February 2019]

When a workaholic widower meets an uptight corporate stooge, you wouldn't expect anything to happen. And yet one of the best things about this movie is how the characters grow, change, and stand up for what they believe in over the course of their relationship. Like all Hallmark movies, there are occasional lapses of believability, but at least no one resorts to lying or hiding secrets to fill out the 2-hour run time. The leads are likeable yet fallible, there's extensive use of montage to show the passage of time, and the Vivaldi mandolin concerto is the cherry on top! Keep it up, Hallmark!

an easy view

[linda-plant2 · 8/10 · 13 October 2019]

Kavan Smith ! what's not to like ? he makes the perfect boyfriend - attractive, funny and a smile to die for. Oh and he can act too ! Have seen him in several Hallmark films and he's delivered without making the script cheesy. Shame he hasn't been picked up by the mainstream studios.

Why do Hallmark insist on their scriptwriters having to refer to 'heart' all the time ? Cook with 'heart', write with 'heart', create with 'heart'. If I cooked. wrote or created with my 'heart' it wouldn't be worth eating, reading or looking at !!! Here in the UK we laugh at anything like that, we roll our eyes and say "really?"

An enjoyable meal !

[Lew777 · 7/10 · 5 August 2019]

Hallmark has really cornered the market in widows & widowers - but that aside, this was a good played-out movie with excellent acting & chemistry from the 2 leads. The story flowed really well & the interactions of Autumn Reeser & Kavan Smith as they gradually got to know each other, didn't feel rushed or too corny. Autumn's boss's character seemed a bit too one-dimensional pantomime villain for me,.I think a sequel would be good as it'd be good to see them pair up together again.

more believable and cinematography than most Hallmarks

[novagirl11 · 7/10 · 11 March 2019]

As a chef, he probably would not have had pens in his uniform pocket (maybe a meat thermometer, though?). The situation with the daughter getting stranded by the bus seemed a bit unrealistic. Other than that, the characters seemed authentic, the conflict and resolution seemed more believable than most, and the actors had great chemistry. I also enjoyed some creative camera angles and cinematography in this movie!

Nearly perfect script!

[digran13 · 9/10 · 19 March 2019]

Love on the Menu is everything you expect from a Hallmark romance. It's a movie you will need a grin-ectomy after watching. I loved the genuine cooking scenes, you could tell Kavan knows his way around a kitchen. The characters were well rounded, the story moved along nicely. There is an infectious joy in this film!

I enjoyed it

[bettyegriffinunderwood · 7/10 · 25 May 2019]

Cute movie. I did pick up on two lines very similar to those used in Michael Douglas romantic comedies: A comment about expensive shoes now being practical after they're ruined (from Romancing the Stone), and a daughter telling her dad to compliment the leading lady on her shoes (The American President). But I enjoyed it. Would like to see Barbara Niven in a sympathetic role for once, though.

Autumn Reesor Shines Again

[moonlightlex · 10/10 · 25 February 2019]

Really cute movie with a great story line. The only negative thing I can say is, the ending leaves you hanging. Maybe there will be a sequel? Believable characters and Autumn Reesor shines once again. We loved this movie.

charming

[Kirpianuscus · 1 September 2019]

Just charming , maybe, as each mix of love and Italian food. It has many familiar details, it is the modern version of fairy tale but you feel good seeing it. The explanation - inspired manner to use the secondary themes. From single parent to the noble cause of a woman for career, from the dialogue to the humor and a sort of honesty about ordinary things out of sparkles frame. Short, just a charming romance .

It's in the cast

[Jackbv123 · 7/10 · 3 March 2019]

Actually two things make this movie enjoyable and the cast is one of those things.

I've commented before on how well Kavan Smith works with Pascale Hutton, but in this movie he's done it again with a different partner. Smith and Autumn Reeser have great chemistry which really shows.. Their dialogue together is fun. Jordyn Ashley Olson adds a nice bonus as she and Reeser also work well together.

The second thing that makes this enjoyable is related to the first. I enjoy this kind of movie so much more when the lead characters spend time together rather than focusing on what are really side issues like saving the restaurant.

The villain was too vicious which was totally unnecessary.

Nice last line.

Hallmark cooking

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 1 August 2019]

Single dad Hank (Kavan Smith) runs a classic gourmet Italian restaurant in Seattle. His business is suffering and he loses his one star rating when the critic claims the menu is going stale. He vows to get his star back. Maggie (Autumn Reeser) recommends his food after reading his cookbook to be the new flash frozen meals. With his money troubles, he reluctantly accepts the offer.

This is pretty bland even as a Hallmark romance. I don't understand his problems with her and all she needs are his recipes. She is literally working for him for free. The concept may make sense if she needs him to regain his star to sell the frozen meal line but she states multiple times that they don't care about his restaurant. If you ignore the wonky setup, the two have some combative chemistry which slowly grows into romance. It's a very simple romance which is a Hallmark trademark. The premise just keeps getting into its way. Quite frankly, these food companies have their own chefs and they would work on his recipe. His only problem would be having those people following him around as they work on his recipes. That's how it's supposed to work and he wouldn't be able to help their technological problems anyways. At least, this one has some cooking and that is always good for a food movie.

Delicious!

[rebekahrox · 8/10 · 3 March 2019]

This is how it's done, Hallmark. Good Job! When you have two engaging and attractive leads who are good actors and have good chemistry, it already puts it far ahead of the majority of Hallmark offerings. Bravo Autumn Reasor and Kavon Smith. Add an interesting inside look at restaurant goings on and a agreeable restaurant (and chef) makeover plot and you have a definite winner. Kudos for the beautiful and authentic food photography. The love story built slowly and realistically. The leads did not have silly misunderstandings or antics. When there was a bit of conflict at the end, it was resolved quickly with a very nice grovelling scene and a deserved abject apology. There was a tough boss who turned quite evil at the climax for some drama and tension.

I also want to compliment the wonderful young actress who played our hero's teenage daughter. Jordyn Ashley Olson is lovely and a very promising young actress.

I only mark it down for two aspects. The gourmet breakfasts that our chef-hero cooked for his daughter and were meanly rebuffed by her were so over the top, the scenes were cringe-inducing. Also, the ending was a little sudden and needed another scene to tie the loose ends up nicely. Maybe they are planning a sequel. I'm in.

Worth the watch

[jewelch · 6/10 · 1 February 2021]

I thought this was well worth watching. Although I am not much on Frozen Dinners. LOL Yes i recommend it. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 1/31/2021

Terrible , awful music

[dolbyshirley · 1/10 · 25 February 2019]

Autumn Reeser looks 10 years older with short hair , looked so much better in previous movies. Movie was very boring , couldn't watch it

Lazy Writing When You Steal Movie Lines...

[BrassRingEdward · 6/10 · 3 April 2022]

"Those were expensive. Now they're practical." (from Romancing the Stone) "Tell her she has nice shoes...girls like that." (from An American President) ...sigh.

Sweet movie with only a few issues.

[savethewatchmaker · 7/10 · 8 October 2020]

This is a sweet movie, with better actors from the pool of Hallmark regulars than most. Kavan Smith and Autumn Reeser are both believable, charming, and comfortable in the roles they play (these being no exception). Their chemistry wasn't exactly off the charts, but they still worked well together and their romance was slowly built up (another reviewer mentioned that the use of montages and the passing of time made their budding relationship seem much more organic) rather than pushed too fast. Including the male lead's teenage daughter in the bonding felt natural too, unlike some of the young children in Hallmark movies whose purpose is essentially just to play matchmaker. The movie hits snags with only a few things:

• The ending felt much too short on time. A lot of loose ends were left hanging in regards to the food critic and the future of the restaurant, which was unsatisfying. The movie also could've saved time in a variety of other scenes (or even cut a few) to make time for a bit of a longer ending.

• There were are a few plotlines that seemed to be picked up and dropped again with the lead's daughter that added nothing to her character or the story in the end. One such part comes to mind in which the daughter is suspended from school for hacking into school computers to change her friends' grades after they've been tampered with. This almost seems like the start of a B-story or even a mystery, but this is completely useless to the movie as a whole and is never expanded upon.

• Barbara Niven's character, the boss of the female lead, was one line short of being a cartoon villain. She had no sympathy, no charm, and never even pretended to care about ANYTHING but frozen foods, which seems odd at best and just over-the-top evil at worst.

• A lot of the movie is spent on helping Kavan Smith's character loosen up and allow change to infiltrate his life and his restaurant. By the end, he's accomplished this with the help of his love interest, but Autumn Reeser's character, who is shown at the beginning to be neurotic and almost clinical in her habits of order and cleanliness at home, never gets to benefit from the same character development (aside from one scene where she eventually is coaxed into making dough with her hands). It would have been nice to see them both impact each other's lives equally, rather than focusing so much on just one half of the coin.

Overall, though, this movie is cute and the setting is fun. It was also enjoyable to watch a movie where the frozen food business isn't seen as a massive bad guy (Hallmark's "Appetite for Love" comes to mind). It just could have used a few tweaks.

Really cute movie!

[babycakes-45269 · 10/10 · 25 February 2019]

Autumn and Kavan have good chemistry together, this was a really cute movie. I've actually watched it a couple times today. Plus it reminded me a bit of home "Seattle". The acting flowed really well and it was a pleasant watch. Good job!

Love on the Menu

[studioAT · 7/10 · 25 October 2023]

Well this had Autumn Reeser in the female lead role, so that gave this Hallmark film a fighting chance before it even began as they very rarely give her dud scripts/projects to work with.

I thought this was a good outing from the channel - it hit all the beats in terms of plot that we've come to expect, and there were some nice little additions along the way too, what with the subplot involving the daughter etc.

I couldn't fault this for being warm and engaging entertainment, that delivered on the promise of its potential, and in the two leads had enough chemistry to carry it over the line.

Good stuff.

Nice movie

[kathsykes1959 · 9/10 · 11 March 2019]

Really enjoyed this film, however, I would have liked to see what happened next. How many stars they got and their sponsors. Also the relationship progression. I have seen many films with these two stars, both were chefs in other movies.

Cute movie

[ronalamont-91472 · 9/10 · 12 April 2019]

This was a pretty good script with solid acting and interesting cinematography. Autumn is always a pro in her movies but, unlike all the other reviews, I didn't like Kavan's acting or his accent. I didn't think he was totally believable as a Dad or a chef and I didn't think he had much chemistry with Autumn. Without risking spoilers I think the script got a little off track towards the end. The restaurant staff and his daughter were all excellent actors.

Good movie

[dianamarinelli · 9/10 · 28 April 2021]

Overall a good hallmark movie it has cliches but it's worth a watch.

Love on The Menu

[susieschwartz-93314 · 10/10 · 25 February 2019]

Love on the Menu is is step up from most of the Hallmark offerings. The cast is excellent and most importantly, the dialog is well written and engaging.

Tasty menu

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 23 April 2022]

Any film and television series etc centered around food immediately has me sold. The culinary/restaurant setting has been done to death before and has been a common setting since, but anybody that loves food and loves to cook and always finds themselves salivating at different dishes on cookery competitions may find that that doesn't matter. Whenever Hallmark do this setting, it does vary in quality. Particularly in the storytelling and whether the characters are any good.

'Love on the Menu' is one of the food-centered Hallmark films that works and up there with the best of them. Have seen some food-centered Hallmark and Lifetime films over the past few months, especially the Christmas films, that have really not worked for reasons other than setting, but this felt like a refreshment in comparison to those. It is a treat for anybody that loves food and loves to cook and is not only a menu worth trying out but it is a tasty one. As far as 2019 Hallmark films go, 'Love on the Menu' is one of the better ones.

It is not perfect, have yet to see a Hallmark film that's perfect (even the best ones). The gourmet breakfast stuff was over-egged and did make me cringe a bit.

Do agree too that the ending felt rushed and abrupt.

Otherwise, 'Love on the Menu' is a winner. Autumn Reeser is endlessly engaging and has a lot of perky charm about her. Kavan Smith is very comfortable and easy going in his likeable role. Their chemistry is very genuine and never felt false or bland. It was great that it was not underused and didn't play fiddle to any conflict concerning the restaurant. Jordyn Ashley Olson is very charming and is not cutesy or bratty, actually thought she brought a good deal of heart to the film.

The restaurant setting is portrayed in a very affectionate way and the passion for food was clear, it is really made the most of and what happens behind the scenes is realistic. Any conflict is unforced and has some uncertainty that makes one root for things to be okay. The script is a mix of amusingly light hearted and heart warming sentiment, without being juvenile or too sentimental. The story is not an original one, but it has a lively energy, doesn't take itself too seriously while not treating it as joke and is cute. The characters are ones worth caring for and the film looks very nice and isn't over-scored.

Concluding, very tasty and fullfilling. 8/10.

Kavan Smith plus Autumn Reeser

[jewhitmer25 · 9/10 · 20 August 2021]

Outstanding movie. Kavan Smith and Autumn Reeser are incredibke actors and they had great energy and chemistry.

Marvelous script, and cast.

My advice - watch this movie.

Great movie!

[meoruu · 10/10 · 9 May 2019]

Great chemistry between the two leads. Great storyline and soundtrack. Hallmark did it again with a great movie.