Based on a true story of a restaurateur battling to survive in a small community, although the character's names have been changed and the location shifted from the south of New Zealand to the south of England.
Brian Capron also starred as a village mayor in his previous role in Midsomer Murders (1997) the year before.
Japanese screenplay writer Itsuka Yamasaki appears as a Chinese diner in the restaurant during the drunk Don Wilkinson scene. The racist comments made during this scene are taken from actual comments she has heard while living in the UK.
The director Daniel Parkes was a restaurant pianist for many years while living in New Zealand and his experiences form the basis of the story. Several of his compositions are played by the restaurant pianist in the film.
Mike O'Dyllan is credited as Ernest Worthing in much of the early press information, including the trailers.