The Gourmet Detective Mysteries (2015 TV Movie) User Reviews (23)

5 is not enough

[lotekguy-1 · 7/10 · 5 June 2021]

I've watched many of the light mysteries on HMM, including all 17 Aurora Teagardens, and all five of these. While Aurora's gang has proven most entertaining, it's not really 3.5 times better than this series. I realize the food premise limits the number of possible story lines, but Brooke Burns is terrific, and the way Dylan Neal depends on her toughness, while yearning for more than a partners-in-crime-solving relationship, makes them the most appealing duo the network has offered.

As Oliver Twist said at mealtime, "Please, sir, I want some more."

Parallels to Castle

[Jackbv123 · 6/10 · 3 November 2017]

The general story arc was fairly good. I never saw that climax coming.

On the other hand, when it comes to specifics, the plot was so full of holes, it would sink an aircraft carrier. The biggest factor in those holes was police procedure. I guess we can't count among them the fact these two were paired up to begin with given Castle went on for how many seasons with a very similar arrangement. But there were so many other obvious police procedure flaws, I won't even start to name them.

The acting was decent. Neal and Burns got along about like you'd expect and certainly a lot like Castle and Beckett in the early days. Some critics refer to Maggie as bitchy, but her reactions through all the early scenes are exactly what should be expected when her captain has just handcuffed her to an amateur. Perhaps at the cooking demonstration at the top, she should have just kept her mouth shut, but her skepticism at Henry being labeled a detective is natural. She does eventually lighten up and they seem to almost like each other and end up carping at one another like a married couple.

I think in terms of enjoyment, it is fair to compare this to Castle, although in my mind Castle brought a lot more humor to the table through a combination of lame theories and general bumbling.

"I just love this cloak and dagger stuff"-Henry

[cgvsluis · 7/10 · 17 September 2021]

I forgot how much I enjoyed the start of this mystery series. The Gourmet detective Henry and the real detective Maggie had a very contentious start. They initially meet at a cooking class where Henry is the guest instructor and she takes umbrage at his "detective" title, then they meet later at a murder. Henry was attending a banquet with the local food industry when the murder occurs. The police captain pairs Maggie and Henry together...and the rest is a lot of great bantering and History.

Great series which is filled with great mysteries, even better banter and some interesting food facts.

A fun story almost spoiled by an overly bitchy female lead...

[kardosma · 6/10 · 29 April 2016]

I decided to watch this movie because of Dylan Neal; I've seen him in a few other movies and always enjoyed his performances. It started off great; he's charming, and the movie seemed like a fun little whodunnit with a twist.

And then Brooke Burns (aka the sour-faced dragon lady from hell) opened her freaky lips and spewed unwarranted aggressive bitchiness (and I say opened her lips because I've never seen anyone so clenched and uptight that their jaw couldn't move when they spoke). And she didn't stop until about 3/4 of the way through the movie, when she actually seemed human for the first time. Seriously, dial it down, lady! I nearly packed it in after ten minutes because she was so intolerably annoying.

But hey, I've watched far worse and this did turn out to be an okay little time waster. Not especially taxing on the intellect in terms of working out who did what, but still a bit of fun. Worth a watch if you come across it.

Just a few words....

[Mister_Ben · 7/10 · 17 July 2021]

I've been watching the first episode (of just five?) and nothing struck me more than how similar this is to the now-cancelled TV show: "Castle".

I know the single parent with daughter rôle has been switched over from the consultant to the police detective and that some might argue that the cocky consultant is a modern day TV trope but I'd never make the comparison with, say, "The Mentalist".

In a way, it's a shame that they don't make more "Gourmet Detective" TV movies. They might appeal to pre shark jumping/cancellation Castle fans...

Reall6enjoy this series

[hypzrkunt · 9/10 · 31 March 2021]

Hallmark is missing the boat. They keep forcing series that don't flow and miss this one. I think it's one of the two best on all hallmark. I agre3 Brooke isn't Candace but her repertoire with her lead is better. Candace may be better actress but I like this better. Give me more of these hallmark.

Interesting plot

[geoffox-766-418467 · 28 May 2015]

First of all I like Dylan Neal in almost anything. He's a cool actor and in this is perfect for the part. He says more with his looks than words could tell. But Brooke Burns is no match. She comes off snippy and bitchy. Has a real attitude in this film. Put them together and he comes off the winner in this mystery/comedy.

Everyone is under suspicion in this cooking/killer text. It does take a while to figure who is who and such. Can be confusing. But maybe they are trying to make that happen in this film.

But Neal makes the film work. He is subtle and charming in his approach to his character. Sort of a modern day Thin Man type. But Burns is no Myrna Loy. I just feel she has an edge that doesn't mix with this type of film. She has one look - that of disgust. With everyone else in the movie. And her mouth bothered me. Strange looking and like a tight jaw.

There is also an array of assorted character actors representing chefs and police that mingle in and out the plot. But the two leads are the main focus and solving the crime. And Dylan Neal wins my focus and applause.

The Gourmet Detective

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 1 June 2023]

Maggie Price is a tough workaholic detective with the San Francisco Police Department and works in the homicide division. Recently divorced, she lives with her mother and thirteen-year-old daughter Abigail. A casual date turns into an encounter with the gourmet detective Henry Ross, who portrays himself as a charming and confident man with a refined taste for food. They are thrown together when an investigative journalist dies at a restaurant owned by Henry's friend. All guests are suspects, including Henry, but he is paired up with Detective Maggie Price because he knows everyone and everything about the food industry in town.

A well-made mystery with a pairing of two people from differing walks of life and quite a clash, hence the bantering. The mystery is well done, quite engaging, and the characters are sharply etched, however Detective Maggie Price can be a little severe in her attitude, which can be grating. Overall, though, an above average mystery.

Shame they don't make these now

[rosey-14 · 9/10 · 4 December 2021]

This was such a good series with an above average support cast with Bruce Boxleitner and Samantha Ferris, it seems they let the good shows go. Personally I would love to see a film with the older support actors in the Hallmark stable with Bruce Boxleitner and. Marilu Henner.

I just love this cloak and dagger stuff.-Henry

[cgvsluis · 7/10 · 17 September 2021]

This is a great jumpstart to the Gourmet Detective mystery series.

There are some good twists and turns in this initial mystery...but the best part of the show is the great banter between Henry and Maggie. Their relationship gets off to a real rocky start when Maggie meets Henry at a cooking class where she takes umbrage at his title detective as she is a real detective. Then they meet again at an actual murder at a gathering of who's who in the food industry in San Francisco. Because of Henry's deep knowledge and connection to all of the suspects, the captain pairs Maggie and Henry together to solve the case.

Wonderful series that you should watch.

Canadian version of Castle

[dtdenver-987-925546 · 5/10 · 1 November 2018]

Castle was one of my favorite shows (in spite of the female lead) so this was okay (also in spite of the female lead). The plot and details are silly - but that's the genre. Especially on the Hallmark Channel. What I really didn't like, though, were the pretty Hallmark houses. Don't get me wrong - I would love to live in any of the Hallmark Channel homes. But with the setting of San Francisco, they're ludicrous. None of the characters in food service and law enforcement would make enough money to live in a beautiful roomy house in the city. Plus, notice the trees are bare. Trees don't lose their leaves in winter in San Francisco. A few B roll shots of street cars is just lazy.

Quirky Hallmark Mystery

[SunnyDaise · 10/10 · 2 May 2021]

As others have mentioned, this really feels like Hallmark's answer to Castle. Yes, the female lead is a bit snippy compared to the other HM mystery ladies, but it works in the scenario ie overworked tough cop / divorcee single parent who mellows a bit across the series. I hope they make more instalments as having a male primary character is a bit different for this network. I'm sure there are a few instances of artistic license that would irk some viewers but I watch Gourmet Detective in the intended spirit - ie Don't take life too seriously.

Poisoned at a five star restaurant

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 6 August 2019]

Dylan Neal noted food critic, author, restaurant owner and general all around raconteur is our Gourmet Detective. This was the first in a series of film which was unusual having a male protagonist detective in one of their mystery series.

He's introduced to this role when at a banquet a noted food critic is poisoned rather exotically with a badly prepared lamprey eel. I did learn they are a delicacy and it could be easily inferred to be accidental done by someone in the kitchen who did not know what they were doing.

So he's made a consultant of sorts to the San Francisco PD and partnered with Brooke Burns a no-nonsense female detective. Without Neal the SFPD might have put this down as an accidental death.

The usual series of films came after this one. A bid odd to see a male protagonist at Hallmark.

Well the ending was good....the middle and the beginning were not so good

[Ed-Shullivan · 4/10 · 31 August 2017]

I can't say this murder/mystery kept me in suspense but what did keep me on the edge of my seat (and not in a good way) was that irritating non-stop musical score that played in the background. I cannot for the life of me understand that between the producers and the director that one of them would not have advised the seasoned music director, James Jandrisch, to tone it down by at least 50 percent. My gosh, why do some of these lighthearted formulaic murder/mystery films that contain a dash of romance and family dynamics almost always seem to want to make the background music attempt to lull us into falsely believing that we are watching something that is (not) comparable to the classic 1967 suspense film Wait Until Dark that starred Audrey Hepburn and Richard Crenna.

As for this film, The Gourmet Detective I much prefer the 2016 Canadian produced television crime series Private Eyes that stars Jason Priestley, and Cindy Sampson, and is now in the middle of its second successful season. (My review on Private Eyes is dated December 31st, 2016.) I am comparing The Gourmet Detective to Private Eyes as the themes of these two shows are similar. You have a professional detective being the female lead and the amateur sleuth being the male lead investigator/partner. The difference between these two shows seems to end there when it comes to the partners on screen chemistry. Mrs. Shullivan and I agree with some of the other reviewers in that actress Brooke Burns character as Detective Maggie Price, comes off as a real hard nose no nonsense single mom, and her amateur sleuth partner Henry Ross (played admirably by Dylan Neal) who is much more friendly and talkative partner is continually being told to shut up by Maggie.

The films pretense is sort of a poor man's version of the 1978 comedy/mystery "Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?" A few of the culinary greats are being knocked off and it is up to Maggie to work with her talkative know it all amateur sleuth partner Henry to solve this whodunit.

As I opened my review I will repeat that I found the background musical score extremely irritating and it distracted from the storyline, sometimes even attempting to challenge whether this film should be classified as a musical rather than what was intended which was a lighthearted murder mystery.

The positive about this film is that it ended on a very happy family note and for that I raised my score from a 3 to a 4.

An Adequate Pilot

[atlasmb · 6/10 · 17 August 2020]

This is a TV movie that serves as a pilot for a series of "Gourmet Detective" installments, which I have not yet seen.

Brooke Burns plays Maggie, a police detective who gets teamed with a restaurant industry expert, Henry (played by Dylan Neal), to investigate a murder. Both play their roles well. Maggie is independent and proud, confident in her abilities. Henry likes to enjoy life, delighting in the joys of fine food.

At first they mix like oil and water, of course, but by the end of the pilot, their hostilities are tempered by respect and, maybe, a slight hint of romantic interest. This leaves room for further episodes.

As a whodunit, this episode is adequately complex, but it contains some annoying flaws, mostly having to do with poor communication between the characters. You might finger the culprit before they do, but it is still somewhat satisfying due to the latent chemistry between the leads.

The Gourmet Detective

[JoBloTheMovieCritic · 6/10 · 23 April 2021]

6/10 - good enough start in the second tier Hallmark mystery series.

Love Brooke Burns

[windwalker-31670 · 10/10 · 27 August 2017]

I completely disagree with the other reviewers that think Brooke Burns comes off bitchy. She is cute,and funny and the chemistry with Dylan is perfect. She is a female cop that wants to be taken seriously and Dylan has her flustered because she is attracted to him. I love all of the Gourmet Detective movies and I loved her in undercover bridesmaid. She is funny and cute and her smile just lights up the screen. To the other viewers: STOP BEING JEALOUS!! ....and just for the record, I am a 59 year old female who is happily married to a guy. So I am not some guy panting over her. I like her for her talent.

The Gourmet Detective

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 7 January 2019]

Henry Ross is a culinary expert to the food industry. A mini Sherlock Holmes living in San Francisco. He can cook a nice omelettes, knows the best places to eat and gets called in by a restaurant owner who thinks he is being deliberately sabotaged.

When a person dies in front of him at a restaurant, just before the victim was to make an important announcement. Henry is paired with detective Maggie Price. A single mother and someone who initially resents being partnered with him.

I thought this was a likeable Hallmark mystery film.

Cheesy with a good enough mystery in the world of restaurants. There are a couple of red herrings such as two restaurant owners who have been rivals for decades. You even sense a hint of romance between the two leads.

Just a shame that the Canadian locations did not make for a convincing San Francisco.

Female lead is too rude for me to continue

[Terry-303 · 1/10 · 23 February 2021]

I was looking forward to this light hearted show. But the female lead detective was far too rude, arrogant and unpleasant for me to continue watching. With no explaination or character development to give insight into her character flaws. This viewer turned off the TV after 30 minutes with a tension headache and a sour aftertaste. Unpleasant viewing, I'd recommend avoid.

Music

[jenjoylife · 3/10 · 26 September 2020]

The music was so loud that it made it hard to hear the dialogue.

Not a bad mystery movie but not a favorite either

[jml1988 · 5/10 · 27 November 2019]

None of the characters seemed to have any real depth. The whodunit was okay, but we didn't adequately get to know the suspects in order to wonder for ourselves. I thought the female lead came off as overly abrasive to the male lead, who was quite charming!

High heals

[xyz-31945 · 3/10 · 31 August 2021]

Get real, what kind of female deactivate we are high heals and skin tight pants, a bit much.

Revolting characters, especially the female lead, bad acting, weak plot and no sense of humour

[aeszeki · 2/10 · 7 January 2022]

The story is of similar value to the majority of "Hallmark mysteries" so it would have had a solid 5/10 stars from me, possibly more, were it not for the overall bad acting and the gratuitously sarcastic/aggressive and generally unpleasant female characters, especially the detective and her boss. The daughter is the exception to the rule.

There is a strong need to suspend disbelief while watching this, as the plot gets ridiculously unbelievable at times, but I think that, given much better actors and a pinch of humour combined with- or instead of- the sarcasm, this could have been acceptable, even fun.