Spinning Plates

This film takes a fascinating look into three very different types of restaurants in the United States, and the people that make them possible. Like most well done documentaries, you are sucked in to the lives of the people who run these restaurants. The film strikes an emotional cord in the way that you are elated when things go well for these people and their restaurants, and you are torn to pieces when things go wrong.

The documentary flows nicely from the story of the modernist, top tier restaurant Alinea run by Grant Achatz in Chicago, to the comfortable, family run, historic Breitbach's in Balltown, Iowa, lastly to the struggling, authentic Mexican restaurant La Cocina de Gabby run by a sweet family in Arizona. Each story presents different aspects of the restaurant business at different levels of success. Each story shows the hardships, struggles, joys and pleasures of running a restaurant. And each story captivates your emotions and keeps you hopeful for their futures.

Although the restaurants are different, all three strive to be the place people want to come. This film brings to light the fact that it isn't the food that makes a restaurant, it's the people behind it who put their blood, sweat, and tears into the work. As a lover of food and film, I would recommend Spinning Plates to anyone who shares either passion. Overall, it is a heartfelt, interesting and entertaining documentary.

This is everything that you would want in a food-based documentary for both foodies and non- foodies alike. It feels authentic and real without being harsh or brazen. As the film unfolds, you get a good sense of who these restaurant owners/chefs are not just as business owners but also as fellow people struggling to keep their dreams alive.

It is refreshing also to see that these restaurant owners belong to completely different demographics, having experienced completely different obstacles so that most viewers could relate to at least one of them.

The focus on the food and the kitchen gives a look into each of these chefs approaches to applying a mixture of their hard work and heart into their culinary creations. Though they are all different, all the delectable food definitely entices and intrigues and will make your mouth water.

Watch this and it won't disappoint, even for those who are not typically interested in documentaries.

I was pleasantly surprised, was very touching, more about the people and their respective obstacles, not so much about the food itself. It seemed to dig deeper as the film progressed, they left a lot of the juicy bits till later, and didn't dwell too much on less important issues. Felt like I really connected with all of the restaurant owners, which is the main purpose of a documentary.

At the end of the film, I felt like I wanted to move to small town America and live amongst these people and their community. With technology these days, people are becoming more fragmented and friendships are being based on edited remarks and low resolution pictures. What an amazing close community some of them have built for themselves, if we don't have each other, what do we really have?

The first restaurant was home style American cuisine, low priced comfort food in a buffet type setting. They had been established for 150 years and run by the same family. It was situated in a very close community of Balltown, the residents treated the place as a 2nd home, and the relationship went beyond just friendship, and we get the feeling the town and the restaurant itself were symbiotic, in that one would not survive without the other

Another restaurant was focused on modern cuisine in Chicago, where they spend hours creating one of a kind dishes. Their creations delve into the areas of science and even human psychology. But here we see they are no less devoid of intense personal issues that are placed between them and their ultimate goal.

The third restaurant is about a couple, struggling in a small town, creating simple Mexican food. We are led into their home and restaurant, we see how they struggle to manage their daughter while trying to make enough money to survive, working 90+ hours a week.

Highly recommend this movie, it will leave a lasting impression about what it takes to survive in your own small business, their personal struggles will stay with you, and success is never guaranteed, but if you surround yourself with true friends, you will inevitably survive.

Went to the theater with almost no expectations and left with a huge smile on my face.

Spinning Plates is an intimate look into the lives of three stories that revolve around food, family, sacrifice, and resilience. Within the stories is a wide variety of food types, chefs, backgrounds, economic means, and ambitions. Yet with all the differences, the similarities are uncanny—and it's what brings the film together.

Anyone with an appreciation for food or family will find relatable emotional elements in this film —and it will give you a little more insight on the types of struggles that some of our favorite places to dine go through on a day to day basis.

Watch with snacks, plan for a meal afterward. Enjoy!

This movie is about 3 restaurants. I was watching it because I'm interested in food but only 1/3 restaurants actually fulfilled my desire. Two were about peoples lives running restaurants and quite miserable. We actually fast forwarded them and just watched the section about Grant Achatz. That was amazing seeing his molecular gastronomy his genius and passion. Would love to eat at Alinea or Next. 10/10 for that section. The other two literally made me upset and annoyed to watch. One about a Mexican couple whose restaurant was not going well. Instead of trying to improve, look at their marketing strategies, how to get more customers, how to make better food, they just prayed. And god didn't answer. The other was about a guy super helpful, creating a community in his restaurant and serving the most unhealthy looking food ever. Chicken fried chicken, steak, etc. How can you make a doco about this unhealthy food? If you like food, just watch Achatz. If you like drama watch all 3.