Plot Synopsis

After losing her job when the diner at which she is a cook closes down, Nikki Turner accepts a job as assistant to one of her idols, famed chef, cookbook author and restauranteur Holly Hanson. She'd rather be cooking, but her lack of formal culinary education keeps holding her back, despite her incredible talent and instincts in the kitchen. One of the perks of working at Holly Hanson's appears when Holly learns of her passion and allows her to use the restaurant's kitchen to practice. The restaurant has been suffering a downturn in business of late, and Holly's been getting pressure from both her Executive Chef, Paul Dellucci and her primary investor Henry Seagar that the menu needs to be updated. After tasting one of Nikki's creations late one night after closing, she doesn't let on to Nikki, but she is truly wowed and has a secret camera installed in the kitchen. Before long, she is spying on Nikki's late night culinary excursions, while forming a plan to bring the flagging restaurant back to its former glory. Even though they didn't quite hit it off at first, Nikki and Chef Paul have become friendly, but Holly does not allow employees to date, so neither is inclined to cross that line and lose their job. However, Chef Paul returns to the restaurant late one night and discovers Nikki cooking; and what she is cooking is fabulous. She admits to him that Holly is allowing her to use the kitchen after-hours. When Holly discovers the pair in the kitchen on hidden camera, she rushes over to the restaurant and fires them. But when Nikki returns the next day to collect her things, she discovers Holly's downloaded video files of her cooking, along with recipes Holly has deduced from viewing them. Nikki is devastated, but Paul devises a plan to beat Holly at her own game. They will rent a space and create a three-day pop-up restaurant for Valentine's Day called A Pinch of Love. Opening night is a smash success, that is, until Holly shows up while an influential food critic who is raving about his meal is still there. She tells the critic that Nikki is a disgruntled employee who stole her recipes. When the critic runs his review the following day, he calls out Nikki as a thief. When Paul learns what Holly did, he reaches out to investor Seagar with a crafty plan to destroy Holly and save Nikki.