FRENCH KISSING IN NEW YORK

A helpless romantic can’t see what’s in front of her in this food-filled romp around New York City.

After one romantic summer night together in Paris, 17-year-old Margot, an aspiring chef from a small French town, and Zach, a visitor from New York City, make a pact to meet in one year’s time in Times Square at midnight. Margot will be relocating after high school to pursue her restaurant dreams (her father, the American son of French immigrants, lives there with his fiance, Miguel). Zach and Margot don’t exchange contact information, believing that this is meant to be. However, on the night they are to meet, Margot gets a call from her dream restaurant asking her to start that day. Late to the meeting, she finds that Zach is nowhere in sight. Margot—whose restaurant-owner mother is friends with the head chef—was further humbled by having been made a dishwasher despite having culinary training. Line cook Ben befriends her and suggests they try to find Zach together by following clues from things he said during their night together, leading to an adventure. The New York setting is vividly described, with scrumptious food scenes and authentic restaurant dynamics. The romantic mix-up is enhanced by Margot’s managing of both her cooking bravado and cluelessness in holding onto a romantic ideal while missing her growing connection with Ben. Margot and Zach are presumed White; Ben has black eyes and tan skin.

A delicious romance.