Trama

A Mexican-American master chef and father to three daughters has lost his taste for food, but not for life.

Retired Mexican-American chef Martin Naranjo (Hector Elizondo) shares a Los Angeles, California house with his three gorgeous, but single, adult daughters. Though he long ago lost his ability to taste, Martin still lives to cook incredibly lavish dinners for his loved ones and to serve them in a family-style ritual at traditional sit-down meals. Although the women humor their father's old-fashioned ways, each of them is searching for fulfillment outside the family circle. College student Maribel (Tamara Mello) is growing increasingly frustrated with the singles scene and wants a steady man; gorgeous career woman Carmen (Jacqueline Obradors) is fed up with her boyfriend and his wandering eye; meanwhile, eldest daughter Leticia (Elizabeth Peña), who has suppressed her own romantic longings, senses something missing in her life. Things take a turn for the romantic when Dad, a widower, meets a vivacious divorcée on the lookout for a mate and each of his daughters, in turn, finds someone. But they'll all discover that the recipe for happiness may call for some unexpected ingredients.—Sujit R. Varma

Martin is an immigrant from Mexico who has run a restaurant along with Gomez for years. He lost his wife 15 years ago and has never pursued another relationship, but others think he should. Martin has three very different daughters, and he values the time the family spends eating together.

Carmen is beautiful and has an MBA and a great job, and while she has a boyfriend, she is more focused on her career than Jeff. She adapts her father's recipes to make meals for him. And she wants to be the first of the daughters to move out, although her father would prefer that she didn't.

Maribel is about to start college, but she is cute and fun-loving.

Leticia is a chemistry teacher and very uptight and plain. She has even given up the Catholic Church because she feels they worship saints, not Jesus. Her last relationship ended ten years ago and she's not really interested in another one.

The family sits down to dinner and Maribel is late. She just met a boy, Andy, outside the local record store. Andy is an immigrant from Brazil whose heritage is German and Italian, and he speaks several languages. Carmen makes her big announcement about moving into a condo. And Yolanda shows up with her little girl April because she needs a babysitter. She is divorced. If that's not enough, Martin is called in to work because of an emergency. Someone ruined one of the dishes at an event Gomez is catering. Martin tells the staff how to salvage the food and make it better.

Yolanda introduces Martin to her mother Hortensia, who is quite good looking for her age, wears colorful clothes, and generally enjoys having fun. There is the potential for a romance between martin and Hortensia.

As part of her job, Carmen evaluates Antonio's purchase of a company. Antonio is not really interested in her opinions because he has already decided to buy the company. However, he is impressed with her work and wants her to come to Barcelona with him to run a startup. She has a decision to make.

While teaching a class, Leticia is startled when a baseball comes through the open window. She looks out and sees the new coach Orlando, who is apologetic. The kids can tell Leticia is attracted to Orlando, and to encourage a relationship between them, someone in the class later writes a poem that Leticia thinks is from Orlando. Leticia asks for advice about attracting Orlando and one day she shows up at school looking gorgeous. She even walks onto the field during a game and kisses Orlando. and is quite embarrassed and sad when she learns he did not write the poem.

Martin jogs for exercise and he has begun spending time with Hortensia. He even makes April a very fancy lunch, which her friends want to share. Martin shows up at the girl's house one day and Yolanda has to tell her April is sick but she'll take the lunch.

Maribel spends time with Andy and eventually invites him to dinner. Things are going well until Maribel announces she needs to take time off to find herself. Martin says as long as she lives under his roof she will obey him. Maribel decides to move in with Andy, who is shocked, And their life together doesn't go well, because Maribel soon starts to get on his nerves. Finally, she has to leave. There is the chance, it turns out, they they will go to the same college. Andy didn't tell her because he didn't want his decisions to affect hers.

Gomez tastes something at the restaurant and passes out and ends up in the hospital. He returns to the workplace, but it was too soon and he dies suddenly. This makes the family very sad.

Leticia and Orlando eventually end up together, and in fact, they are already married. They were in Vegas and they "had" to. Apparently they did what a couple is not supposed to do before marriage, and the very religious Leticia could not do such a thing and not get married afterward.

Martin soon has a big announcement of his own. He asks Hortensia for her daughter's hand in marriage. Hortensia, who was unaware (so was the audience) that it was actually Yolanda he was interested in, is very shocked.

Carmen tries to fix her relationship with Jeff, but he's already with Rachel. Soon Martin is taking her to the airport to leave for Barcelona. But Carmen later realizes that's not what she wants to do.

The movie ends with Carmen running a restaurant, and the family eating together there. Yolanda announces she is pregnant.