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One Delicious Christmas

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Overview

One Delicious Christmas

Since inheriting the Haven Restaurant and Inn, Abby Richmond (Vanessa Marano) has been determined to maintain the traditions her parents had lovingly cultivated in the quaint Vermont location. But when she is forced to implement new ideas in order to secure the future of Haven, how far can she bend without breaking not only tradition but also her heart?

A master multitasker, Abby has been successfully managing Haven for years and is proud that the restaurant has become a culinary destination in New England, especially at the holidays. But the 24/7 commitment required to run both the restaurant and the inn has also run Abby’s personal life to the ground. And now her head chef is relocating to London right before Christmas. Her best hope might be a partnership with restaurant mogul Alexandra Grandfield (Kathy Maloney), who has expressed interest in branching out to the rural New England locale—enough so that she sent famed restaurant critic Tom Kingsley (Bobby Flay) to provide his thoughts on the menu. On the plus side: the food and service were impeccable; however, he also indicated that the menu might be a tad too traditional.

With the partnership on the line, not to mention in desperate need of someone to run the kitchen, Abby welcomes Alexandra’s choice of up-and-coming chef Preston Weaver (Alex Mallari Jr.), at least to get her through Christmas. She immediately regrets that decision when Preston starts putting a more contemporary culinary spin on the tried-and-true menu. As they find common ground, things between them begin to heat up…but there are plans being cooked up outside the kitchen that will test that relationship.

“One Delicious Christmas” was directed by Stacey N. Harding from a screenplay by Betsy Sullenger. Shane Boucher and Caitlin Delaney produced the film, with Ryan Greig serving as supervising producer. The executive producers are Suzanne Berger and Arnie Zipursky for Neshama Entertainment; Sheri Singer and Jane Latman for Discovery; and Larry Grimaldi, Hannah Pillemer and Fernando Szew for MarVista Entertainment.

The film stars Vanessa Marano as Abby, Alex Mallari Jr. as Preston, Elana Dunkleman as Jen, and Kathy Maloney as Alexandra Grandfield, with Food Network star Bobby Flay as food critic Tom Kingsley.

Harding’s behind-the-scenes collaborators included director of photography Serge Desrosiers, production designer Joey Gunn, editor Jennifer Essex-Chew and costume designer Jennifer Stroud. The music is by Adam Damelin & Kierscey Rand.

“One Delicious Christmas” is a MarVista Entertainment Production in association with Neshama Entertainment.

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Production Notes

Since inheriting the Haven Restaurant and Inn, Abby Richmond (Vanessa Marano) has been determined to maintain the traditions her parents had lovingly cultivated in the quaint Vermont location. But when she is forced to implement new ideas in order to secure the future of Haven, how far can she bend without breaking not only tradition but also her heart?

A master multitasker, Abby has been successfully managing Haven for years and is proud that the restaurant has become a culinary destination in New England, especially at the holidays. But the 24/7 commitment required to run both the restaurant and the inn has also run Abby’s personal life to the ground. And now her head chef is relocating to London right before Christmas. Her best hope might be a partnership with restaurant mogul Alexandra Grandfield (Kathy Maloney), who has expressed interest in branching out to the rural New England locale—enough so that she sent famed restaurant critic Tom Kingsley (Bobby Flay) to provide his thoughts on the menu. On the plus side: the food and service were impeccable; however, he also indicated that the menu might be a tad too traditional.

With the partnership on the line, not to mention in desperate need of someone to run the kitchen, Abby welcomes Alexandra’s choice of up-and-coming chef Preston Weaver (Alex Mallari Jr.), at least to get her through Christmas. She immediately regrets that decision when Preston starts putting a more contemporary culinary spin on the tried-and-true menu. As they find common ground, things between them begin to heat up…but there are plans being cooked up outside the kitchen that will test that relationship.

“One Delicious Christmas” was directed by Stacey N. Harding from a screenplay by Betsy Sullenger. Shane Boucher and Caitlin Delaney produced the film, with Ryan Greig serving as supervising producer. The executive producers are Suzanne Berger and Arnie Zipursky for Neshama Entertainment; Sheri Singer and Jane Latman for Discovery; and Larry Grimaldi, Hannah Pillemer and Fernando Szew for MarVista Entertainment.

The film stars Vanessa Marano as Abby, Alex Mallari Jr. as Preston, Elana Dunkleman as Jen, and Kathy Maloney as Alexandra Grandfield, with Food Network star Bobby Flay as food critic Tom Kingsley.

Harding’s behind-the-scenes collaborators included director of photography Serge Desrosiers, production designer Joey Gunn, editor Jennifer Essex-Chew and costume designer Jennifer Stroud. The music is by Adam Damelin & Kierscey Rand.

“One Delicious Christmas” is a MarVista Entertainment Production in association with Neshama Entertainment.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

Holiday traditions are often a vital part of a family’s legacy, but clinging too hard to them can hold you back from finding your own path. At the same time, shaking things up might open a door to new possibilities…and more.

That is the choice facing the central character in “One Delicious Christmas.” Director Stacey Harding attests, “Abby Richmond inherited the Haven Restaurant and Inn, and now she is holding on for dear life, trying to protect all the great things she watched her parents build and, most importantly, honoring their legacy.”

Harding continues that she is drawn to “storylines of people who are working hard to create their dreams, but sometimes are so focused on the direction they’re going that the right decision—or the one that will ultimately get them to their happy place—is challenging to see. I loved the human aspect of this story; I loved that it was heartfelt and funny and had depth. And it has food…really good food! Did I mention the food?” she laughs.

Vanessa Marano, who stars as Abby, emphasizes, “This movie will definitely be satisfying to all the foodies out there! And I think people are also going to love the heart of the story and the romance.”

Describing her character, Marano says, “Abby has been running the beautiful inn and restaurant she inherited from her parents for a few years now and it’s getting taxing. She is fun and a good friend to everyone, but she is also a little bit controlling. So part of her journey is learning to let go and trust, which is hard for her because of how much she values tradition. Abby likes things her way and wants everything to stay the same, but she is realizing she can’t do this alone anymore and is dealing with the decision to take on a partner.”

Abby is also dealing with the fact that her longtime head chef is moving to London at the height of the crucial holiday season. The timing could not be worse, but her prospective partner recommends a talented, young chef named Preston Weaver, who can fill in. “Chef Preston is a New Yorker who comes to this small Vermont town and immediately wants to change up Abby’s menu, and she is not having it,” Marano states. “Her menu is very important to her; it represents a time in her life when her parents put this magical place together, and she is not going to let go that easily. But Preston has other ideas.”

Starring as Preston Weaver, Alex Mallari Jr. says, “Preston sees this as his shot to prove he has the ability to run his own kitchen. He is very passionate about what he does—his art, his creativity, his technique as a chef—so he’s had some trouble as a result of butting heads with former employers. He is going to have to learn how to compromise with Abby in this particular situation.”

“Together,” adds Marano, “they will both need to learn that skill from each other.”

While their characters start out at odds, both actors have nothing but praise for each other. Mallari affirms, “When I found out Vanessa was playing Abby, I was really happy because I’ve been a fan of hers for a long time. I learned so much about my craft just working with her. She is amazing.”

Marano offers, “I was very excited to work with Alex because he is not only talented but also nice and just wonderful to work with. That is a big win when you are acting opposite somebody.”

Their director shares in their mutual admiration, noting, “Vanessa and Alex could not have been more lovely and they’re so professional, which made coming to work a joy. They were brilliant against each other—funny, great timing and you can see their chemistry in the movie. They’re just terrific.”

The person Abby and Preston need to impress most is influential food critic Tom Kingsley, who can make or break both the Haven restaurant and Preston’s career. The role of Tom is played by renowned chef and Food Network star Bobby Flay, who says, “It was very exciting to get the opportunity to be in this movie, but it was also a little nerve wracking because I’m certainly not an actor. But the director and producers and the actors I worked with were all incredibly supportive. They knew that this was not my wheelhouse, and they were very patient and helpful.”

Harding counters that Flay had no reason to be nervous. “Bobby is a force. When he came on set, it was obvious he’d seriously done his homework, and he absolutely nailed it. The rest of the cast had a blast with him and it was tons of fun to have him come and do something that’s completely outside of his everyday zone.”

Flay’s castmates agree. Mallari says that playing a chef opposite an actual chef “was incredible. Getting to work with Bobby on his first acting gig was an honor.”

“I was resisting the urge to say, ‘Are we going to beat Bobby Flay?’ all day long,” Marano teases. “I kept it together, but that was racing through my brain. It was very cool to act with him.”

While Tom Kingsley’s job took him out of the kitchen, Flay asserts, “I would say I understand the role of a food critic pretty intimately because they have played an important part in my career. It’s actually a very interesting job because there is a lot of responsibility to it. I mean, there’s nothing like getting a review from a paper like The New York Times. It can be really daunting and it can also be very rewarding…it’s a big, big deal.”

Tom Kingsley originally went to Haven at the request of Alexandra Grandfield, the hugely successful restaurant entrepreneur who is considering partnering with Abby. “Tom is not actually critiquing the restaurant,” Flay remarks. “He is there as more of a consultant, using his food critic skills for his friend.”

Alexandra is also the person who recommended Preston to Abby, in hopes that he would modernize and spice up the traditional Haven menu and make it a more lucrative business prospect.

Kathy Maloney, who plays Alexandra expounds, “Alexandra is a bit of a narcissist in the sense that she knows all the players that she’s putting in place to get what she wants, but at the same time she feels that she’s helping people. She can be kind but a little bit manipulative all at the same time, so it’s an interesting dynamic. She was a fun character to play.”

Although Abby has a hard time delegating tasks, the one person she knows she can rely on is Jen, played by Elana Dunkleman. “Jen is Abby’s best friend and confidante,” says Dunkleman. “She works at the front desk of the inn, but she wants to be given more to do and is ready to take on more responsibility. I thought the script was wonderful, so I was over the moon when I was cast. When you are part of a project you feel so good about, you cannot wait for the rest of the world to see it. That’s how I feel about this one.”

In a movie called “One Delicious Christmas,” it goes without saying that food is a vital ingredient in telling the story. Harding confirms, “We were all very passionate about the food, so a lot went into breaking down how it was going to be incorporated and how it would move the story forward It was up to us to make it brilliant and beautiful. when you see those dishes, they essentially are the transfer of love in our world.”

Interestingly, production designer Joey Gunn reveals, “None of the food in the film is prop food, so hat’s off to my food team. On big food days, they and my art department were like a brigade, cooking, running dishes and cleaning plates.

“One of the biggest challenges for us,” Gunn continues, “was that we were going to be putting food down in front of Bobby Flay, and anyone who thinks we didn’t think about that is crazy because that was always at the front of our minds. And it was for Food Network. So we knew we had to get it not just a little bit right but perfect.”

And they succeeded. Harding recalls, “When we had Bobby on set, he was very complimentary to our chefs. At one point, our head chef, Harriet Clunie, was on set and Bobby said, ‘Oh, that smells really good and looks terrific.’ She said, ‘Thank you chef’ with a tear in her eye. There were pretty solid kudos all the way around.”

Flay was not the only one impressed by the edible set dressing. Marano attests, “I’ve never been a part of a project where food is featured as much as it is in this film. Every day, it was exciting to watch the magic happen. And the food was superb. I had to eat some of it in scenes, which can sometimes be a chore. Not on this project!”

For Mallari, the focus was on appearing to prepare the food rather than eating it. “This was the only time where I did need a stunt double,” he jokes. “I am willing to jump out of buildings or do wire work, but on this movie, I said, ‘You’re going to need a hand double to do the chopping.’”

“One Delicious Christmas” was filmed on location in Almonte, Ontario, which stood in for the picturesque town of Haven, Vermont. While the movie is set in late fall to early winter, for the filmmakers, cast and crew it was decidedly summer.

“Christmas in July is a little warm,” Harding confirms. “The jackets and sweaters were a bit of a challenge for sure, but you can’t not be in the Christmas mood when you’re telling the story that we’re telling and when you’re surrounded by it. Every once in a while I put on some Christmas music just to torture the crew,” she laughs, “just to make sure everybody was in the Christmas spirit.”

Gunn details, “When we look at creating a winter environment in the middle of the summer, you actually have to think about denoting the temperature, inside and out. So it’s not just the tons of fake snow and the work of our amazing special effects team; it has to be visually conveyed that outside is cold and then, when you come inside, you are being welcomed into this warm, cozy atmosphere. There is a bareness to the cold, a deadness to the winter landscape at times that, again, it’s not just white. You really have to create the temperature and make it believable.”

Harding adds, “And when our director of photography, Serge Desrosiers, who is absolutely wonderful got involved, started lighting and creating the colors, shapes and shadows. The movie is absolutely visually lovely.

The director concludes, “We had the wonderful opportunity of making this movie. It took 50+ people working on every detail imaginable to bring it to life. But at the end of the day, the takeaway is not about the gorgeous sets and food, rather it’s about the connection between two people, their community and the love of family. Whether or not it’s the family that you’re born with, or you choose, the holidays remind us life can be transformed by showing up for each other, by the power of honestly and the togetherness of eating, no matter how simple the fare.”

Bios

ABOUT THE CAST

VANESSA MARANO (Abby Richmond) is widely known for her lead role in the Television Critics Award-winning show “Switched at Birth.” Marano was nominated multiple times for Teen Choice Awards for her portrayal of Bay Kennish, the artistic and edgy daughter of Lea Thompson’s character, Kathryn. The series continued to be a huge success for six years, winning multiple awards, including a Peabody Award.

More recently, Marano filmed the series regular role of Becki Rossi for the pilot “Dangerous Moms.” She also had a starring role in the rom-com feature “This Is the Year,” which was directed by David Henrie and executive produced by Selena Gomez, and was seen in Warner Bros.’ film “Daphne & Velma.” Additionally, Marano had lead roles in the indie films “How To Deter A Robber” and “This Game’s Called Murder,” starring Ron Perlman.

Marano has been nominated for Webby Awards for her acting work in the critically acclaimed series “The Dead Girls Detective Agency.”

Marano became a film producer after forming the company Calabrian Rhode. She just produced the film “The Royal Treatment,” which premiered in January 2022 and was the #1 streaming film worldwide for two weeks. After buying the rights to the best-selling novel Saving Zoë, by Alyson Noel, Marano starred in and produced the movie, which had a theatrical release and is currently streaming. As a producer of “Saving Zoë,” she partnered with Equality Now to spread the word regarding human trafficking and made an appearance at the UN to discuss making tech companies take responsibility for hosting web sites that promote sexual abuse against women.

Apart from her role on “Switched at Birth,” Marano has had recurring roles on “9-1-1,” “Station 19” and “Silicon Valley.” She is also well known for her series regular roles: as April, the daughter of Luke, in the highly popular “Gilmore Girls”; and as Francesca, the daughter of Lisa Kudrow, in the HBO Original series “The Comeback.” In addition, Marano starred in “Scoundrels,” as the scheming, school-skipping daughter of Virginia Madsen’s character. Her impressive resume also includes recurring roles in such shows as “Dexter,” “Without a Trace,” “Medium,” “Trust Me” and “The Young and The Restless.”

ALEX MALLARI JR. (Preston Weaver) is a Canadian actor and martial artist. He is best known for portraying Four/Ryo Ishida on the hit series “Dark Matter,” and PI Gabriel Cordova on the series “Ginny & Georgia.” He is currently starring on the series “Hello (Again).”

Mallari has also appeared in a number of feature films, most recently including the star-studded hit “The Adam Project,” starring Ryan Reynolds, Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo. Mallari will be seen next in the action comedy “Shotgun Wedding,” joining an ensemble cast led by Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel.

ELANA DUNKELMAN (Jen) is a multi-faceted actor who can be found in front of the camera or behind the microphone. She has played a wide variety of roles, ranging from a sugar-crazed unicorn in “Fingerlings Tales,” to a vengeful murderous wife in “Murdoch Mysteries,” to a quirky, supportive best friend in “Road Trip Romance.”

Dunkelman is best known for her Canadian Game Award-nominated performance in the titular role Fenyx in Ubisoft’s “Immortals Fenyx Rising.”

When she’s not acting Dunkelman is intently watching “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” cuddling with her large cat, and/or penning romance screenplays with her writing partner.

KATHY MALONEY (Alexandra Grandfield) is a Canadian-born actress based out of Toronto, Canada. Her television credits include “Titans,” “Suits,” “The Boys,” “American Gods,” and “Crossword Mysteries.” She has also had a number of leading and guest star roles in other film and television projects.

After graduating with a Sociology degree from York University, Maloney had her sights set on becoming a social worker. With the urging of a friend, she joined a modelling agency and promptly booked her first acting role in “Gene Roddenberry’s Earth: Final Conflict.” Needless to say, she caught the acting bug.

Maloney went on to study Acting for Camera & Voice and Broadcast Journalism at Seneca College. She also completed the Second City Improv Program and continues to work with various acting coaches in Toronto.

As an advocate of self-love, self-reflection, and self-discovery, Maloney is trained in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Her passion for understanding the mind-body connection has translated into her working behind the scenes as a relationship coach.

BOBBY FLAY (Tom Kingsley) debuted on Food Network in 1994 and has since become a fan favorite, hosting programs that bring cooking tips and information on regional fare to a national audience.

His first show, “Grillin’& Chillin’,” premiered in 1996, followed by “Hot Off the Grill” and “Boy Meets Grill.” Flay can also be seen hosting the ultimate competition series, “Bobby’s Triple Threat,” of which he is also executive producer, and recently treated audiences to a California food-based adventure with his daughter, Sophie, in Food Network’s “Bobby and Sophie on the Coast.”

Flay has also fallen in love with the lifestyle, culture, and food of Italy, highlighted in his Discovery+ original series “Bobby and Giada in Italy,” which launched in January 2021 and represents the trip of a lifetime: a chance to spend a month in Rome and Tuscany while getting inspired by Italy’s history and local cuisine. Flay also hosts the long-running competition series “Beat Bobby Flay” and has starred in “BBQ Brawl,” “The Flay List,” “Food Network Star,” “Iron Chef America,” “Brunch @ Bobby’s” and his Emmy Award-winning “Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction,” in addition to numerous seasonal and holiday specials.

An established restaurateur, he has opened more than 20 restaurants, including Amalfi in Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Flay is also a prolific New York Times bestselling author, having published 16 cookbooks. Flay works tirelessly to challenge the way Americans view and taste food—making it bold, zesty, and always fun.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

STACEY N. HARDING (Director) is a passionate director with an inherent ability to calmly think on her feet and a deep background in Production. While she comes to the table with practical knowledge of story vs. production constraints, stunts, and visual effects, her real passion is telling the story of what it is to be human in honest, grounded and often comedic ways.

Harding is a DGC & DGA Director member in good standing, based in Vancouver, Canada.

Previously, Harding worked as a 1st AD (140+ produced hours) in US studio series television (CBS, NBC, FOX, SONY, ABC, WB, eOne, Paramount, TNT, Showtime).

BETSY SULLENER (Writer) is a freelance producer and writer who often works with director/producer Andy Fickman and the company she helped him establish, Oops Doughnuts Productions.

In her association with Oops Doughnuts, Sullener recently produced “One True Loves,” a romantic drama based on the Taylor Jenkins Reid novel, starring Simu Liu, Phillipa Soo and Luke Bracey and due for a 2023 release. She also produced the Latinx holiday hit film “Christmas Again.” Additionally for Disney, she executive produced and wrote on the Emmy Award-winning series “Liv and Maddie,” which also won multiple Kid’s Choice Awards and was nominated for a prestigious Humanitas Award.

Her other film credits include serving as co-producer on Paramount’s horror comedy “Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” and on “You Again,” a Disney family comedy, starring Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver and Betty White.

Credits

A MarVista Entertainment Production in association with Neshama Entertainment

One Delicious Christmas

CAST

  • Vanessa Marano
  • Alex Mallari Jr.
  • Elana Dunkleman
  • Kathy Maloney
  • with Bobby Flay

CASTING BY

  • Larissa Mair, CDC
  • Ilona Smyth, CSA

COSTUME DESIGNER

  • Jennifer Stroud

MUSIC BY

  • Adam Damelin & Kierscey Rand

EDITOR

  • Jennifer Essex-Chew

PRODUCTION DESIGNER

  • Joey Gunn

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

  • Serge Desrosiers

ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS

  • Lauren MacKinlay
  • Ian Malone
  • Rachel Bulatovich

SENIOR EXECUTIVE

  • Dayna Zipursky

SUPERVISING PRODUCER

  • Ryan Greig

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS FOR NESHAMA ENTERTAINMENT

  • Suzanne Berger
  • Arnie Zipursky

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS FOR DISCOVERY

  • Sheri Singer
  • Jane Latman

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS FOR MARVISTA ENTERTAINMENT

  • Larry Grimaldi
  • Hannah Pillemer
  • Fernando Szew

PRODUCED BY

  • Shane Boucher
  • Caitlin Delaney

WRITTEN BY

  • Betsy Sullenger

DIRECTED BY

  • Stacey N. Harding