A chef with gambling problems flees to a Latin American villa, assuming the identity of a private chef for the uber-rich. But fate has other plans, as he finds himself preparing the most important meal of his life. A film by Nicholas Tomnay, starring Nick Stahl, Tamsin Topolski, Randy Vasquez, Penelope Mitchell, Brian Groh, and Juan Carlos Messier.

Ryan (Nick Stahl), a talented chef with gambling problems, arrives in an unnamed Latin American country. He receives a message from Rabbit, the debt collector, saying Ryan is avoiding him and demanding a call. Ryan, however, chooses to ignore the message. He attempts to hire a taxi driver, but none of them can speak English.

Then Ryan sees a man holding a card with his name on it. As Ryan approaches the man, the man asks if he is Mr. Ryan Mosely and introduces himself as the driver (Juan Pablo Solano). During the commute to a secluded villa, the driver hands Ryan an envelope and informs him that Mr. Jack has left a message. Ryan learns from Jack’s letter in the envelope that Jack is occupied with some work and will not return until nightfall. He also leaves Ryan a pin code to enter the villa.

That evening, Jack (Brian Groh) returns to the villa, greeting Ryan warmly. Impressed by the place and the expensive wine collection, Ryan showers Jack with compliments. However, Jack reveals that these luxuries belong to the agency he works for, he’s just here for a few weeks to prepare a special dinner for their guests.

Jack and Ryan’s friendship stretches back to their days as roommates in culinary school. After graduation, their careers took them down different paths, and this reunion marks twelve years since they last saw each other. A hint of longing flickers in Ryan’s eyes as he envies Jack’s situation. He even casually offers to become Jack’s sous chef, but Jack avoids a direct answer about hiring him. When Ryan inquires about the pay, Jack delivers a cryptic response: money is the only perk the job offers. Jack seems jaded, his passion for the culinary arts seemingly dulled by years in this demanding role.

At this point, we are left wondering why Jack invited Ryan. Ryan isn’t part of the crew, so their connection is unclear. Alternatively, it’s possible Ryan asked Jack to stay at the place to avoid a debt collector. However, this seems unlikely since it’s not Jack’s villa, and Jack probably wouldn’t have the authority to invite someone to stay there.

The next day, Jack takes Ryan to a café in town where they meet Alice, a solo traveler who saved up enough money, quit her job, and now travels the world. When she learns that Jack and Ryan are both chefs, she asks which one of them is better. Jack invites her along to the villa where Jack and Ryan each prepare a dish of risotto for Alice’s blind taste test. Alice chooses Ryan’s dish. Later that night, Jack reveals that Ryan lost a wristwatch to him 15 years ago in a game of cards, but Ryan has never accepted that loss.

While Jack is out for work, Ryan takes advantage of using Jack’s MacBook Pro. Surprisingly, it is unlocked with no passcode or any other security measures in place. Driven by curiosity, Ryan delves into the browser history, which conveniently saved login information. He finds himself staring at Jack’s bank account details and a significant balance exceeding £1.7 million.

The next day, Ryan finds Jack dead by suicide, hanging himself. Ryan sees a chance to clear his debts with Jack’s money. He rushes to Jack’s notebook, only to discover it’s now locked with a password. Ryan manages to reset the login password. However, another obstacle emerges – the browser no longer saves Jack’s bank account information since Ryan cleared all cookies earlier, trying to erase his tracks.

Before he can solve this problem, Imogene (Tamsin Topolski) and Maurice (Juan Carlos Messier), who work for the agency, arrive at the villa to check on the operation. Fortunately, they don’t recognize Jack. Ryan seizes the opportunity, pretends to be Jack, and assumes his role. Little does Ryan know, this decision will lead him down a darker and far more troubled path.

Written and directed by American filmmaker Nicholas Tomnay, WHAT YOU WISH FOR takes us on a thrilling ride into the dark underbelly of the culinary world. Here, elites indulge in meticulously prepared dishes featuring exotic and illegal ingredients. They’re willing to pay a staggering $1.5 million per seat at this exclusive table. While the concept isn’t entirely original, the filmmaker keeps us on the edge of our seats with unexpected plot twists, the thrill of danger, and a chilling believability that makes it feel all too real.

Nick Stahl delivers a powerful performance as Ryan, a talented chef burdened by gambling debts. Forced to flee the country, he leaves his mother exposed in a desperate gamble for a fresh start. When opportunity knocks, Ryan throws caution to the wind, seizing it as a lifeline to escape his financial problems. However, this hasty decision propels him down a perilous path, one that could cost him his life. As the story unfolds, we find ourselves drawn to Ryan’s plight, secretly rooting for this flawed character despite his questionable choices.

The film, however, suffers from a few plot holes that could have been polished and fleshed out for a more realistic and compelling narrative. The reason and motive behind Ryan’s presence are unclear. Did Jack invite him? Why? Did Ryan reach out to Jack? What did Ryan hope to achieve by flying to a remote location? The film spends nearly 30 minutes establishing their connection, which could be condensed if Jack simply hired Ryan in the first place. However, the plot hinges on Ryan impersonating Jack, with no one realizing the switch. This raises another question: who hired the driver? Was it outside the agency’s usual protocol?

Another glaring plot hole is Imogene’s lack of knowledge about Jack’s appearance. Considering she’s an agency representative overseeing a multi-million dollar dining experience, not a casual Michelin-starred restaurant in the middle of nowhere. It’s strange she wouldn’t know the real Jack. Her high rank is evident, as she can authorize company funds and send detailed emails. Yet, despite suspicions about Ryan, she never verifies his identity with the agency. This inaction feels unnatural.

The film could have fixed this by showing the agency aware of Ryan’s deception. Due to this unique circumstances, they couldn’t secure another chef and are forced to go along with the charade. However, the agency has a reputation to uphold, and letting an inexperienced chef run their kitchen wouldn’t be ideal either.

WHAT YOU WISH FOR premiered at Fantasia Festival on 30 July 2023. The film received a limited theatrical release in the United States on 31 May 2024, by Magnet Releasing.