In the twilight of his years, a once celebrated chef, now a humbled widowed dishwasher, conceals his storied past while caring for his adult special needs son. As the echoes of his culinary fame fade, a serendipitous encounter reignites his passion, compelling him to embrace his mentorship role and rediscover the art of inspiration. This is a fictionalized view of a unromanticized reality. Not star chefs, not kitchen combat. The characters of the culinary world who’s stories are never told. A story about a father’s love for his son, and relighting his inner beacon, allowing his light to shine outwards once more and illuminate the path for others.

Review by Victoria Angelique:

The short film, WHAT’S LEFT, is a poignant film about the sacrifice’s a parent will make for their child after the death of a spouse. The themes covered in this film relate to many moments in life, that one event can change an entire person’s life. For this man, it is the death of his wife after a battle of cancer and he becomes the sole caretaker of his special needs son. 

The cinematographer captured the life this father once had, a Michelin star chef that once headlined newspapers, and now to support his adult child, he washes dishes at a restaurant where the chef abuses his staff rather than teaches them when they make mistakes. This chef is arrogant and makes it clear that he doesn’t know what his own craft is when this kind father has to step in to correct a frustrated sous chef by patiently teaching her the steps rather than belittling her. 

This demonstrates the kind of man that he is because how many people could remain quiet when being berated by a much younger boss when you know that your own skills are far superior than his own? This is the kind of man that knows his son comes first and what his wife would’ve wanted, though the cashier at the gas station kindly reminds him she wanted him to work as a dishwasher for a horrible boss as he prays about winning the lottery. 

This film is a character study about one man and what he has sacrificed for his child. This is a wonderful story about a father’s love for his child and how it doesn’t matter what his boss says to him, because at the end of the day it is worth it to go home to his son, even if he is no longer a five star chef.