***SPOILER ALERT***
Margot Mills and her date Tyler travel by boat to Hawthorn, an exclusive restaurant owned and operated by celebrity chef Julian Slowik, located on a private island. The other guests attending the dinner are Lillian Bloom, a food critic; her editor Ted; wealthy couple Richard and Anne Leibrandt; George, a washed-up movie star, and his personal assistant Felicity; business partners Soren, Dave, and Bryce; and Julian’s alcoholic mother. The group is given a tour of the island by the restaurant maître d’hôtel, Elsa, who notes that Margot was not Tyler’s designated guest for the evening.
The maître d’hôtel Elsa welcomed them to the island tour which she gave before dinner. It was then that Elsa remarked that Margot was not Tyler’s originally designated guest for that evening. The restaurant boasted luxurious features such as its grand dining hall decked with an array of beautiful flowers and its vast terrace with captivating views of the night sky. Upon entering the restaurant, they were instantly in awe at the amount of intricate detail that went into furnishing the space – from its intricately designed chandeliers to its artfully tiled flooring.
After everyone settled down at their respective tables, they were served a variety of exquisite dishes prepared by Julian Slowik himself. Each dish presented distinct flavours that tantalised their palates and left them craving for more. Throughout the evening, conversations emerged between guests as stories were shared over delicious food and fine wine – from movies to business opportunities, no topic went undiscussed amidst this eclectic group of people gathered around Hawthorn’s grand table.
Dinner begins with Julian introducing a series of courses while delivering unsettling monologues about each dish. As the evening progresses, secrets are revealed about each guest in attendance, including affairs, embezzlement, and other scandals. During the fourth course, tragedy strikes as a sous chef kills himself in front of the guests, shocking them all. Another staff member takes matters into his own hands when Richard attempts to escape by cutting off his ring finger. After the fourth course is delivered, the restaurant’s prime investor – who also happens to be Soren, Dave and Bryce’s boss – is drowned in full view of all those at the dinner table. Moments later, Julian gives the guests an opportunity for escape but their efforts are quickly thwarted as his staff captures and returns them to their seats. Fear and tension fill Hawthorn Restaurant as more secrets are uncovered throughout the night that leads to further chaos and danger for all involved.
Julian reveals all the guests were selected because they either contributed to him losing his passion for his craft or because they make a living off exploiting the work of artisans and workers like him and his team. He explains that these individuals have taken away something precious from him, and now he intends to take something precious away from them. He announces that everyone present will be dead by the end of the night, causing a wave of shock throughout the room.
Since Margot’s presence was unplanned, Julian privately gives her the choice of dying either with the staff or with the guests. She initially refuses to accept this choice, but Julian states that it is an honor to choose how one passes away. It is revealed that Margot is an escort who has met with Richard before and who was hired by Tyler for the evening. Julian reveals that Tyler was invited personally and knew that the dinner would end with everyone’s death, so he invited Margot knowing she would die even before she knew what fate had in store for her. This causes Margot to feel a mixture of anger and sorrow as she realizes she was lied to about why Tyler chose her for this night out. Julian humiliates Tyler by forcing him to cook and he did poorly. He even presented raw meat. Then Julian told him to hang himself. Then asks Margot to get an item from the smoking room.
Margot bravely navigates her way through Julian’s secluded house, only to be met with a surprise attack from Elsa. She quickly acts to defend herself, using the sharp edge of an old dinner knife to stab Elsa in the neck and end the confrontation. As Margot continues her search for clues about Julian’s past life, she discovers newspaper clippings of his former position as a fast-food restaurant manager. She then finds a radio and calls for help, with a Coast Guard officer arriving shortly after from his boat. To Margot’s shock and surprise, the man reveals himself to be a line cook in disguise before heading straight back into the kitchen with a barrel of supplies on his shoulder. Thankfully, Margot escapes unharmed and is able to return to the restaurant safely – though shaken by her experience.
Afterward, Margot began to mock Julian’s dishes that were served at dinner calling them “loveless” cooking. She complained that she was still hungry even after finishing her meal. When Julian inquired what she would like to eat in response, Margot requested something more substantial – a cheeseburger and fries. Without hesitation or question Julian prepared this request for her with careful precision yet a hint of creative flare – seemingly reigniting his love for food and cooking in the process. Margot took one delicious bite before expressing her approval of his culinary talents then asked if she could take it “to go” leaving some surprised looks around the table. However Julian obliged to her wishes while also packing up additional treats from dinner into a bag for her departure. The staff courteously assisted her in making her escape on the Coast Guard boat docked nearby as she thanked them all with a wave goodbye before sailing away into the night.
The dessert is a delectable s’mores-inspired creation that’s fit for a king. The restaurant staff cover the floor with finely crushed graham crackers and adorn each guest with a unique stole made of fluffy marshmallows and topped off with a stylish hat crafted from dark, rich chocolate. Margot and her date Tyler marvel at this unexpected experience, as do the other guests in attendance such as Lillian Bloom, the food critic; Ted, her editor; Richard and Anne Leibrandt, the wealthy couple; George, the washed-up movie star and his assistant Felicity; Soren, Dave, and Bryce, three business partners; and Julian Slowik’s alcoholic mother. Everyone is speechless as they take in this luxurious presentation of one of America’s favorite desserts. Julian then sets the restaurant on fire. It kills all the guests, staff, and himself, fulfilling what he said would happen since the beginning. Margot watches from the boat, she unpacks her cheeseburger, takes a bite, and uses a copy of the menu to wipe her mouth.
