“It’s wonderful to round out 2019 working on an uplifting romantic comedy with a talented team here in Brisbane, including First AD Christine Luby and DOP Jason Hargreaves ACS. We think audiences around the globe will fall in love with the characters in the film and our little seaside town of Lemon Myrtle Cove,” said actor turned director Rosie Lourde in a statement.
Primarily known as an actress (Starting From… Now, Chocolate Oyster), Lourde also worked as co-writer/director on upcoming horror anthology series Deadhouse Dark, and also wrote/directed VR project Breach, currently screening on the festival circuit.
Romance on the Menu is described as a ‘feel-good, culinary rom-com’, which follows New York restauranteur Caroline Wilson (Cindy Busby), who inherits a café in fictional Lemon Myrtle Cove in Australia. “In her bid to renovate the business to sell, she begins to fall in love with the place, its people, and in particular, a charming local chef, Simon Cook,” says the press release, with Cook played by Tim Ross (Wonderland).
“Caroline is invigorated and inspired by her time in Australia and begins to re-evaluate her life. With her ex-fiancé begging for her to take him back, and pressing work commitments back home, she is faced with a life-changing decision: give up her New York life and stay in Lemon Myrtle Cove, or return to the big city.”
Canadian actor Cindy Busby is best known for hit series Heartland and numerous Hallmark Channel movies. The cast also includes Naomi Sequeira (The Evermoor Chronicles, Rip Tide), Marita Wilcox (Jack Irish, Neighbours), Peter Bensley (Water Rats, Neighbours) and US-born, Gold Coast based actor Joey Vieira (Reef Break, Dora and the Lost City of Gold).
“My character Caroline finds herself on the other side of the world in unfamiliar surroundings, and that is something I can relate to!” said Busby in the statement. “I’m so happy to have the opportunity to film here in Australia for the first time, and I’m looking forward to working with this wonderful cast and crew to create something special for our audiences.”
Romance on the Menu is produced by The Steve Jaggi Company (Rip Tide, Back of the Net), written by Casie Tabanou and Alison Spuck (Back of the Net) and is shooting across Brisbane for 3 weeks.
“After finding success in the Young Adult space, we’re excited to be expanding into this vertical,” said Producer Steve Jaggi. “There’s colossal global demand for romantic comedies and our move into this space ties in with our re-location to Queensland earlier this year.”
