Loveday Writing

The episode then cuts to Easton, Diana, Nayani and Kwame working in the kitchen, preparing for the opening night. Easton is his usual self as he orders Diana to make several crème brûlées as, following up from the end of the previous episode, she agreed to do what he asked for (the dessert), and Nayani (now June’s maître d’) to keep answering the phones. When Easton realises that Jim has drunk all of his French wine, he and Diana go to see Margot to get more.

When they show up, Easton takes press calls and Margot gets Diana to taste her wines. While Diana is resistant due to her lack of wine knowledge, Margot encourages her and she ends up correctly identifying the composition of the wines. Margot tells Diana that she has an excellent palate and she should trust it. Diana asks for the wine on Easton’s behalf and Margot gives it to her, letting Easton know that she’s aware of what he thinks of her.

When they get back to the house, Diana calls Denise to apologise for calling her a cockwomble and tells her that there will be a VIP table for her and Brett at the opening night. Easton then calls out to her to return to the kitchen where Kwame accidentally overcooks the venison for the main, and Nayani decides to leave as she refuses to put up with Easton’s temper. Diana makes matters worse by insulting Nayani in a similar manner to the way Easton has insulted her.

Later, Easton goes to see a venison farmer, Vassiliki, to replace the venison for his main. While he’s there he gets caught up in Vassiliki’s family’s worship of him. When he tells them as he’s leaving that he can’t pay, Vassiliki forces him to put them at a VIP table at the opening night. Meanwhile Diana is struggling to make the crème brûlées.

Opening night finally arrives and Easton gives his speech without Diana to the guests (which include Margot and Zhao). While he does give Diana credit and acknowledges her talent, he does make the speech about him. Throughout the night Diana tries to tell Easton something about the desserts, but he keeps cutting her off. Diana eventually reveals the dessert is not the crème brûlée that Easton has ordered her to make, rather it is a “Pop My Cherry Ripe”, using the crème brûlée as a base, with locally sourced cherries, and chocolate. Diana deliberately doesn’t give the guests spoons, rather they have to eat it from the bowl, which the guests love. Meanwhile Denise and Brett show up, the former is drunk and is yelling at the restaurant. Brett convinces her that they should go home, but not before Denise throws her shoe out of the car.

At the end of the night, Zhao comments to Easton on Kwame working for him and says to Easton that he owes the success of the night to Kwame. Although Kwame later reveals to Diana that Zhao was angry at him for working with her and Easton, and that he can’t work for them anymore.

When Diana expresses her happiness to Easton over the success of the night and the dessert, Easton tells her that she was unprofessional. In turn, Diana calls Easton out on his outdated menu, using her as part of his comeback, and lack of new ideas. Easton fires her out of anger. Jim steals the leftover wine and goes to shoot at it, Easton takes the gun and aims it at Jim. Jim stands in front of Easton, egging him on and stands up for Diana, telling him to take a long hard look at himself. Easton lowers the gun, but leaves the farm with it.

The episode ends with Diana going back home, finding Denise eating a pizza. She drops Denise’s shoe from the farm on the floor to subtly let her know that she knew she was there.

Overall I felt that this was the best written episode due to its constant references to the previous episodes, as well as the smooth progression of the restaurant story arc. It will be interesting to see where the slowly developing rivalry between Zhao and Easton goes, especially now that Kwame has had stop working for Easton, and Diana has been fired. While it was entertaining to see Denise predictably get drunk as the day progressed, her reasons for her drinking weren’t made clear and the consequences of Diana discovering that she was at the restaurant but didn’t go in weren’t fully explored.

I honestly thought that the season would end with the opening night, it will be interesting to see where the final two episodes go from here now that Diana and Easton have had their bumpy but successful opening night.

Stray Observations:

Running gag: Margot being described as a hysterical witch.

-Diana won the CWA’s Best Cake Award at the Urailda Fair the year before.

-Diana refers to Brett as ‘dad’.

Best one liners and interactions:

• “We just stole $2 worth of milk from a cow, we can’t afford a proper maître d’.” (Diana to Easton on Nayani being June’s maître d’)
• “I give him my body for whatever demented pleasures he so desires.” (Diana to Easton on getting Kwame to work for them)
• “You said and I quote, ‘Margot Duplass is a hysterical witch whose natural wine tastes like hangover piss.’” (Diana to Easton on his description of Margot)
• “The press will be there, I can’t have them thinking that every West is a classless scumbag.” (Denise to Brett on the outfit she chose for June’s opening night)
• “But you don’t drink.” “I don’t NOT drink, I’m just not a chronic alcoholic like the rest of my family.” (Brett-Denise on Denise pouring herself a glass of wine)
• “What is he a charity collector? Tell him to go to hell!” (Vassiliki’s mother to Vassiliki on Easton [in Greek])
• “I’m not making coffee for beggars.” “He’s not a beggar, he’s a world famous chef.” “Really?” “Yes.” “Is he rich?” “Yes.” “Get your sister here quick.” (Vassiliki’s mother-Vassiliki going back and forth [in Greek] regarding Easton)
• “The salt from your sweat or tears made it split.” (Kwame to Diana on her crème brûlée mixture not thickening)
• “We have diners coming who’ve paid a stupid amount for the privilege. We owe them a good dessert.” (Kwame to Diana on making the dessert)
• “If you see a guy with a shotgun, just ignore him, that’s my Pop.” (Diana to Margot and Zhao on Jim)
• “Frangipani Fanny is here. She’s a massive food blogger from Sydney.” “You have my permission to kick her in the fanny if she asks for a freebie.” (Diana-Easton)
• “Pop’s entertaining the guests!” (Diana when she hears a shot go off in the distance)
• “Get yourself ready for an entrée of escargot on my mother’s empty grave, Bretty.” (A drunken Denise to Brett)
• “Killing your brother is only a short-term solution.” (Brett to Denise)