The last five years have seen an explosion in the restaurant sector in Ireland. Standards are higher and competition is harder than they have ever been as a new generation of “Young Turk” Chef/Entrepreneurs have come home from training abroad to set up their own eateries.

In such establishments, food is often presented as something rather more serious than a High Mass, and with a price tag to match. The atmosphere in the kitchens is intense, hot and pressurised – a situation exacerbated by the mercurial tempers of the “Star Chefs”. Last Mango In Dublin affectionately satirizes this unique side of the Celtic Tiger.

The film is a screwball comedy whose frenetic pace and the roller-coaster ride of improbable twists of fate are re-inforced by the distinctive visual style of Lighting Cameraman Ronan Fox. The look of the film is inspired by the rich saturated hues of the paintings of Dublin artist Graham Knuttel: sodium yellows, lime greens, azure blues in unexpected and decidedly non-naturalistic combinations.

The playful and anarchic tone of the piece is further enhanced by the witty score with a virtual A-Z of Latin American music: Rumbas, Cha-chas and, of course, the Tango.

Much of Last Mango was filmed at Morels Restaurant in Glasthule, County Dublin. It is owned by Stephane Cozy and Head Chef John Dunne who designed the visually ravishing dishes featured in the film – the crew confirm they tasted as good as they look! Ironically, on the night the production wrapped at the location a real inspector for the Michelin Food Guide picked that of all nights to visit!