Music, like food, is best when made from the heart. This sentiment rings true in writer-director Brad Courtemanche’s aspirational short drama Trumpet Gumbo, which shows how a young chef overcomes an embarrassing kitchen blunder by remembering love is always the main ingredient. Made for a modest $10,000, Trumpet Gumbo is a highly effective film that showcases the intensity of kitchen etiquette and the power of positive thinking.

Yes, Chef

The film opens with a recognizable trumpet melody that immediately brings the viewer into the heart of New Orleans. Here, we meet Chef Buddy Bontemps, a local street food legend and recent winner of a popular cooking show. Buddy’s star is burning bright, and with the newfound attention on him and his culinary skills, he has the opportunity to open his own restaurant. However, he is still months away from completing a mandatory mentorship under the highly skilled Michelin star Chef Deluca before Buddy’s restaurant dreams become a reality.

Buddy may not be a perfectionist in the kitchen, but his routine is uniquely his own. He cuts herbs and sharpens knives while listening to his late father’s jazz album. The spirit of the record keeps Buddy’s mindset optimistic until a kitchen misstep gets into his head, and this worst-case scenario begins playing out like a surreal nightmare. Chef Deluca berates him in front of the entire crew for misremembering a recent order. Almost losing his cool, Buddy turns to the one thing he knows can get him through anything: music. Taking a breath, he pulls out his phone and plays his favorite song, made by his late father, “Trumpet Gumbo”. He gets back to work with his confidence slightly shattered, but his head held high.

Takeaway

Trumpet Gumbo is a story of resilience set in the creative world of culinary arts. A strong performance by lead actor Brandon Scales anchors the film. His emotional catharsis serves the film’s bigger picture and gives way to a strong payoff. Fans of The Bear and those who love the music of Damien Chazelle’s films (Whiplash, Babylon, La La Land) will find much to enjoy in Trumpet Gumbo.