A new life awaits 22-year-old Tess when she arrives friendless in New York City and lacking any specific ambitions beyond finding a job. Her charm and observational nature lead to an invitation to train at one of the city's best restaurants. She thinks it is a temporary place to wait for her life's big break, but Tess is quickly intoxicated by the people she meets and by the chaotic world behind the scenes -- tasting expensive wine, exploring dive bars, learning whom to trust. Her co-workers become her family, and through them she finds a sense of belonging that she has never encountered before.