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What’s ‘Boiling Point’?
Director Phil Barantini’s low-budget drama ‘Boiling Point’ is a one-take film set in a fictional restaurant in Dalston that follows stressed-out chef Andy Jones (Stephen Graham) and his staff trying to navigate the busiest night of the year as everything goes wrong. It’s a raw and honest depiction of restaurant work and the stresses of modern living.
Where is the restaurant featured in the film?
The film was shot in Dalston restaurant Jones & Sons, which is owned by one of Barantini’s best and oldest friends Andy Jones (who Graham’s character is named after). ‘We met at Heathrow airport on the way up to Newcastle to be in a movie together, and we lived with each other on and off for years before we were both married,’ Jones says. ‘When I was looking for my first site ten years ago, just after my first son had been born, and was riffing business names with Phil on the phone, he said “You should call it something personal to you and your son, something like Jones & Sons” – and the rest was history.’
How did Barantini pull off filming in a busy working kitchen?
The film’s story is set out in real time. One take. No cuts. The restaurant was closed during the week of filming and on weekdays during the three-week rehearsal period, but opened on the Saturdays and Sundays. The cast shadowed staff at Jones & Sons and a nearby Michelin-star restaurant to learn knife skills and how to work in a kitchen accurately. Jones says, ‘There wasn’t too much disruption, it was like one big dysfunctional family. A few of my staff were extras in the film. My manager Chloe O’Brien was heavily linked to the producers, and we catered for everyone on set as well.’
Does the film portray working in hospitality accurately?
Barantini cooked in restaurants between acting jobs and worked his way up to the head chef position at two London establishments, so he knows a thing or two when it comes to kitchens. The film is based on his experiences in hospitality. Jones confirms the authenticity: ‘Having been in hospitality pretty much my whole life, I can definitely relate to a lots of the themes,’ he says. ‘Compacting all the scenarios into one night makes the film more intense.’ Barantini also recruited Liverpool chef and restaurateur Ellis Barrie from Lerpwl and Hackney chef Tom Brown from Cornerstone as consultants to make sure the film’s scenes rang true.
Was the film shot during the Covid restrictions?
Luckily, the production wrapped just before the first national lockdown in March 2020. ‘The filming process wasn’t really stressful, but with Covid looming, there was a strange sense of the unknown, which had a huge effect on the performances, as everything felt heightened,’ Jones explains. ‘At the time, the only thing we had in place was a sign that said “please wash your hands”. There was a feeling that this would pass in a week or so. Oh, how wrong we all were...’
How has the film been received?
It’s left the London hospitality industry in two minds, but generally it’s had good reviews, with a lot praise for Graham and the rest of the cast’s performances and the technical skills involved in pulling off the one take. ‘I’m blown away by all the reviews, which I think are richly deserved,’ says Jones. ‘I know that chefs have differing opinions of the film, but it’s not their journey, it’s the director’s. In my opinion, what he’s put out is nothing short of astonishing.’
Have things changed for Jones & Sons since the film premiered?
The restaurant has experienced a spike in bookings, which has helped with the quiet January. ‘It’s an amazing feeling to see the restaurant up on the big screen,’ says Jones. ‘I’ve put everything and more into that place. However, after I saw the first showing of the film, I got the decorators in and had to get a new outside, new floor, new paint and new kitchen bits. Nothing like seeing yourself on the big screen to see all the flaws we had!’
Jones & Sons, Stamford Works, 3 Gillett St, N16 8JH.
Find out what London chefs thought of ‘Boiling Point’.
Discover more things to do in the Dalston neighbourhood.