This falls in my perfect sweet spot. A well-done documentary about three restaurants including Alinea in Chicago. The other two restaurants are a struggling Mexican restaurant in Phoenix and an old (as in over a 100 years old) establishment in a small town in Iowa that literally anchors the town of 100 or so residents. The film’s focus is not at all the “inner workings” of restaurants though. It’s about overcoming adversity and keeping your family and those you love together. Spinning Plates gives us a very good idea of who those who are running these restaurants are and then goes into their individual struggles. From the 3 Michelin star Alinea to the struggling Cocina de Gaby in Pheonix there is a world of difference but also a lot of similarities. All of these places involve very hard work and an attempt to hold on to the traditions, the places and the work they love.