Chef’s Kiss First Look From Roku and Jaggi Entertainment

Today, Roku and Jaggi Entertainment announced that production has commenced in New South Wales on the Roku Original romantic comedy Chef’s Kiss, starring Adrienne Bailon-Houghton (The Real, The Cheetah Girls) and Tim Robards (Voltron, Street Fighter).

The delectable love story is set against the rich culinary and cultural backdrop of Tuscany. Bailon-Houghton also serves as executive producer of Chef’s Kiss, which is set to debut in February 2026.

Written by Amelie Bonnet, Chef’s Kiss follows Lauren Navarro (Bailon-Houghton), an ambitious American marketing executive tasked with revitalizing a family-run pasta sauce brand. On her journey, she encounters Mason (Robards), a passionate ex-commercial chef with uncompromising values and an irresistible charm.

Joining them are Julia Vosnakis (From All Sides, Waltzing Matilda) as Isabella, Nat Buchanan (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga) as Maddie, and acclaimed screen veteran Dina Panozzo (The Last Days of the Space Age, Darby & Joan) as Francesca Russo, the fiery matriarch caught between tradition and transformation.

Set in the rolling hills and sunlit piazzas of Tuscany, the film follows Lauren as she travels from the U.S. to Italy on a bold mission to rebrand Russo Pasta Sauce. What begins as a clash of cultures, values, and cooking philosophies slowly simmers into something much richer, as Lauren’s growing connections with both Mason and Francesca’s culinary legacy force her to confront what truly matters most in love, life, and work.

“We’re so excited to kick off production on ‘Chef’s Kiss,’ a romantic comedy that features what our audiences already love—stories full of heart, humor, and connection,” said Morgan Pichinson, Roku Originals. “Our viewers devour rom-coms, especially during moments that matter to them, and we can’t wait to bring them a new love story to savour just in time for Valentine’s Day.”

The project is being brought to life by producers Steve Jaggi and Kylie Mascord, with Jaggi emphasising his delight in bringing this romance to the screen. “Romance has always been at the heart of what we do,” said Jaggi. “‘Chef’s Kiss’ reflects our ongoing commitment to producing engaging, internationally appealing romance films, and we’re thrilled to be doing so in collaboration with Roku.”

Morgan Pichinson and Sabrina Lyall will oversee Chef’s Kiss on behalf of Roku Originals. The project builds on Roku Originals’ existing lineup of rom-coms, including This Time Next Year, Merry Little Mystery, Jingle Bell Love, and Jingle Bell Wedding.

Production is taking place in Sydney and the surrounding area, doubling for Italy, with the feature set to premiere on The Roku Channel in the U.S. and Australian cinemas through Romance Society next year.

The Roku Channel is available to stream for free on Roku devices and TVs, as well as online at TheRokuChannel.com, and on iOS and Android devices, Amazon Fire TVs, Samsung TVs, Google TVs, and other Android TV OS devices.