In 1671, Francois Vatel, a master chef, entertainer and steward, is hired by the Prince de Conde to prepare an important feast for the upcoming arrival of King Louis XIV. However, it will take nothing short of a miracle to prepare a fete fitting for royalty while Conde's provinces rest on the verge of financial ruin. Vatel, however, is a culinary genius possessing a heightened sense of resourcefulness with which to resolve each new crisis that threatens to damper the festivities. He is caught off guard by only one unforseen factor -- the ravishing beauty of royal newcomer, the regal Anne de Montausier. Not only has she caught the king's eye but also those of Vatel and the king's nasty aide the Marquis de Lauzon. To the monarch and the marquis she is but a sexual conquest, but Vatel and Anne recognize the decency and honesty in each other, qualities in short supply in the rarefied world in which they exist.