Hallmark

A Pinch of Portugal on Hallmark Channel – Plot & Cast

A Pinch of Portugal is a new Hallmark Channel original movie premiering on April 22. It was filmed on location in Portugal and joins other originals like Love in the Maldives and The Professional Bridesmaid on the network. Get details on the plot, cast and see photos below.

A Pinch of Portugal Plot

Anna (Heather Hemmens) is an on-camera prep cook for Dean (Darren Day, “Celebrity Big Brother”), an international celebrity chef. However, one day Dean shockingly walks away from his popular show, leaving Anna to step in. She will now be the host and chef, all while fighting imposter syndrome. But, she starts to make the show her own, traveling all over Portugal to profile and cook the cuisine. Much to her surprise, Anna enjoys the spotlight, as well as the attention of Aussie cameraman Russ (Luke Mitchell), and Portuguese location scout Lucas (Duarte Gomes, “Por Ti”). When Dean makes a surprise return, Anna must decide if she’s ready to take the lead in her career. With Russ by her side, she may just realize she’s much more capable than she originally thought.

Watch the Trailer

The Cast of A Pinch of Portugal – Who’s Who?

Heather Hemmens as Anna

Heather is an American actress known for her role as Maria DeLuca on The CW series Roswell New Mexico. She also recurred on series such as Yellowstone and Grey’s Anatomy. Another CW show you may have seen Heather on was Hellcats, where she was a series lead. Recently, Hemmens starred in the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original Christmas in My Heart, as well as Hallmark Channel original movies Love Take Two and Caribbean Summer.

Did you know Heather took culinary classes at Waverly LA? Back in 2016, she captioned this photo: “LIT!! Today was graduation day!🎓 The confidence, fun, and joy on my face is exactly how I’m feeling. I LOVE the amazing people I met, challenges I overcame, and cooking to bring people together with food and laughter. These are moments I will carry with me forever. #ChefHemmens 🍴.”

She posts sparingly on social media these days, but it appears she’s single, or perhaps just keeping a relationship offline and private.

Luke Mitchell as Russ

Luke is an Australian actor. In Australia, he’s known for the series Neighbours, Home and Away and H20: Just Add Water. As far as American TV goes, fans may recognize him from The Tomorrow People, Agents of SHIELD, Blindspot, The Code or The Republic of Sarah. Most recently, he recurred on Legacies on the CW and ABC’s Big Sky.

Fun fact: Luke originally wanted to be a professional tennis player! Nowadays though, you can find him drinking coffee and hanging out with his dog Alfie.

In 2013, Luke married wife Rebecca Breeds. The couple met on set of Home & Away and were co-stars. See a family photo of Luke, Rebecca and Alfie below:

Full Cast List

Heather Hemmens (Anna)

Luke Mitchell (Russ)

Amy Louise Pemberton (Hope)

Johnna Dias-Watson (Brooklyn)

Darren Day (Dean)

Martina Laird (Marisa)

Michael Monicatti (Cooper)

Duarte Gomes (Lucas)

Andrée Gago (Duarte)

Eric Geynes (Hugo)

Paulo Cardoso (Boat Captain)

Mário Ribeiro (Ginja Vendor)

Where Was the Filming Location?

A Pinch of Portugal was filmed on location in the beautiful picturesque country of Portugal. Some of the spots they hit were Cascias, Sintra and Lisbon. The film’s co-star, Duarte Gomes is a native of Portugal.