Episode 4 unfolds with Father Brown (portrayed by Mark Williams) and Isobel Devine (played by Claudie Blakley) warmly embracing Harriet Sykes (Sarah Alexander) and her spouse, David (Geoffrey Lumb), as they arrive in Kembleford. The air is thick with anticipation as Father Brown discovers that Harriet has come to supervise the maiden edition of the town's food fair, aptly named "Kemblefood," while David harbors hopes of boosting sales for Harriet's latest literary endeavor.
As the majority of Kembleford's inhabitants gather for the fair's grand opening, including Father Brown and the spirited Brenda Palmer (Ruby-May Martinwood), Devine's strained demeanor and haggard appearance become evident. Compounding her woes is the absence of Chef Rafi Faridi's (Nav Siddhu) sous-chef, adding a layer of chaos to the proceedings. Amidst the introductions of Yen (Jasmine Chiu) and Rafi to the eager crowd, Harriet crosses paths with Inspector Sullivan (Tom Chambers), setting the stage for further developments.
Elsewhere, Brenda seizes the opportunity presented by Rafi's missing assistant. Father Brown, nestled among the attendees, finds himself drawn into Devine's melancholic musings about an upcoming dinner with Hugo Pearl-Blythe (Tim Hudson), a VIP from Mayfair. Once Devine excuses herself, Father Brown's curiosity is piqued by the distinctive design of Lei's Wok pan, prompting him to delve deeper into its story.
Just as he's about to uncover more, Chester Gates (Dominic Rowan) makes a grand entrance, his presence commanding attention but also stirring a ripple of discomfort among the gathering. Through condescending remarks and a haughty demeanor, it becomes crystal clear why Chester's arrival puts everyone on edge.
As Father Brown samples a novel dish of lentils and garlic, known as Dhal Tarka, he learns of a bygone era when Chester and Rafi had dreams of opening a restaurant together, only for Rafi to mysteriously pull out at the last minute. Chester, undeterred, attempts to convince Rafi to include his Chingril Malai on the next day's menu, to no avail. He then turns his critical gaze towards Lei's Prawns and Chop Suey, further alienating her by commenting that she shares her father's sensitivity. The scene is set for a tumultuous day filled with culinary intrigue and interpersonal tensions.Horrified by the prospect that Lei's public humiliation might precipitate her premature departure, Harriet burdens her with an additional responsibility: babysitting Chester. Meanwhile, Father Brown catches the tail end of what sounds like a heated exchange between Chester and David. Though the conversation is cut short, David's fleeting mention of Chester's scathing review of Lei's father lingers ominously. Interrupted in his return to the fayre, Father Brown is waylaid by Devine, who continues to dwell morosely on her new babysitting duties. Seizing the moment, Devine promptly accepts his offer of assistance and asks him to accompany her the following morning.
Chester's no-show at his scheduled 8 o'clock meeting with Devine sets off a chain of events that leads to the grim discovery of his lifeless body. Sullivan attributes the cause of death to a cheese sandwich contaminated with rat poison, speculating that it was likely tampered with in the kitchen, though he doesn't entirely rule out the possibility of a visitor's involvement. Father Brown finds the circumstances surrounding the death of such a high-profile food critic particularly perplexing. Various pieces of evidence are discussed, intensifying the mystery, until Sergeant Goodfellow (John Burton) arrives with news that rat poison is indeed missing from the kitchen. Additionally, the landlady reveals she heard a forbidden female voice in the room shortly after 10 while delivering the fateful sandwich.
Upon returning to the fayre, Devine and Father Brown break the heart-wrenching news to Rafi, who, in a poignant gesture, vows to include his Chingril Malai dish on tonight's menu in honor of Chester. Goodfellow's discovery of a missing chapter from Chester's memoir subsequently leads to Lei's arrest, adding another layer of complexity to an already tangled web of events.At the police station, Father Brown grilled Lei in an attempt to dismantle the incriminating evidence, only to find that her admission of being the female voice overheard by the landlady cast an even darker shadow of suspicion over her. During the interrogation, Lei also disclosed witnessing Chester placing a pot outside Rafi's room. When later confronted about the pot, Rafi revealed it contained Bihari masala powder, a crucial ingredient in Chester's beloved dish, Chingril Malai. The priest further questioned Rafi about his abrupt withdrawal from the restaurant partnership with Chester, which Rafi attributed to Chester's father—the British Governor, whom he believed could have done more to halt the riots and massacres that plagued the Hindus and Muslims in Bihari.
While overseeing Harriet as she signed copies of her book, Devine made a startling revelation: David's pen bore the same defect as the one found earlier on Chester's fayre invitation. Upon sharing this with Father Brown, David candidly confessed to sending Chester the tickets and invitation, hoping it would pave the way for him to become Chester's memoir publisher. Harriet's book, however, was not performing as well as anticipated, leading to the eventual closure of her cooking school due to dwindling sales.
Armed with his new evidence, Father Brown ventured back to the jail and then returned to the station to further question Lei. She confessed to her romantic entanglement with Chester, a relationship her father had discovered and vehemently opposed, though he was the sole family member privy to it. This would all change once the memoir was made public. Before departing the station, Father Brown persuaded Goodfellow to allow him another glimpse at Chester's memoir, which uncovered numerous scandals penned by the late chef.
Harriet's enthusiasm over David's securing a new chef waned upon the arrival of Hugo Pearl-Blythe.
Elsewhere at the fyre, Father Brown uncovers a startling revelation: Rafi's involvement in the riots was far more significant than he had initially admitted. It was the tragic demise of his mother, coupled with a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, that fueled his actions. He even darkness claims to have borne witness to his own bloodied hands at one harrowing juncture, a haunting memory he attributed to his hurried exile to England. The full extent of this came to Chester's attention following the demise of his father and the subsequent inheritance. Fearing the exposure of these secrets in Chester's forthcoming memoir, Rafi saw no alternative but to silence him permanently.
In the midst of Rafi's arrest, a dramatic scene unfolds as Devine, losing her composure, unleashes a verbal onslaught upon Harriet, who protests vehemently. Amidst the heated exchange, Father Brown steps in, offering a peaceful resolution by suggesting Brenda's help in completing Rafi's unfinished curry. Harriet, though reluctant, concedes, noting that the real challenge lies in preventing Blythe from making a hasty exit. Father Brown reassuringly vows to tackle this obstacle, and true to his word, he later engages Blythe in a conversation about the intricacies of the Wok cooking pan, cleverly delaying him.
Miraculously, the meal arrives just as Blythe prepares to depart. Harriet later announces her upcoming meeting, a small but significant marker of normalcy returning. As the event draws to a close and the tents are dismantled, Harriet offers a heartfelt apology to Devine, further confessing her deep admiration for her.
