The following contains spoilers for House of Spoils, now streaming on Prime Video
The ending ofHouse of Spoilsadds entire new layers of character to the film’s narrative, with the big third-act twist changing everything that occurred before. The film stars Ariana DeBose as the Chef, an ambitious young woman who finds herself trying to open her own high-end restaurant. Transforming an abandoned building into a fine dining experience is tricky, but the Chef finds unexpected inspiration in the fields used by the previous owner, an apparent Witch who disappeared some time ago. However, the spirit of the Witch seems to haunt the Chef, pushing her to the edge.
Ariana DeBose’sHouse of Spoilsis a tight character study, largely focusing on the Chef and her growth. She starts the film as an overtly confident but quietly unsure cook, whose trepidations about the ghost and the restaurant begin to mix. It all builds to a surprisingly cathertic conclusion that sees the Chef confront the past and her future alike, with powerful results. Here is how the ending ofHouse of Spoilsgives the Chef (and the Witch) a surprisingly happy ending.
House Of Spoils' Witch & What She Wants Explained
House of Spoils' Big Twist Reveals The Truth About The Witch
House of Spoils' big third-act twist reveals the true nature of the witch, ultimately empowering the Chef not just to survive but thrive by becoming her unlikely successor. For much ofHouse of Spoils, there is an undercurrent of dread. Visions of the ghostly woman and dreams of a chant calling for her to “feed the soil” only add to the sense of dread hanging over the Chef. However, after being trapped underneath the building,the Chef discovers the body of the “witch.“Through an unexpected vision, witnesses the witch’s life as a medicine woman for the local community.
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In a sense, the “witch” was just like the Chef, creating something soothing to feed and soothe others. The “sacrifices” seen in Chef’s visions were medical procedures. The mysterious occult symbols aree just a recreation of a sliced vegetable. Even the apparent chant of “feed the soil” was a final message from the Witch, a peaceful acceptance of her death after being trapped in the tunnels.The Witch is revealed to be a gentle figureonce this connection is established, helping lead away the Chef from a similar fate while reversing the decay of the food.
How The Witches' Garden Works In House Of Spoils
The Witches' Garden Has Some Impressive Results And Is Seemingly Connected To The Witch
While exploring the property that her restaurant will be at, the Chef ends up discovering a large number of unique plants and herbs. Through trial and error, the Chef discovers what effect each one has on a person who ingests it. This allows the Chef to create uniquely delicious and refreshing dishes. The garden, similar to the rest of the food in the kitchen, seems to be somewhatinfluenced by the spirit of the Witch. Early on, all of the Chef’s food spoils before she can properly cook it, forcing her to resort to store-bought food presented in artistic fashion.
When the Chef is trapped in the basement, the Witch seems to take away her favor from the kitchen. As a result, the food loses its flavor and quickly begins to degrade. It isn’t until the Chef frees herself and utilizes a more traditional form of cooking akin to the Witch’s work that the food regains its taste.This connection between the Chef and the Witch being key to the gardenis reinforced through the film’s final moment, where the Chef seems to connect ethereally to something in the wind when biting into a fruit that matches the Witch’s symbol.
Is The Chef Actually Mentally Ill In House Of Spoils?
The Chief Contends With A Lot Of Stress And Pressure InHouse Of Spoils
A key element ofHouse of Spoilsis the amount of expectation the Chef puts on herself. Even from the film’s early moments, this dount is seeded by the Chef’s former employer openly doubts her ability to run a restaurant herself. There is even a suggestion early on that theChef could be imagining some of the aspects of the apparent haunting, potentially throwing away perfectly fine food because she sees it as imperfect. This is reinforced by several shots of her taking medicine to help combat her anxiety, suggesting she has a mental illness of some kind.
Chef is finally at peace once she’s empathized with the Witch.
Chef does become more frayed as the film goes on, especially as a result of the Witch’s “haunting.” It’s part of what makes the film’s ending so powerful, as Chef is finally at peace once she’s empathized with the Witch. This is visualized by a rabbit Chef fails to catch repeatedly earlier in the film, only for it to hop over to her once she’s escaped the tunnels. Calming killing the rabbit and serving it as part of a stew, the Chef calm and confident demeanor in the finale highlights her ability to overcome her own self-inflicted mental stress.
Who The Villain Really Is In House Of Spoils
How Andres & The Witch Factor IntoHouse Of Spoils
There isn’t a primary villain inHouse of Spoils. However, the Witch and Andres could be considered antagonists for very different reasons. The Witch spends much of the film as an increasingly unsettling presence that only adds to the tension and stress of the Chef’s job. The Witch is what pushes Chef over the edge, leading Chef to try and throw away all their work with the Witch’s Garden before the climax. However, the twist of the Witch’s identity recasts her actions as efforts to reach out to a fellow misunderstood woman, setting up the film’s unexpectedly joyful ending.
The Witch
Imola Gáspár
Andres is arguably the most active antagonist in Chef’s journey. Despite presenting himself as a friend and partner, Andres is quick to undermine the Chef’s authority and even threatens to shut her down more than once. Although the film makes him slightly sympathetic, it doesn’t excuse his decision to take control of the kitchen away in the third act and lock the Chef in the basement to keep her from ruining the night. He unwittingly almost kills her this way, but Andres is ultimately accepted enough by Chef that he’s able to help set up an impromptu outdoor meal.
The True Meaning Of House Of Spoils' Ending
House Of SpoilsHas A Surprisingly Happy Ending
House of Spoilsis ultimately about a woman overcoming expectations— from herself, others, and even the beyond — to find peace in her work. The Chef is truly at her best in the film’s final moments, refusing to hold back as she did before. Her restrained demeanor is replaced by a matter of fact one, and her affected ego disappears. When Lucia initially expects to be yelled at for her part in taking over the kitchen from her, the Chef casually reaffirms their bond by asking for help preparing dinner.
Chef also finds massive success, as her cooking wins over even her strictest critics. By effectively embracing her role as the new “Witch,” the Chef reaches her true potential as a cook. The film concludes with almost every notable characterhaving a happy ending, the Chef’s cooking even uniting the wealthy upper-crust and the wait staff. It’s a powerful ending that suggests the Witch’s memory and influence can still help people like the Chef, who can mold it in her own way. It’s a sweet way to endHouse of Spoils, and makes it a surprisingly uplifting horror film.
House of Spoils
Cast
House of Spoils features an ambitious chef opening a restaurant on a remote estate. She struggles with kitchen chaos, self-doubt, and a haunting presence that aims to sabotage her efforts.
