Selma Miriam and Noel Furie have expressed that they hope the way they die is at work simultaneously. Their work involves running the Bloodroot restaurant, a welcoming environment for feminists, lesbians, and vegans in Bridgeport, Connecticut. With a rich history of progression in social acceptance and varied dishes, it’s easy to understand why the two proprietors would never want to leave such a business. It’s why there is little surprise that when Selma was asked about retirement, she responded, “Sounds like a disease.”

A Culinary Uprising documents the vital history behind Bloodroot’s status as a haven for the oppressed and a rare venue for a strictly vegan menu. Selma and Noel both reveal stories of how they grew up during a time when being gay was reviled and that playing straight was a necessity. There’s no pretending in Bloodroot. Selma is unafraid to speak openly about her homosexuality and be more vocal about her politics. She’s also a fierce leader in her kitchen, maintaining her vegan standards and recipes. As some employees have noted, she’s a feisty leader, and this information is relayed with a mixture of laughter and clumsily spilling a drink.

The film combines divulging the stories behind Bloodroot’s foundation, the women who have served it well, and the intriguing stories from decades of dealing with customers. Naturally, a vegan restaurant will surely draw some ire from an unsuspecting patron seeking to order a steak or request some whipped cream with their dessert. A firm stance is maintained for the business to maintain its standards, where Selma deeply disagrees with the idea that the customer is always right. She has plenty more vocal thoughts on the nature of politics and feminism, extolling her philosophy about vegan cooking is the more exciting venture and essential for maintaining a progressively feminist establishment. She also isn’t afraid to be more open with sexuality, going so far as to liken the liveliness of bread to cupping a breast.

Throughout the picture, there is a lingering question of what will happen when Selma and Noel pass away. The two of them don’t think about it much, and not out of fear of an existential crisis. They know they won’t live forever, but what’s the point in dwelling on it? If all you’re thinking about is death, you’re not really living. And with a world in need of strong women to bolster queer voices, safe spaces, and enticing vegan dishes, there’s so much to do that death is a worry so far down the list of concerns. All the two elders can think about is the next day, the next dish, and the next big event for Bloodroot. That’s all that matters, and if they live another day past that, all the better.

A Culinary Uprising highlights the essential and invigorating aspects of older women determined to do what they love and spread that joy like vegan butter. Selma reminds me so much of an old woman in my neighborhood who has been running a private school out of a house in my neighborhood for decades. She’s highly involved and spends an incredible amount of time working on the school in more ways than one, with no intentions of stopping anytime soon. It’s an essential and fulfilling profession that makes it easy to understand why retirement isn’t an option, where dying on the job doesn’t sound like the worst way to go.