Es muss nicht immer Kaviar sein ("It Can’t Always Be Caviar") is a TV adaption of a novel of the same name by Austrian author Johannes Mario Simmel.

Thomas Lieven, a pacifist through and through, has no interest whatsoever to even toy with the thought to get entangled in spy business but the German secret service doesn't take no for an answer.

Like German "Major Loos" (Herbert Fleischmann) and British "Mr. Lovejoy" (Rainer Penkert) also French "Captain Simeon" (Erik Schumann) attempts to persuade Lieven that he ought to serve him.

In the course of a mission in Marseille he meets the small-time criminal "Bastian Fabre" (Heinz Reincke) who introduces him to his boss, an attractive lady called Chantal (Marisa Mell).

That he she has in common with other ladies he will also acquaint during the adventures about to come: "Estrella" (Nadja Tiller), "Yvonne" (Heidrun Kussin), "Jeanne" (Louise Martini) and eventually "Helen" (Christiane Krüger) who wants to recruit him for the American secret service.