Swedish efficiency researchers come to Norway to study Norwegian men, in an effort to help optimize their use of their kitchens.

Folke Nilsson (Tomas Norström) is assigned to study the habits of Isak Bjørvik (Joachim Calmeyer).

By the rules of the research institute, Folke has to sit on an umpire's chair in Isak's kitchen and observe him from there, but never talk to him.

He is forced to leave and drive up to the Swedish border, but then he returns, only to find Isak has died of a broken heart.

This led him to make the film Kitchen Stories with Swedish researchers and a Norwegian man as the main character.