My passion for cooking comes from the way my family lived life. In my house, sitting down for a meal wasn’t just about eating. “Eating” was a sacred time for family discussions about life, current events, reminiscing about family members that had passed, holiday plans, and funny stories – both past and present. I learned all about my family history by sitting around the table at night, and my wife and I have taught our daughters the same... just ask any of my kids about Grandma Bruno.

The preparation of the meal was just as important as the meal itself. Watching my mother, grandmother, aunts and great-aunts preparing food was like watching a well-orchestrated performance. Forming, shaping, kneading dough, pounding meat, cleaning shrimp and cutting fish – they carried on and talked about life while seemingly not paying attention to what they were doing... muscle memory, I guess. They never measured anything; a little of this, and a little of that. A delicate balance of both artistry and skill.