Henry Appleby has an appetite for life. As a recent high school graduate and the son of a wealthy family in one of Chicago’s affluent North Shore suburbs, his life is laid out for him. Unfortunately, though, he’s being forced to follow in the footsteps of his successful attorney father instead of living his dream of being a chef. When an opportunity comes his way to work in a real kitchen the summer after graduation, at a little Italian joint called Fiorello’s, Henry jumps at the chance, putting his future in jeopardy.<br><br>Years ago, life was a plentiful buffet for Vito Carelli. But a tragic turn of events now keeps the young chef at Fiorello’s quiet and secretive, preferring to let his amazing Italian peasant cuisine do his talking.<br><br>When the two cooks meet over an open flame, sparks fly. Both need a taste of something more -- something real, something true -- to separate the good from the bad and find the love -- and the hope -- that just might be their salvation.

Dinner at Fiorello's

He looked over the place and was surprised to see it was not what he was expecting. Henry had pictured something out of every Hollywood depiction of Italian restaurants since time immemorial: red-and-white checked tablecloths, Chianti bottles topping each table, stuffed with a dripping taper candle. On the walls would be oil paintings of Venice, the Colosseum, or maybe the hills of Tuscany. There would be artificial vines and clusters of plastic grapes hanging over the bar.


He shook his head, ashamed at prejudging the place.


Chapter 7