Cooking with Love

As she looked down at the menu, Diana smiled, running her fingers over the laminated pages. Her own restaurant, Cooking with Love, was born. She finally made her dream come true.  

After saving enough for down payment plus beginning overhead costs, she was now the owner of a waterfront location she had her eye on for years. Now here she was with a staff of 20, bringing to life her grandmother’s recipes along with some of her own authentic Italian creations. Diana had fond memories of watching her mother and grandmother in the kitchen, often with their hands animating the conversations. Never far away was her notebook where she jotted down ideas for a sauce or a dish. To her, there was nothing better than the aroma of basil, sausage, tomatoes and hints of thyme. As she got older and her grandmother began slowing down, the three of them would all sit around the island in the middle of the kitchen, laughing until they cried as they enjoyed a bottle of wine from her brother’s winery.  

Almost 10 years passed since she lost her mother. Her Dad was now living in his private quarters on her brother’s estate in California. His keen knack for business allowed him to contribute and stay mentally sharp, filling the void in his heart that his late wife left.  As she stood in her kitchen prepping for the evening, Diana couldn’t help but feel her mother’s presence. Diana’s mother was her biggest supporter and constantly pushed her daughter to aim high. For Diana, cooking always elicited such fond memories. She thanked God every day for this gift and the ability to continue sharing her love of family and delicious food.  

The restaurant was only in its second week. Diana looked down at her phone and saw a text from her brother, Paolo. Hey sis, thinking of you and hope it’s another fabulous night, xoxo.  She smiled and wiped her hands on the nearby towel so she could reply back to him. Thanks, big brother. Btw, your Cabernet has been a big hit. He replied with a thumbs up.  

Upon surveying the kitchen staff, Diana took a few minutes to freshen up in her private office before stepping out into the dining room. The site of an almost packed house took her breath away. This is so surreal, she thought. She stopped at one table filled with a group of her good friends.  “Diana, what is in this sauce—absolutely delicious!” “Jack, you know I can’t tell you. I want you to leave here intact.” Jack threw his hands up in a surrendering motion as he and his wife Reagan both laughed. Diana put a hand on his shoulder and said, “You know me, always tinkering with new herbs. So glad you liked the sauce, enjoy the rest of your meal. Dessert on me.”  

Later that night, Diana took a long, hot bath to unwind from the day. Dressed in her favorite Soma pajamas, she curled up on the loveseat in her large, open living room with the latest Brenda Novak book. Alright Brenda, help me escape reality for a bit as she turned to the first chapter.  

A few days later, Diana was contacted by the Lifestyle department of the local paper. The writer asked if she could stop by for a visit sometime this week. Diana agreed upon Wednesday morning though she was not entirely sure of what to make of the upcoming meeting. At 11:00 on the dot, there was a knock on the restaurant’s front door. She unlocked the door as the young woman entered the restaurant. She extended her hand as they introduced themselves. Diana ushered her to one of the nearby tables. Amanda, the Lifestyle writer, took a sip of coffee before speaking.  “Thank you for meeting with me. I’m sure you’re wondering why I wanted to sit down with you. I have been in here multiple times with girlfriends and I loved reading how this all got started.” The back of every menu had a picture of Diana and a short bio. She continued sharing with Diana how she went to her editor about doing a heartfelt piece on following one’s dream. From the way Amanda’s mouth slowly curved into a smile, Diana must have had a quizzical, skeptical look on her face that screamed um, me? “I’m just a girl who loves to cook and opened a restaurant… not sure how that is special.” Amanda shook her head and said, “Oh but I see so much more. I see a strong, independent woman who makes people feel like they are in Italy as they enjoy a delightful ambience, not to mention the delicious food. I see a woman whose feisty grandmother, sorry I overheard you one night…instilled in her a love of cooking and girl, did it pay off.” Still dumfounded as to why Amanda, whom she barely knew, wanted to write a piece on her. She took a sip of her freshly brewed coffee, letting the idea fester for a bit in her head. “I never thought about it that way, but appreciate the perspective and compliments. I am certainly proud of what I’ve accomplished and truly love seeing people enjoy good food.”  With a wave of her hand in typical Italian fashion, she said “Oh what the heck, I’m in…what’s next?” With that, Amanda clapped her hands together with a huge grin. Diana couldn’t help but laugh and shook her head. The what’s next that followed entailed the magazine photographer coming in to take candid shots of Diana in the restaurant mingling with guests, cooking up one of her signature dishes along with shots of her at home relaxing. Amanda followed her around, jotting down notes and even helped her make a few dishes. Diana soon found herself forging a bond with Amanda whom she was liking more and more. They realized they both shared a love of wine and books, even reading similar authors. Late afternoon, after the restaurant closed early, they got to sit down and enjoy a glass of wine. As Amanda put her glass down on the table, she exclaimed, “What…this is your brother’s wine? No way! Oh this just added a whole other spin to the article…do you mind if I add it?” “No of course not, Paolo will love it.” The following Monday, the piece on Diana and her brother came out and hit the stands. The restaurant was all a buzz the next day, making Diana feel like a minor celebrity.  

Six months in, Diana was in a position to take some much deserved time off. With Cooking With Love in good hands, she flew to Sonoma for the weekend to visit her brother and father at Paolo’s winery. As she pulled onto the private gravel road to enter the estate, Diana rolled down the window to take in the cool California air. She pulled up and parked in the circular driveway. As she stepped out and rounded her rental car, she was immediately greeted by Paulo’s two dogs, one golden doodle and the other a chocolate lab. “Oh my goodness, look how much you two have grown….and gotten even cuter.” Shortly behind them were Paolo and her father. Her brother put his arm around her shoulder. “Good to see you, sis…I’ve missed you.” She stepped out of his embrace so she could give her Dad a hug and kiss, soaking in the familiar scent of his trademark Aramis cologne. Paolo grabbed her bags and the three headed into the house, with the pups leading the way, occasionally barking to assert their presence.  

Later that night, they sat down for a family dinner out on the covered patio that overlooked the vineyard. They were joined by Maria, Paolo’s wife whom Diana got along with very well. Her Dad held up his glass of wine and said, “your mother would be so proud of you both. To family,” Paolo smiled and winked at his sister before they all raised their glass and replied, “To family.” As she helped to bring in the dishes to the kitchen, Diana passed the framed picture of the magazine cover, the one that donned hers and Paolo’s picture from Amanda’s article. Not only did the article bring her restaurant and the winery more business, but she and Amanda had become great friends. I am blessed, she said as she looked up to heaven and blew her Mom a kiss.