Page 66 of Lorenzo

“I don’t get it,” says Gina.

“Mike is an operations guy. He knows how these things work. Last night, he was at the restaurant to absorb Antonio’s style. His plan was to master Antonio’s techniques, then train one of the young chefs studying at the Institute of Culinary Arts. He also teaches restaurant management at the Institute.”

“But what does that have to do with us,” says Gina.

“Don’t you get it? We grab Mike and have him run the new restaurant and indoctrinate the new chef. Someone that we can train and can control.”

“When I was a teen I waited tables at my friend’s family’s upscale restaurant. I learned the most important thing about a restaurant is the brand. And the restaurant’s brand is represented by the chef.”

“No,” I say. “It’s determined by the brand’s controllers. And in our case, the chef should not be the showcase.”

I surprise myself with the passionate way I speak these words. I only stepped into the Ricci family restaurant yesterday, but I already feel like it’s my own

“Then what will the brand be? We’ve agreed to an upscale pizza concept. Italian wine list. Dante took me to Rome last year. You can find this style of restaurant all around the world.”

“Exactly my point.”

“Not understanding, Emily. Be clear.”

“Salvatore,” I say with a smile.

“What?”

“Salvatore. The great-great-grandfather of Dante and Lorenzo.”

“What does he have to do with it?”

“He’s our icon. Our brand. We call the restaurant Salvatore and everything else falls in place.”

“Salvatore was a gunrunner,” says Gina. “A bootlegger …”

“Exactly. And that’s a great origin story if I ever heard it. You told me he was honored by the museum of the city of New York.”

“That’s right.”

“Well, he’s our mascot. We can brand later, but I suggest I arrange for Mike to meet you. I can even ask him to handpick one of his student chefs to come to the meeting, if you want to move quickly.”

“Wow. You really have this figured out fast.”

I look pointedly at her belly. “The baby’s coming fast, the license renewal is approaching. Why wait?”

Gina shoots a look to Ciro, at the far side of the kitchen. Of course he overheard everything. But he’s too polite and well-trained to enter the conversation.

“I appreciate your helping out like this. But you tell me being here in Manhattan is temporary. Why waste your energy? What do you have to gain?”

I hesitate. I don’t like putting my cards on the table in general.

“Next year at Boston University was supposed to be our internship year,” I say quietly.

“I don’t want to go into the details, but my tuition wasn’t paid. When I go back – if I go back – I’ll be a year behind my colleagues. If I use my experience with you launching Salvatore’s they’ll consider me on track.”

“Then please arrange a meeting. But what will we tell the brothers?”

“Nothing,” I say. “At least until you’ve met Mike and agree to the plan. Are you free today?”

“Yes.” Gina smiles. “Let’s build a restaurant.”

CHAPTER 29