Welcome to Mama's (2022) Movie Script
This program is rated G
and is suitable for
general audiences.
Ah!
Bella, your pronunciation
is getting molto bene.
Okay, so, spaghetti.
Chicken parm.
Extra spaghetti.
Extra-
Mama Tucci, this is too much.
Nah, there's no such thing.
Well, I'll have plenty of
leftovers for my coworkers.
Good.
Are you sure you don't
mind watching Amy again?
No, it's my pleasure.
I promise I won't be too late.
- Bye, pumpkin.
- Bye, Dad.
Oh, my Amy.
You're such a strong girl.
Just like you, Mama.
Ah!
Uh!
So we're gonna
make the primavera?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
Let's get cooking!
Grazie!
Woo!
Cool, Mama.
Welcome, everyone.
Hello. Good evening.
So, for those of you who
are new here tonight,
Family Dinner Fridays is
a tradition that my nonna
started back in
Napali way back when.
She would invite the
entire neighborhood
to come and share a meal.
So to continue her
legacy and honor Nonna,
we welcome you to our
Friday Night Supper Club.
We care about our customers.
We treat you like family.
So you're a part of
the Tucci family now.
Whether you like it or not.
So.
A Nonna.
- A Nonna.
- A Nonna.
Amy?
Amy?
Earth to Amy, do you copy?
Oh.
I gotta take that
pasta to table nine,
unless you want to
stare at it longer?
No, no, it's all yours.
I used to be like
that primavera.
Bold.
Full of life.
Flavor.
What happened to me, Christine?
You're still all those things.
You're just stuck in a
rut right now, that's all.
How long do I have to toil
away as a mid-level manager
before I finally get
the next opportunity?
What if this is it for me?
I'm still singing our
cheesy Happy Birthday songs
to customers when I'm 90.
Okay, well, you're
being dramatic.
Things don't change
for me around here soon,
I'm movin' on.
You decided all that just
by staring at some pasta?
Usually that just
gets me into trouble.
Okay, it wasn't
just the primavera.
Oh.
Mama?
Yeah.
We've been playing
phone tag lately.
Could really use her
advice right about now.
Well, maybe today's
the day things change.
Everyone gather round.
As you know, we've been
interviewing applicants
for the permanent
manager position.
I know you've all been anxious
to hear who we've selected.
It's my pleasure to announce
that the honor goes to
Benjamin Stewart from our
Upper East Side location.
Let's make sure he feels welcome
when he arrives this afternoon.
Okay, back to work.
Thank you.
Hey, Nunzio, table four.
Clean it, please.
De facto.
All right, I dare you to find
me a more perfect tiramisu.
Outside of Italy, that is.
Frank, uh, listen,
I know there's a lot
been going on lately,
but you really should
slow down a little.
You really shouldn't
rush your craft,
especially on a day
like today, right?
Hey, wait, wait, wait.
What are you doin'?
What are you?
I'm a server, so
I'm gonna serve.
No, uh, the chef will
deliver the dessert.
Frank, come on.
We really can't afford
a bad review today.
Okay, Kimberly may
be a tough critic,
grant you that, but
there's no way she doesn't
fall head over heels
in love with this.
I know, it's nice,
but you know your menu
has its detractors, right?
Ah.
They'll warm up.
Just like that caramel
drizzle if you don't let go.
Thank you.
All right, I'm here.
For dessert, tiramisu di Franco.
Caramel drizzle topping,
dusted with cocoa.
I, uh, I just wanted
to thank you again
for making the time to
review our new menu.
I've always had a lot of
respect and admiration
for your column in The Times.
Hmm.
I'm sorry, was that a hmm?
Or a mmm?
It's nothing.
No, but if it was
somethin', you could tell me.
Mr. Rossi, I'm not
really supposed to give
feedback before my
review goes live,
but it's a little dry.
I'm sorry.
Did you just cause my
famously moist tiramisu
a little, uh, dry?
Just a touch.
But that's impossible.
Well, it's certainly possible.
I'm sorry, it's just
never has there been a more
perfect customer fit for
a more perfect dessert.
I'm just, have another bite.
I think I've sampled enough.
You'll find my review
online later this evening.
And it'll be a good one, right?
Uh, did I mention
how much I appreciate
and admire you and your column?
And she's gone.
Ah, don't worry about it.
Really?
I mean worry about it a little.
Amy, I'd like you to take
Benjamin under your wing,
help him get acclimated.
As the most senior manager here,
I want him in the
most capable hands.
Well, that's what I
wanted to talk to you about.
I thought my seniority
would've given me
a leg up on that opportunity.
We'll see what
opens up next year.
I made myself a
promise that if I didn't
move up this year,
I would move on,
and I need to keep that promise.
I understand.
You're always welcome back
if you change your mind.
Yup.
Mmm-hmm, I feel liberated.
Yes!
I feel free!
- 'Atta girl!
- I feel so scared.
Oh, you were on such a roll.
I don't have anything lined up.
But this is what
you've been saving for.
Now you can devote all your
time to unlocking your destiny.
Destiny.
All right.
Yeah, there's some confidence.
Is that destiny calling already?
Hello?
Amy Lamay?
David Lewis, attorney.
I know you've been trying
to reach Ms. Tucci.
I'm sorry to inform you that
she recently passed away
and we need you to
come into our offices
for the reading of her will.
How's Friday?
Yeah. Okay.
Friday, I'll be there.
Is everything all right?
Hey, so.
Stop refreshing.
Huh?
I'm not refreshing.
I'm playing solitaire.
Why am I lying to you?
It should be up by now!
So you know, her
rating has nothing to do
with all your hard work.
You're right.
I'm, ah, eh, I'm letting go.
- Let it go!
- I'm keeping cool.
It doesn't even.
Whoa, it's up, it's up!
- It's up.
- It's up.
Hey, what does it say?
Chef Frank Rossi largely
abandons the restaurant's
original menu in favor of
some new age Italian fusion.
Nice.
That just isn't quite there yet.
Mmm-mmm.
What's the missing ingredient?
Could be as simple
as a bit more love.
Five forks.
Oh, that's good.
Out of 10 forks.
How do you erase
something from the internet?
What?
No, that'll be in
print later this week.
What effect is it
gonna have on business?
Well, uh, you
know, our client base
is kind of doing
this a little bit,
and Kimberly's articles tend
to make things go like this
or like that.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
Okay, no, it's okay.
I can edit the recipes
for a little more flavor.
Or less.
Or a little more love.
What does that even mean, Sal?
I-I-I, you know.
Maybe she's referring
to your demeanor,
'cause sometimes you can
come across a little brash.
Brash?
Bra, uh, it's passion, Sal.
Okay, I'm Italian.
I can't help it. You know this.
Yeah, I do.
Oh, well, maybe this is her
calling to change her mind.
Hello?
Is this Frank Rossi?
Yeah, this is Frank Rossi.
Maria Tucci
passed away recently.
What?
I'm sorry for your loss.
Wait. What?
I'm her attorney David Lewis.
We need you to come in
for a reading of her will.
Yeah.
Can you come in this Friday?
Okay, Friday.
We'll send you the details.
Thank you.
What is it?
You all right?
I need some air.
Okay.
You okay?
Good morning.
Good morning.
Ah, cappuccino with an extra
splash of espresso, please.
Yeah, you got it.
Uh, and a cannoli.
Oh, lucky you.
It's our last one.
I'll take a paper, too.
Sure, thanks.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Can I get a cappuccino
with an extra splash
of espresso, please?
Oh, and a cannoli.
Unfortunately, we just
gave out our last one.
Ah, okay.
Just the cappuccino
then, please.
Yeah.
Couldn't help but
overhear we ordered
the exact same drink.
Ah, yeah.
Good friend of mine
introduced it to me.
This place, too, actually.
Same here.
Chef Frank.
Or Frank.
I don't know why I said that.
I guess I'm just used to
introducing myself that way.
Amy.
What kind of chef are you?
Oh, uh, Italian.
Kind of renowned, actually.
Renowned, wow.
Ah, just a little.
You know, gotta
stay humble, right?
What line of work
are you in, Amy?
Management.
Oh.
Lack thereof at the moment.
I'm still trying to figure
out my destino right now.
Ah, I see.
Yeah.
Destino.
Cannoli.
Uh, you're the, you're
the lucky one who got
the last cannoli.
Yeah.
But lucky isn't how I
describe myself lately.
Wanna split it?
I, uh, I already had half.
Right, yeah, of course.
Why would...
Uh, mind if I just take
a look at the paper?
Gotta check the scores.
Which team?
Yankees.
Who else?
It's not baseball season.
That was a joke, Amy.
Not one of my best.
You know what?
I've gotta get going, actually,
so the paper and
cannoli are all yours,
renowned chef Frank.
You have a nice day.
Well, nice to meet you.
And she's gone.
So who are we waiting for?
Just one more person.
Sorry I'm late.
Uh, weird chef guy?
Last cannoli girl?
What, you think I'm weird?
How did you know Mama?
I'm head chef at her restaurant.
I've been practically runnin'
the place the last year.
Wait, how do you know her?
We were close.
We hadn't spoken for awhile.
So you two know each other?
- No.
- Yes!
Yeah!
We just met.
Yeah.
Mama wanted you both present
to hear the instructions
laid out in her will.
Amy, I have the utmost
confidence that you will
dutifully and faithfully
preside over my life's work.
You were like a
granddaughter to me.
So, that's why I'm
leaving you my restaurant.
Mama's is now yours.
What?
Mama's wish is for Frank
to remain at the restaurant
in his current
capacity as head chef.
There is also a
substantial inheritance,
predicated on Amy
taking ownership.
Oh.
And
she also left this.
That book.
She never let anyone
else touch this.
Wait, wait, that's it?
No other details?
She's left nothing else.
I'm afraid her intentions are
up to your interpretation.
Good morning.
Good morning.
Boss.
Boss.
Wow.
You know, I had my own
plans for Mama's where
I'd one day take over,
but I suppose that
just wasn't my destino.
Speaking of which,
is that for me?
Extra splash of
espresso and a cannoli.
Tryin' to butter me up?
It's a peace offering.
Mama was special to both of us,
and she had no other family.
We can make this work.
Enjoy, ladies.
Hey.
Ugh, no more fresh gnocci.
No more gnocci.
Amy, I'm slammed in the kitchen.
I can't believe how busy we are.
I need you to help me.
What? No.
Oh, no, I, I'm just the busser.
No, no, there's no just
anything here at Mama's.
Every role is vital to this
restaurant, you know that.
What's the number one rule?
Work at everything you
do with all your heart,
soul, mind and strength.
Perfect.
You'll learn the rest
of the rules by my side.
Right now you're promoted.
Congratulations.
Okay.
There's your first customer.
Smile.
Benvenuti.
Welcome to Mama's.
What did you do to Mama's?
Sales have dipped.
Tiny dip.
Itty bitty, in technical terms.
No plans, repairs or updates.
I got those plans.
Just right up here.
The menu's completely changed.
Where are Mama's dishes?
We're still working
out the kinks.
We just need new, uh-
Everything?
Okay, we're in the
middle of an upgrade, okay?
Look, things have
been kind of crazy
ever since Mama slowed
down and stepped back
from her duties last year.
Obviously I'm not much
of an interior decorator,
but I do make a mean tiramisu.
All right, I come from
a big corporate franchise,
and I've developed a
system that will help
fix all of these issues.
And then once Mama's is
back in decent shape,
we can both move on.
Oh, wait.
So you're not
planning on staying?
Financials, attendance,
scheduling, trust.
The FAST system.
Yeah, I got my own system.
It's called DIY.
Mmm.
DIY hasn't been W-O-R-K-ing.
Yes, acronym thing's real cute.
Definitely won't
get on my nerves.
What is that?
Oh, that is Galaxy Blast.
Just the greatest
arcade game of all time.
Wanna play?
Mama's classic
Italian restaurant
now features Galaxy Blast?
Yeah.
Okay, I'm shutting this down.
What?
Mama's needs a total refresh.
But you know, with the
inheritance she left,
I think we can really bring
this place back to life.
You're the boss.
What should we do with this?
I'm not sure if she left
it for you or for me.
You know what?
Uh.
It's all yours.
Ooh, biscotti.
Mmm-hmm.
I figured some Italian
desserts would be a good way
to break the ice
with the employees
of your Italian restaurant.
My restaurant.
Nothing daunting
about those words.
It's kind of funny,
though, isn't it?
You just quit your job at Chow,
and then this opportunity
falls right into your lap.
Destino.
Oh, I don't know about destino.
Why, what do you mean?
I know I should
do what Mama wants.
It's just that I don't know
that I can do her legacy
justice if I stay
long-term, you know?
She-she put her heart
and soul into that place,
and if I fail at this, then
I, you know, I fail her.
Hey, you won't fail her.
You've never failed
her before, right?
Right.
So, Frankie, how you feelin'?
I think I'm still in
the anger stage of grief.
Miss her.
Yeah, me too.
It's a lot to take
in all at once.
But you know, we're
gonna get through this.
I know.
- You know what's funny?
- What?
I ran into Amy at
Destino's before we went
to the lawyer.
Uh-huh.
Think she was flirting with me.
Really?
That's a good thing you
didn't flirt back with her.
That would make things a
little interesting around here.
Yeah, it's...
Oh no.
You flirted with her, didn't ya?
I don't think she noticed.
I'm about as smooth
as a pine cone.
Plus, we got the stresses
of this situation
distracting us.
Yeah, about that.
What's your plan?
Well, Mama made one thing clear.
She wants me to stay.
Truth is, I don't know if I can.
Hi, everybody. I'm Amy.
I'm the new owner and manager,
and I've brought you biscotti.
My best friend
Christine made them.
Dig in.
I'm sure they'll go
well with the coffee.
Uh, yeah, let's do it after.
That's fine.
So.
Why don't you tell
me about yourselves?
Okay, I'll kick things off.
- Well, I'm Frank.
- Mmm-hmm.
Head chef.
And the menu is my duty.
And my duty only.
Hey, I'm Sal.
I've been here for a couple
years helpin' out, you know.
Hostin', servin',
cookin', all that stuff.
Welcome, Amy.
Thank you.
Uh, yeah. Name's Lorenzo.
I'm an old, old
friend of Frank's.
He actually brought
me in here once things
started falling apart and-
Eh.
Just to handle odds and ends.
I'm very handy.
Great.
Listen, everyone.
I know this is a tough
transition for all of us.
We all loved Mama, so, so
let's just try to do this
to honor her memory.
On that note, I
took the liberty.
Can you pass these out?
I've assigned various
tasks to each of you
based on your names.
Fun, right?
Yeah, that's one way to put it.
Mama's inheritance will
cover a one-month refresh,
and during that time
we'll experiment
with a soft open,
and we will culminate in a
grand reopening celebration.
It's gonna be big.
Go team!
- All right.
- Okay.
And don't forget the biscotti.
It's really good.
Nice to meet you.
Biscotti?
I'm good.
Don't worry about them.
They'll come around.
Your ragu was Papa's favorite.
He always said the
key to the perfect sauce
is to go easy on the seasoning
and heavy on the confidence.
Roberto, come try my rag...
Perfecto.
And now try.
And now try this.
I'm still full from taste
testing your carbonara
an hour ago.
What's the worry?
This is a lot of pressure.
The First Generation
Food Festival is known
to launch careers.
Emilio entered last
year and now look.
Emilio's on Broadway.
You have faith in
your cooking, yeah?
Of course.
Then it will all
work out as it should.
Destino.
Whether it's today
or years from now,
you will open your
dream restaurant.
Now why are you rushing around?
We've got plenty of time.
Come with me.
I have a surprise for you.
This festival is important,
but not more important than
making time for family.
Masseto.
But we can't afford-
I sold a few lasagnas
in Brooklyn last weekend.
I really like it there.
Tell me, what are you seeing?
The Manhattan skyline.
Mmm.
The view from a
quaint, brick building.
My restaurant.
Mama's.
One day I will
give you that view.
To Mama's.
To Mama's.
Frank.
Look, look at this.
Papa's sacrifices are
ultimately what led
to the success of my
famous ragu sauce.
Each recipe has a memory,
and there's photos and stories.
And nothing super helpful
for our immediate situation?
Well, not necessarily.
What if the key to
refreshing this place
is to go back to the
beginning and replicate
the original look
and feel of Mama's?
Okay.
Listen, I know it must feel
like I'm just coming in here
to change everything.
Remember, this is for Mama.
Think of it as a reboot.
Everybody loves a reboot.
Do they?
Mmm.
I'm gonna need you to trust me.
Does that go both ways?
Of course.
So you trust me with the menu?
Uh.
You have nothing to worry about.
Why does that worry me more?
Okay, let me catch
you up with the evolved
flavor of Mama's, huh?
Can I get rid of
the pinball machine?
Absolutely not, no.
I will think about it.
Well, then, I will
give you a chance.
Catch me up on the
evolved flavor of Mama's.
All right, okay.
Hey, sorry I'm late.
We still have time
to catch that movie.
How was day one?
When I quit my job for
more of the challenge,
I think I wanted something
a little less challenging.
Is this about Frank?
Yeah.
But also about Mama.
Mmm.
You know how I said
I never failed her?
Yeah.
Well, we had a big falling out
after I left all
those years ago,
and we hadn't spoken since.
So why would she leave
me her restaurant?
Looking good, Emily.
This place is sparkling clean.
Maybe a bit too sparkling.
Go easy on yourself.
How's it goin' up here, Lorenzo?
Doin' fine.
Amy, these chandeliers
are a little dim.
Are you sure that's what
Mama's used to look like?
Yeah.
No.
Maybe a touch dimmer.
Dimmer?
Oh, perfect.
Almost.
Huh.
You want me to add
a touch of white?
Break it up a bit?
Yes!
Okay.
Great idea.
Hate to interrupt Space Blast.
Galaxy Blast.
Oh! Oh! Oh!
Why?
I was just about to
beat Sal's high score.
Well, I'm gonna
be frank with you.
I haven't heard that one before.
I need your help.
Help me recreate
Mama's classics.
Come on.
I'm still gonna give
you a chance to show me
your version of the menu.
Why is recreating the original
Mama's so important to you?
Why are you so opposed to
bringing back the classics?
Okay, I will think about it.
Okay, great.
Thank you.
When are we sampling?
Oh, uh, yeah.
Meet me in the dining room
in two hours for dinner.
Okay.
And bring an appetite.
You don't hurry up, dinner's
gonna become breakfast.
Okay, you really
shouldn't rush the chef.
Here is your complete
sampling of Mama's new menu.
Where do you wanna start?
What's that one?
Ah, these are roast
branzino with tomatoes,
potatoes, and olives.
You know what it's not?
What?
Mama's penne.
I know.
That's Mama's right here.
Oh.
Great!
Here we go.
It's hot.
Not very adventurous, are ya?
Adventurous?
Not when it comes
to habanero penne.
It's habiata.
Look, the menu's sort
of become a fusion.
It's Mama's classics
with a little more edge.
Old and the new,
come together as one.
And how did you
end up at Mama's?
Ah, eh, Lorenzo!
Tiramisu?
Comin' right up, Frankie!
You're deflecting.
I'm not deflecting.
You are. There's
a story there.
- I'd like to hear it.
- No story.
I applied, she hired me.
That's the end of it.
Ah. Here, perfect.
Try some, go ahead.
Thanks.
You got it, boss.
You know, I'm more
of a cannoli girl.
Are you a picky eater?
No.
Oh my gosh, no wonder
you're so opposed to my menu.
Your tastes are less
branzino habiata,
more chicken nuggets,
mac and cheese.
Who doesn't love chicken
nuggets and mac and cheese?
Oh, we could sample
the kid's menu instead.
Okay, now you're
being obnoxious.
I will try your famous
tiramisu one day.
Well, I'm gonna
hold you to that.
Great.
Now that I've sampled
some of Frank's fusion,
how about you try
something for me?
Can I get Mama's Flight?
- You got it.
- Thank you.
Mama's Flight?
Yeah.
All Mama's favorite wines.
I'm surprised you didn't
know about this place.
Nice place.
Thanks.
Chianti.
Light, fruity.
It's comforting.
Well, this was
our drink of choice
whenever we'd have long
talks about life and love.
And this
is a Meroni.
Mmm.
Bold.
Yeah, well that's why
Mama associated that one
with the rush of
taking risks in life.
Is that one familiar at all?
It's Masseto.
Mama and Papa's favorite.
Exactly.
I checked the stock room.
Why aren't we carrying any
of Mama's favorite wines?
Oh, we had to scale back.
I mean, as our customer base
slowed, so did our demand.
Sure, but as you
lose the staples,
you lose Mama's memory.
I mean, you don't want people
to forget about her, do you?
No.
No, no, of course not.
Hey, well, that's why we
need to go back to the basics.
We need more Mama, not less.
So does this, uh, this
new reboot idea of yours
mean you're stickin' around?
I, uh.
Maybe.
Could be a way for me to
make things right again.
Make things right?
Yeah.
Aesthetically, you know?
Yeah.
You ready for one more stop?
Do I have a choice?
Drink up.
The Masseto's expensive.
You're awfully quiet
all the way here.
Didn't wanna make
any sudden moves.
Your tastes may be
safe, but your driving?
Ha! Another story.
I was so far from that
man when I parallel parked.
Yeah, keep telling
yourself that.
There it is.
Mama and Papa's first
apartment here in the States.
That's where she dreamed
of making her mark
on the culinary world and
then accomplished so much.
There's so much history there.
Seasons change,
history remains, huh?
Poetic.
I wanted to show
you something, look.
Ah.
Mama's opened exactly
50 years ago this year.
What better way to honor
her memory than to reopen
on the 50th anniversary?
The 15th?
Yeah.
That's two weeks away.
What happened to our
one month timeline?
We'll, we'll just
expedite the schedule
so the reopening coincides
with the anniversary.
It will be a lot of
work, but we can do it.
Mama will be our guide.
Seems overly ambitious,
don't ya think?
Oh, gotta take this.
Excuse me.
This is Frank.
Hey, Frank, how you doin'?
It's Wallace here over
at Reggio's on 52nd.
You may have heard that
we're getting ready
to open in a couple of weeks.
Listen, I heard that you are
on the hunt for a new gig.
I have an opening for you.
Yeah, talk to me.
Ah, we're reopening
in two weeks.
Two weeks?
That's fast.
You worried?
Was. Not anymore.
Got an interview.
Interview what?
At Reggio's.
Looking for a new head chef.
If all goes according
to plan, uh,
think I'm leavin' Mama's.
What do you mean
you're leaving Mama's?
Shh, shh, shh.
Look, you know I wanna
do my own thing, right?
Doesn't look like I can
do that here anymore.
- You can't.
- Just-
Gather around, everyone!
Talk later.
All right.
Our timeline just got
a little bit tighter.
The 50th anniversary of
Mama's is in two weeks,
and we're aiming
to be open by then.
I even took out an ad in
The Times to celebrate.
And, to lighten your load,
I'm gonna bring in more crew.
Sound good?
Uh, good is not the word for it.
Oops, didn't think
you could hear me.
Was hoping you'd be more
of a team player, Frank?
Loyal associate.
Amy, we're a family
here at Mama's, okay?
Not corporate employees.
Hmm.
No, you're right.
Well.
On what?
You're right.
We're a family.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
I'd also like us to be friends.
Well, you wanna be my friend?
I propose a compromise.
We'll carry the
old with the new.
Some of Mama's recipes
and some of yours.
Mama did love a compromise.
Okay, yeah, we can be friends.
All right, so then
how about you brush up
on Mama's recipes and
I'll go handle the hiring?
Menu is your territory, right?
Yeah, right.
Right.
Okay, all right.
Let's all go home
and get some sleep.
We'll come back tomorrow
rested and ready to go.
We can do this!
Yeah!
All around the restaurant.
These are rich with
history, so let's put them
back up where they belong.
There's some of Mama,
Italy, Papa, of course.
Recapture the spirit of Mama's.
Here at Mama's we are
lookin' for somebody
who is enthusiastic
and hardworking.
Responsible.
Punctual.
Tenacious.
Someone who is excited
to come to work everyday.
Someone who wants to
be part of our family,
because here at Mama's
it's not just the food,
it's the people who make
this place so special.
Now I know you already
have another job,
but the qualifications
are impeccable,
your years of
experience impressive,
and your baked goods
are out of this world,
so if you're looking
for some extra hours,
I'd love to bring you on.
What do you say?
I say sign me up.
I'm so glad we're gonna
be working together again.
Oh, I'm so happy you
offer such a generous
employee discount!
Okay!
Okay, no, I'm happy to
work together with you.
Okay.
Didn't realize there was
a tornado in the forecast.
I'm a little rusty
on Mama's old recipes.
Feeling any less rusty?
Eh.
When's the last time you ate?
Why do you ask?
Come in!
Hope this pairs well
with whatever takeout
you're ordering for us tonight.
What are you doing?
I'm not ordering takeout.
I'm gonna make you a
spaghetti di Maria.
Oh, really?
Okay.
Having said that, I'm
not really a good chef,
hence my landing on the
management side.
You're like Papa.
I guess that
makes you like Mama.
So I may need some of your
chef skills to
fill in any knowledge
gaps I might have.
I doubt you'll need
any help from me.
Well, you know.
On second thought,
what could it hurt?
Hmm.
Use Parmesan instead of...
You're doing great.
- Am I?
- Doing great.
This is hard work.
Not, not too much.
It's fun, though, right?
There you go.
See? Simple.
Mmm.
I forgot how delicious that was.
Isn't kind of hard
not to think about her
when making her specialties?
It's been the toughest
part for me, yeah.
When was the last
time you two spoke?
Oh, we checked in here and
there over the past few months,
but the last thing I said
to her in person was,
"Don't eat too much gnocci."
What about you?
It's, uh.
Hey, Emily. What's up?
Oh, hey.
Um, not much.
Just a little problem.
Big problem!
Sorry, did Lorenzo
just say big problem?
What's goin' on?
I don't know.
Ah, nothing, Frank.
It's this stove, we're
trying to fire it up.
Frank, the thing is kaput.
It's not, eh.
You could be a little
more tactful, you know?
What, there's no
use dancin' around it.
Well, you could dance
a little around it.
It's fine, Frank.
We're almost there.
That stove has been in
desperate need of a tuneup.
We just hadn't
gotten around to it.
It's this thing right
here, I'm telling you, yeah.
The soft open is in two days.
Can we fix it before then?
Uh...
All right.
- Lift this up.
- Yeah, yeah, go ahead.
Just gonna lean
over a little bit.
Okay, go ahead.
- Oh, I got it.
- Nice.
I think I got it.
I don't got it.
Hmm.
Hmm.
I paired my
gnocci with my ragu sauce
for the food festival.
It fit together
like me and Papa.
The perfect match.
Hey, Frank,
you gotta try the pizza!
Gnocci rag...
Extra for you.
Thank you.
Mmm.
You two make quite the team.
Jacob.
I'm an accountant
and also an investor.
Come by for a
business consultation.
I think I may be able to
help you expand Mama's.
Here's my fee, I marked it down.
That's very kind of you,
but I'm afraid we still
can't afford this.
I'm also looking for a
little help around the office.
Errands, paperwork.
Gopher-type tasks.
Maybe we could work out a deal.
I'll do it.
Roberto, but you
already have a job.
I can work nights.
And maybe I'll pick up
some budgeting tips.
I believe in you.
When can I start?
I think you just did.
Ah, what Papa
proved is hard work
and opportunity
can come together
and create a beautiful recipe
that we called good fortune.
Well, I did what I could.
Needs a new spark module.
Without that, the oven is
just a giant paperweight.
So we'll order a new part.
It's just a small hiccup.
Well, good luck finding one.
This thing's from the '60s.
I don't even know if they
make replacement parts
for it anymore.
Okay, so it's a bad
case of the hiccups,
but we'll just dig
in and work harder.
We could just get
a brand-new stove.
It's just a part, Frank.
There's no need to replace
Mama's original stove
for one part.
If we find it, can you fix it?
Yes, ma'am.
Yeah, all right.
I'll, I'll, I'll
help you find it.
Great.
Thank you.
We'll scour the city
first thing tomorrow.
Didn't put up much of a fight.
Huh?
Who is this softy
and what has he done
with the bold as brass
Frank Rossi, huh?
I was being a team player.
Oh, is that what it was?
- Yeah.
- Uh-huh.
Plus, you know, this
soft open is a great way
to get my menu out before
I take it elsewhere.
Mmm, mmm, yeah, no.
No, that's not what it is.
Could it be?
Nah.
Nah is right.
Mmm-hmm.
No.
- Okay.
- Uh-huh.
- Frank.
- Yeah?
Kitchen's that way.
- I know.
- Uh-huh.
Kitchen's in there.
My famous wedding
soup is best served
with a little spontaneity.
Surprise, amore mio.
Surprise doesn't even
begin to describe it.
How did you do all of
this without my knowing?
The rooftop was
completely empty before.
I snuck away during
your busiest hours.
Slowly brought things
up one at a time.
I tried to make an
amazing wedding soup.
Seemed appropriate for today.
I just hope it's edible.
I'm sure it's perfect.
By the look in your eyes
I thought this can
be our secret spot,
a sacred place just for us.
What did I say?
It's not you, it's just I
really am the luckiest girl
in the whole world.
And that must make
me the luckiest guy.
I don't know what I
would do without you.
You have sacrificed
so much for me.
I'd do it over
again in a heartbeat.
I love you, Roberto.
I love you, too.
Mmm, mmm, mmm
Magic
Sweeter than wine
35 years.
Look what we've done.
Everything I want I have
Well, here's to another 35.
Yeah.
I love you.
I love you.
Yeah, I've been, uh,
flippin' through it.
Come up here to read sometimes.
It's peaceful.
Oh, new project of mine.
Basil, bay leaves, rosemary.
There's something
beautiful about cultivating
your life up here.
Sorry, were you looking for me?
Are you okay?
Yeah, it's just been awhile
since I've been up here.
My memories of Mama hit
especially hard sometimes, I think.
Yeah.
Well, today was Mama and
Papa's wedding anniversary.
Do you know they celebrated
up here every year?
Had an inkling.
Let's go get that spark module.
Yes.
After a quick detour first.
Come on.
Little Italy?
Mama's home away from home.
I figure we could
celebrate Mama's and Papa's
wedding anniversary
in her absence
by visiting a few of
their favorite spots.
And according to this,
favorite gelato place should be
right there.
So is this little
excursion really just
to celebrate Mama and Papa?
It may also be a chance
for me to get to know
my new friend.
What do you wanna know?
Well, you wanted to
keep Mama's memory alive,
let's keep it alive.
Tell me about what it was
like growing up with her.
Well, she kind of
helped my dad raise me
after we lost my mom.
She became my surrogate mama.
And she was just
always there for me,
especially after my dad
retired and moved to Florida,
left me the apartment.
How traditionally New York, eh?
And she and Papa
both taught me better
than to settle for second-best.
Gosh, told me
everything about Papa.
Yeah.
You're really lucky
to have known him.
Yeah.
You know, you, uh,
you never told me about
the last time you
and Mama spoke.
You know, we should really
go find that spark thing.
Aw, come on.
Now you're deflecting.
Come on.
There's not much to tell.
I mean, it was about a year
after I left Mama's and...
Amy?
Surprise!
I haven't seen you in months!
I know.
I've been so busy
at the new job.
It's unforgivable, I'm sorry.
What are you wearing?
Well, Chow's more
about professionalism
than getting your hands dirty.
Oh, sounds like a lot of fun.
I know.
So, listen.
I heard you guys were
going through a bit
of a slump lately.
No.
The crew let me
in over the weekend,
and I put together a
little surprise for you.
What?
Yeah, come see.
What are we doing?
I present to you,
Mama's on the Rooftop.
It could be a whole
new experience,
attract a younger crowd,
make Mama's an even
hotter hot spot.
What do you think?
I think this is not Mama's.
What do you mean?
The rooftop was never
meant for business.
It was always just
a special place for
me and Papa.
Yeah, I thought, I thought
you'd wanna share that
with the world.
I don't wanna share it.
It's a sacred place for, for us.
I just,
I just wanted to
help boost business
and modernize a bit.
You know, I would just
hate to see Mama's close.
We're not closing.
We're doing just fine.
We don't need any change.
Please, take this
down before you go.
And then life just got busy,
and we exchanged messages,
but we never got the
chance to reconcile.
Or say goodbye.
But I'll always be
her little tesoro.
Wait a minute.
What'd you say?
- Tesoro?
- Mmm-hmm.
She talked about you.
What?
Yes, all the time.
She talked about her
tesoro, her treasure,
how she missed you
dearly, how she loved you.
I just realized she
was talkin' about you.
You don't have to try
to make me feel better.
No, trust me.
I'm not known for
going out of my way
to be sweet and comforting.
I'm telling the truth, Amy.
So, you ready for
detour number two?
How many?
Well, it's up to Mama
and Papa, isn't it?
All right.
This is supposed to be
where their favorite
hot dog spot was, but
times change, I guess.
But history remains, right?
Right.
Let me ask you the same
question you asked me.
What kind of impact
did Mama have on you?
Saved me from myself in a way.
Used to be a little hard headed.
No!
There are remnants of
the old Frank there, maybe.
I'm human, after all.
It's just a defense
mechanism, you know.
Is that right, Dr. Drew?
I've seen glimpses
of the real Frank,
the one who saw I was
having a tough time
on the roof and orchestrated
an anniversary getaway
to cheer me up.
Yeah, don't mention it.
I mean that.
It's getting a little
too sentimental in here.
Oh-ho!
Look at this!
Mama loved
knickknacks like this.
It's us!
It's cute.
I'll take it.
What are you gonna do with that?
What am I gonna do?
We'll find a spot for it.
And I love what it represents.
Friendship is all about
understanding and trust, honesty.
All the things we have now.
Right.
So where to next?
Last stop.
This one's a special one.
Thank you.
Mama's recipe
for a successful marriage.
I didn't think we'd
get a moment of peace
and quiet today.
Hmm.
You're nervous about the future.
It's a good nervous.
Here.
This is a worry.
No.
This is a rock.
Yes, but imagine it's a worry,
a fear, a problem.
Hold onto it for a second,
but only for a second.
And then...
Oh!
Let go!
My father put a lot
of pressure on me
to make something of
myself like my brothers did
back in Tuscany.
They all had made their
mark in the wine industry,
but I had other plans.
It was my mother who encouraged
me to follow my heart.
And look what happened.
It led me to you.
Hmm?
Don't you feel lighter?
Much lighter.
We should get back
before the reception.
Okay, but first,
one for each of my new in-laws.
Hey!
Recipe for a
successful marriage.
One part trust, one
part communication,
and many parts wine and pasta.
That tracks.
You know, Mama had
a new lesson for me
every time I came to work.
Guess I could look at
these as all the ones
we never got to.
You know, deep down
she forgives you,
no matter what happened.
You can let go.
Hmm.
Come here.
Come here.
All right, give me that.
Hat?
I cannot believe
you found a place
that sells vintage
appliance parts.
I knew a guy.
I mean, key to finding
anything in this city,
you gotta know a guy.
I was very impressed.
You're so much more
than just the weirdo
I met that the coffee shop.
You love calling me weird.
It was cute.
Listen, thank you for today.
It's been tough doing
this without her.
I think it's made
me a little messy
in terms of how I've been
handling things around here.
Messy's okay sometimes.
Uh, eh, it's your stop.
I'm gonna go pick
up a few more things
for the soft open tomorrow.
Mmm-hmm.
All right.
Uh, Frank?
Were you gonna ask me
out when we first met
at the coffee shop?
Is that why you were
acting so weird?
What?
At?
The?
Okay, it's just
too bad, because I,
I think there's a chance
I might've said yes.
Uh.
She's as good as new.
Just in time.
Papa made the
perfect cappuccino.
His secret, that extra
splash of espresso.
Hey, boss lady.
What you doin'?
Ah, I was just reading
about how Mama and Papa
got together at
this little cafe.
Oh, kind of like how
you and Frank met, hmm?
I know what you're implying.
But no, it's a little
different, actually.
Hmm, interesting.
Tell me, where did
you two go yesterday
that was so important
you had to cancel
drinks with me?
It was pretty important.
Mmm-hmm.
We had to find a spare
part for the stove.
Mmm.
Oh, but first we went for a
little walk in Little Italy,
and then we went to this
cute, little flea market,
and then to the East River.
He pulled a Mama.
A what?
A reverse date.
It's how she and
Papa got together.
He didn't know he was
on a date until he was
already on it.
Oh, wow, that's genius.
She was a genius!
Listen, I need to go
put this stuff away,
but this conversation
is not over.
Okay.
Not over, missy.
Okay.
Benvenuto.
Mama's will be open
in just a few minutes.
I had to be first
to make a reservation.
The tiramisu looks delicious.
I don't care what
that review said.
If Mama loved it, I'm
sure I'll love it, too.
Review? What review?
The review from The Times.
Oh, boy.
Indeed.
He didn't tell you about this?
No, no.
He didn't tell his
boss that the menu
he's been fighting so hard for
has been panned by critics.
One critic.
Kimberly Ramirez,
the top critic in
all of New York.
That's the equivalent of
like 10 really good critics.
Fair.
What are you gonna do?
I wanted to give him a
chance, but after this?
We can't serve his
menu at Mama's.
All right, everyone.
Gather round, please!
So this is our first official
run through as a team,
and I know that we
are going to make
Mama and Papa very proud.
So, Frank, of course, will cook.
Sal and Christine
will host and serve.
Lorenzo is going to take
care of everything else
with the help of our new hires,
and Emily and I will take
orders and run the cash.
Sound good?
Really?
Your hard work has paid off.
You've just been promoted.
Oh, hey!
Okay, okay, okay, we're
officially on a time crunch,
so let's prep.
All right, all right, okay.
Frank.
Yeah?
About the menu, take this.
We're gonna make some changes,
so if you have any
questions, let me know.
Got it.
So why'd the menu change?
We're just gonna
keep things simple
so we can serve more
customers more efficiently.
Okay.
Benvenuti, welcome to Mama's.
All right, keep it tight.
Knees lookin' weak,
Tom, let's go.
Yup.
Hey, how's it goin' here?
- Oh, beautifully, Sal.
- Nice.
Took me all morning,
but I pre-prepped
quite a bit of my wild
mushroom crostini,
branzino and pork chop frisee.
Uh-oh.
Uh-oh? What?
Well, you didn't look
over the new prep sheet?
Amy updated it.
Only includes Mama's staples.
Not now. What?
Yeah, it's only the staples.
You did prep that stuff, no?
Yeah, no, of course.
I just, I'm, I assumed
we'd be selling
equal amount of my items, too.
Oof.
Why would she
change the menu, Sal?
Hey, first order's
up for spaghetti,
three chicken parm,
two fettucine.
Three chicken parm?
Okay, okay, okay.
It's gonna take a
whole half an hour.
It's okay, it's
okay, we got this.
Let's go. Gonna help out.
Let's jump in.
The three chicken parms
all day, let's go.
- Enjoy.
- Thank goodness.
What is going on back there?
Well, Frank didn't
prep enough of Mama's
signature dishes.
What, didn't he get the changes?
- I don't know.
- Well, what happened?
Why didn't you tell me
you made these changes?
- You tryin' to set me up?
- Set you up?
I gave you the folder.
All you had to do was open it.
We agreed to use
my menu, remember?
Yeah, that was before
I knew about the review
in The Times.
Oh, this is not good.
I was gonna, I was
gonna tell you about that.
When?
A few weeks from now
after we already reopened?
I was waiting
for the right time.
You know what, it's really
hard to work with someone
who doesn't reciprocate
trust and honesty
and communication.
Amy.
I thought we had that.
I thought we were friends.
Okay, guess I was wrong.
All right.
No, look, I mean, this
is almost an exact replica.
You know, I mean, almost.
I haven't been able to say
goodbye to Galaxy Blast yet.
Are you still thinking
about leaving for another job?
My interview's this afternoon.
It's a new era here, Sal.
I'm just in the way.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a second.
You've never given up
on anything this easily.
What aren't you telling me?
Huh?
It's Amy, isn't it?
See, I knew it.
Listen, you go in there,
you just be honest with her.
You lay it all out, you earn
some of that trust back.
It's not that simple, Sal, okay?
Being here is just
not my destino,
and I've accepted that.
Had a lot of good times
together, old pal.
Yeah.
Yeah, we have.
You can help
me haul this in the back.
Yeah.
Pasta primavera
was Amy's favorite.
Mama?
Amy!
Just in time.
I'm making your
favorite, primavera.
Can we talk?
Sure.
You talk, I listen,
and I make primavera.
It's what we do.
I got a job offer.
Chow.
In Midtown.
They're looking for
an assistant manager.
Oh.
Um.
You should take it.
Really?
Well, yeah.
You know the restaurant
business in and out.
Papa and I have
taught you everything.
It's about time you got
to, uh, spread your wings
and show the world
what you have to offer.
I know, but this is the
only place I've ever worked,
and it's so scary.
You have to take
risks in order to have
a rich, fulfilling,
successful life.
Imagine if I stayed in the
same place my whole life.
Well, all this would've
never have come to be, right?
Yeah.
How am I suppose to leave you?
You know, when I lost
Papa all those years ago,
I had two choices.
I could continue to grieve,
or I could live life,
loving the people who
are right in front of me.
People like you.
And it was hard losing Papa,
and it'll be hard
when you leave.
But, Amy, you'll never
get the chance to spread
the love that you found here
if I don't let you go.
I'll come visit you
all the time, I promise.
My tesoro.
Thank you for everything
you've done for me.
You've done so much more for me.
We need a picture together.
We need a photo.
Okay.
- Okay.
- Okay.
Will you take a picture of us?
Thank you.
Tiramisu di
Franco is a sweet reminder
of the importance
of moving forward.
Why'd you leave your
last job, Frank?
Eh, what the heck.
It's like my 10th interview
and no one's given
me a shot yet and
why should they?
I was too proud.
I wanted to cook a certain way,
my manager disagreed,
and I was let go.
I deserved it.
I had passion, but
I wasn't the boss.
Lesson learned, right?
Thank you for your time.
I'll see myself out.
Appreciate it.
No, no, come on, sit.
You want an espresso?
Uh, sure?
Okay.
Duo, espresso, per favore.
Eh, relax.
I appreciate your honesty.
Yeah, blessing and a curse.
I know that well.
So what is it that
motivates you?
I mean, why do you wanna cook?
Cookin' to me,
it's, it's, it's food.
Food is my safe place.
It's my nonna and my
mom in the kitchen,
whippin' up some maccugan dish.
It's garlic and the olive
oil simmering in the pan.
Best smell in the world.
And it's just feeling
instantly better
when you walk in your
house, and you know,
the sounds and the smells
of the kitchen, you know?
It's love, it's family.
That's what I wanna do.
I wanna, I wanna make a place
for love, laughter and family.
That simple, really.
It's all I wanna do.
Okay.
I can offer you a
couple of things.
I can offer you a lot
of garlic and olive oil
and a lot of fun in the kitchen.
Does that interest you?
You won't regret
this, Mrs. Tucci.
I'm your guy, for sure.
Call me Mama.
Of course, Mama.
Salute.
Salute.
Menu's prepped for tonight.
Just experimenting
with a new dish.
Mmm, duck?
Duck sugo.
Hmm.
You know, Frank, you've been
doing a fantastic job here.
You proved me right
by hiring you.
What can I say?
I'm a changed man.
Well, I'm gonna take a
little advice from Papa,
and you know that I'm not
really that good at change.
No.
But, um.
What's this?
Every artist starts
with a blank canvas.
You should make it your own.
Me?
You're ah...
You trust me to
create my own menu?
You think you would
like to do that?
Absolutely, yes!
Yeah, I've been workin'
on a recipe for tiramisu.
I think it'll be fantastic.
Oh, great.
Let's serve it tonight.
Yes!
Mmm.
There you are.
We put the finishing
touches in the dining room,
and I put out a
basket of my biscotti.
Are you okay?
I've been doing it all wrong.
Doing what wrong?
Taking Mama's
back to square one.
It's not what she wanted.
D we he
some final prep work to do.
Where's Frank?
- Frank?
- Yeah.
Frank stepped out to the market.
Uh, eh, grab some
tomatoes and peppers
and things like that.
Oh.
Bummer.
He's gonna miss the good news.
Change of plans.
We're gonna reincorporate
his items into the menu.
- Nice.
- Yeah, okay?
Okay.
Cool.
Okay, look.
Don't panic, but
Frank's actually at
a job interview right now.
- What?
- Yeah.
That seems like a
great reason to panic.
He can't leave.
I know.
Well, we gotta get
'em to make up.
Yeah, but how?
How what?
How beautiful is that coat?
Is it new?
Yeah, it's beautiful.
Where you headin'?
To talk to Frank.
Did he go to Prospect Park?
46th Street.
Manhattan?
What's he doing in Manhattan?
Well, have you seen
the stock of tomatoes?
The best in New York.
You know Frank.
Always going above
and beyond, so.
Yeah, and I mean, I'm
sure he'll be back soon.
You may as well just
wait for him here.
No, I, I need some fresh air.
I'll see you in a bit.
Yeah, see ya.
So you're calling him, right?
Yeah.
Oh.
Hey.
Hey, so how'd it go?
Couldn't of gone better.
That's great.
More importantly,
I realized something.
I think I know what my
recipes have been missing.
Yeah, you can tell
me about that later.
Look, Amy's been
lookin' for you.
You didn't-
I didn't tell her
about the interview, no.
Head over to the
46th Street market.
I told her you were
picking up tomatoes.
Okay, on it.
Hey, thanks for covering.
Frank.
- Hey.
- Amy, uh?
What are you doing here?
Uh, I actually came
to apologize.
You did?
Yeah.
I went a little overboard
trying to replicate Mama's,
and I shouldn't of dismissed
your contributions.
I was just so set on
making Mama proud that I,
I kind of lost sight
of that very thing.
What do you mean?
I was reading
through her cookbook,
and she included your recipes.
I didn't realize she
had so much fait in you,
and I didn't realize that she
was ready to embrace change.
Yeah, well, it
wasn't exactly working.
Well, maybe that's
because you were only
one half of a team.
I wanna move forward
with your menu.
You do?
Yeah.
Mama's wishes should come first.
And who cares what some
critic thinks, right?
You know, I was really
embarrassed the other night
at the soft open.
Now I know I had
some fault, too.
I should've talked to
you earlier one-on-one.
I shouldn't have done that
in front of all those people.
Hey, can we still be friends?
Friends again.
I'll see ya back at Mama's.
Dear Amy.
A new friend inspired
me to write this letter.
Hey, Mama, I was, uh...
Is everything okay?
Yeah, it's okay.
I, uh.
I'm just thinkin'
about some of my life
and one big regret.
Yeah, I've got plenty of those.
You wanna tell me about it?
I had a special friend.
Mio tesoro.
And we had this falling
out and it was really
all my fault because
I had such a big,
emotional reaction
and I pushed her away,
and you know, life
goes by, time flies,
and we all get busy.
And we lost touch.
Well, I believe
someone taught me
that true friendship
can withstand anything.
What would you do if
you were in my shoes?
I'd write a letter.
I think there's something
special and comforting
about receiving a tangible
memory that can be
held onto forever.
I was a shy kid.
I wrote girls little notes
and poems all the time.
I don't know.
What a romantic.
Oh, yeah, right.
You know, you're both
about the same age,
and I, I do hope
one day you meet.
Yeah, I'm not so
great at relationships.
She'd really be having
to compromise with me.
Mmm.
Hey, when do you
leave for Napoli?
Tomorrow night.
All right, have fun.
Don't eat too much gnocci.
Water my plants.
I got it, I got it.
I'm sorry that
we've fallen out of touch.
I take responsibility
for how I reacted,
but the wonderful thing
about relationships is,
they can withstand
just about anything.
Life might change
and time may pass,
but family is forever.
Papa taught me that.
And just like Papa, no
matter where you are,
I'll always be there with you.
Love always, Mama.
Frank, wait.
What's this?
I found it in Mama's cookbook.
She hadn't sent it to me.
Did you tell her to
write this letter?
This is the closure
I never had with her
and you helped me find that.
You have no idea what
this means to me.
Frank.
Hey.
Sorry to interrupt.
This'll just take a moment.
I don't know if you're aware,
but this guy is one
tough nut to crack.
He just won't give
me a straight answer.
Look, Frank, I came by
tonight to see if there's
anything else I can do
to sweeten the deal.
Now we would love to have
you as head chef at Reggio's.
Come on. How about it?
Amy, wait.
Benvenuti.
Welcome to Mama's.
I hope you enjoy your
experience here tonight.
Take a trip down
memory lane with us,
but keep an open mind, because
we have some new treats
for you, as well.
Okay, come on in.
Hey, welcome. Welcome back.
Come on in.
One for you.
And the wine list
is on the back.
I gotta tell ya,
there's something
different about you lately.
I feel revitalized, Sal.
- I do.
- Yeah.
Finally took the
time to slow down
and reconnect with what
I'm doing, you know?
- Try this, try this.
- Nice.
- Okay.
- What do you think?
That's delicious.
You are back, baby.
I'm back, baby.
It's too bad being back
actually means you're leaving,
but, eh.
Aw, come on.
Don't, don't do that.
Oh, how I'll miss you constantly
shovin' down your emotions, huh?
It's not like we won't
be friends anymore, Sal.
I know.
I'm being dramatic.
Have you had a chance
to talk to Amy yet?
What do you think?
I think you should
tell her how you feel.
I meant the-
I know you meant the branzino.
But you're leaving.
What have you got to lose?
Wasn't Mama all
about taking risks?
Ppmm, this looks good.
Had no romantic ambitions
Here it is.
No dream that I
deemed to come true
Tonight's going
pretty smoothly, huh?
Yeah.
Frank really turned things
around since the soft open.
Guess your communication's
finally improved.
Better late than never.
I am proud of you, you know?
For letting him go.
Well.
I mean, it's what he wants.
Who am I to stop him?
When I found
Let's go, we're draggin' it!
Oh!
Oh, sorry.
No, my fault.
Listen to us apologizing.
You'd never guess two
weeks ago we were the most
stubborn two people
on the planet.
Uh, about me leaving.
I, uh-
So Sal will step in
while we find a chef,
and Christine will be our
resident baker, and that's it.
We're totally covered.
Don't worry.
I'm happy for you.
I really mean that.
Hey, Lorenzo.
These two are good to go.
Okay.
Now that I've found you
Here you go.
Behind you, watch out.
Thank you.
Here we go, guys.
Salad for you.
Kimberly, hey!
How are you?
Thank you for coming.
Let me take your coat
for you, all right?
Thank you.
You're very welcome.
- It's good to see you.
- You, too.
I'm afraid I didn't
make a reservation.
- Ooh.
- I'll take it, Sal.
Well, thanks, Mig.
Ah, might be tough tonight.
No, no, I'm joking.
Come on in, please.
Good to see you.
Kimberly.
Frank.
Giving us another chance, huh?
I couldn't miss
the grand re-opening.
Ah.
Maybe you found your
missing ingredient.
Please.
Enjoy.
Does everybody have a drink?
This is
a Masseto.
It was Mama's favorite wine.
It wasn't because of the flavor
or the steep price tag,
even though she did
have champagne tastes, oh yes.
It was her favorite
because she shared it with Papa.
Aww.
Their dedication
and commitment and,
and everlasting
love for one another
is the reason that Mama's
will thrive once again.
You are now all official members
of the Friday Night Supper Club.
Welcome to our family.
To family.
To family.
To family.
Okay, well, this is the part
where Mama would interrupt
and say mangiamo, let's eat.
How lucky can one guy be
I kissed her and
she kissed me
Like a fellow once said
Ain't that a
kick in the head
Mmm.
The room was
completely black
I hugged her and
she hugged back
Like the sailor said, quote
Ain't that a
hole in the boat
You guys.
Kimberly sent over an
early edit of her review.
And?
Mama's seems to have found
its missing ingredient.
10 out of 10 forks.
Whoa!
Oh my god!
I'd say this bodes
well for the future!
Amazing!
Wow!
- Uh, Sal?
- Yeah.
Where's Frank?
Frank, he's in the back
cleaning up, I think.
Can you help me with something?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
But it's your move.
- Okay, uh.
- Yeah, go.
- Take over for me.
- Yeah.
Oh, hey.
I thought you left
without saying goodbye.
Is, uh, is Amy still here?
She's in her office.
Thanks.
Hey, would you do me a favor?
Sure.
I can't, I can't find it.
I lost Mama's cookbook.
I have a feeling
it will turn up.
No, but how could I lose it?
Hey.
I think there's someone
who wants to see you.
Amy, getting to know you
has made me realize somethin'.
Mama made the right choice in
leaving you the restaurant.
I also realized somethin' else.
Please meet me where
the room has no walls,
where the ceiling breaks,
and only the sky is above us.
I thought you might wanna
celebrate a great evening
with a little dessert.
When did you do all this?
I snuck away in my down time.
Picked up a few tips from Papa.
Your famous tiramisu.
The one and only.
Of course I could order
you some chocolate pudding
off the kid's menu
instead, if you like.
It's perfect.
Dining room looks a little messy
with my pinball
machine in there.
Messy can be a good thing
sometimes.
This magic moment
So different and so new
Was like any other
Until I kissed you
Frank Rossi, are you
asking me to dance?
And then it happened
That's bold.
Bold and brash.
It's who I am.
That you felt it too
By the look in your eyes
So here's the thing.
I was thinkin' about asking
you out at the coffee shop.
I knew it.
And I did also sorta
take you on a reverse date.
I know.
What I didn't expect was,
was how much you helped me.
You kept Mama's memory
alive when I was
trying to run from it,
and that's exactly
when I needed to find
my passion again.
How can I thank you?
Thank me by staying.
Oh, oh, oh, oh
I'll make you an offer.
I'm listening.
Let's be co-owners.
That's a bold offer.
I can be bold sometimes, too.
I changed my mind.
I decided to turn down the job.
You did?
It was risky.
Could've been the best thing
that ever happened to me.
But then I realized
I already had that.
It was right in front
of me the whole time.
Sweeter than wine
Softer than the summer night
You know, Mama left the
rest of her cookbook blank,
so what do you say we pick
up where she left off?
Carry on her legacy?
Mmm-hmm.
Well, this is one time
I can confidently say
that is exactly what
Mama would want.
Lasts forever
Forever till the end of time
Magic
Oh, oh, oh
Magic
Magic moment
and is suitable for
general audiences.
Ah!
Bella, your pronunciation
is getting molto bene.
Okay, so, spaghetti.
Chicken parm.
Extra spaghetti.
Extra-
Mama Tucci, this is too much.
Nah, there's no such thing.
Well, I'll have plenty of
leftovers for my coworkers.
Good.
Are you sure you don't
mind watching Amy again?
No, it's my pleasure.
I promise I won't be too late.
- Bye, pumpkin.
- Bye, Dad.
Oh, my Amy.
You're such a strong girl.
Just like you, Mama.
Ah!
Uh!
So we're gonna
make the primavera?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
Let's get cooking!
Grazie!
Woo!
Cool, Mama.
Welcome, everyone.
Hello. Good evening.
So, for those of you who
are new here tonight,
Family Dinner Fridays is
a tradition that my nonna
started back in
Napali way back when.
She would invite the
entire neighborhood
to come and share a meal.
So to continue her
legacy and honor Nonna,
we welcome you to our
Friday Night Supper Club.
We care about our customers.
We treat you like family.
So you're a part of
the Tucci family now.
Whether you like it or not.
So.
A Nonna.
- A Nonna.
- A Nonna.
Amy?
Amy?
Earth to Amy, do you copy?
Oh.
I gotta take that
pasta to table nine,
unless you want to
stare at it longer?
No, no, it's all yours.
I used to be like
that primavera.
Bold.
Full of life.
Flavor.
What happened to me, Christine?
You're still all those things.
You're just stuck in a
rut right now, that's all.
How long do I have to toil
away as a mid-level manager
before I finally get
the next opportunity?
What if this is it for me?
I'm still singing our
cheesy Happy Birthday songs
to customers when I'm 90.
Okay, well, you're
being dramatic.
Things don't change
for me around here soon,
I'm movin' on.
You decided all that just
by staring at some pasta?
Usually that just
gets me into trouble.
Okay, it wasn't
just the primavera.
Oh.
Mama?
Yeah.
We've been playing
phone tag lately.
Could really use her
advice right about now.
Well, maybe today's
the day things change.
Everyone gather round.
As you know, we've been
interviewing applicants
for the permanent
manager position.
I know you've all been anxious
to hear who we've selected.
It's my pleasure to announce
that the honor goes to
Benjamin Stewart from our
Upper East Side location.
Let's make sure he feels welcome
when he arrives this afternoon.
Okay, back to work.
Thank you.
Hey, Nunzio, table four.
Clean it, please.
De facto.
All right, I dare you to find
me a more perfect tiramisu.
Outside of Italy, that is.
Frank, uh, listen,
I know there's a lot
been going on lately,
but you really should
slow down a little.
You really shouldn't
rush your craft,
especially on a day
like today, right?
Hey, wait, wait, wait.
What are you doin'?
What are you?
I'm a server, so
I'm gonna serve.
No, uh, the chef will
deliver the dessert.
Frank, come on.
We really can't afford
a bad review today.
Okay, Kimberly may
be a tough critic,
grant you that, but
there's no way she doesn't
fall head over heels
in love with this.
I know, it's nice,
but you know your menu
has its detractors, right?
Ah.
They'll warm up.
Just like that caramel
drizzle if you don't let go.
Thank you.
All right, I'm here.
For dessert, tiramisu di Franco.
Caramel drizzle topping,
dusted with cocoa.
I, uh, I just wanted
to thank you again
for making the time to
review our new menu.
I've always had a lot of
respect and admiration
for your column in The Times.
Hmm.
I'm sorry, was that a hmm?
Or a mmm?
It's nothing.
No, but if it was
somethin', you could tell me.
Mr. Rossi, I'm not
really supposed to give
feedback before my
review goes live,
but it's a little dry.
I'm sorry.
Did you just cause my
famously moist tiramisu
a little, uh, dry?
Just a touch.
But that's impossible.
Well, it's certainly possible.
I'm sorry, it's just
never has there been a more
perfect customer fit for
a more perfect dessert.
I'm just, have another bite.
I think I've sampled enough.
You'll find my review
online later this evening.
And it'll be a good one, right?
Uh, did I mention
how much I appreciate
and admire you and your column?
And she's gone.
Ah, don't worry about it.
Really?
I mean worry about it a little.
Amy, I'd like you to take
Benjamin under your wing,
help him get acclimated.
As the most senior manager here,
I want him in the
most capable hands.
Well, that's what I
wanted to talk to you about.
I thought my seniority
would've given me
a leg up on that opportunity.
We'll see what
opens up next year.
I made myself a
promise that if I didn't
move up this year,
I would move on,
and I need to keep that promise.
I understand.
You're always welcome back
if you change your mind.
Yup.
Mmm-hmm, I feel liberated.
Yes!
I feel free!
- 'Atta girl!
- I feel so scared.
Oh, you were on such a roll.
I don't have anything lined up.
But this is what
you've been saving for.
Now you can devote all your
time to unlocking your destiny.
Destiny.
All right.
Yeah, there's some confidence.
Is that destiny calling already?
Hello?
Amy Lamay?
David Lewis, attorney.
I know you've been trying
to reach Ms. Tucci.
I'm sorry to inform you that
she recently passed away
and we need you to
come into our offices
for the reading of her will.
How's Friday?
Yeah. Okay.
Friday, I'll be there.
Is everything all right?
Hey, so.
Stop refreshing.
Huh?
I'm not refreshing.
I'm playing solitaire.
Why am I lying to you?
It should be up by now!
So you know, her
rating has nothing to do
with all your hard work.
You're right.
I'm, ah, eh, I'm letting go.
- Let it go!
- I'm keeping cool.
It doesn't even.
Whoa, it's up, it's up!
- It's up.
- It's up.
Hey, what does it say?
Chef Frank Rossi largely
abandons the restaurant's
original menu in favor of
some new age Italian fusion.
Nice.
That just isn't quite there yet.
Mmm-mmm.
What's the missing ingredient?
Could be as simple
as a bit more love.
Five forks.
Oh, that's good.
Out of 10 forks.
How do you erase
something from the internet?
What?
No, that'll be in
print later this week.
What effect is it
gonna have on business?
Well, uh, you
know, our client base
is kind of doing
this a little bit,
and Kimberly's articles tend
to make things go like this
or like that.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
Okay, no, it's okay.
I can edit the recipes
for a little more flavor.
Or less.
Or a little more love.
What does that even mean, Sal?
I-I-I, you know.
Maybe she's referring
to your demeanor,
'cause sometimes you can
come across a little brash.
Brash?
Bra, uh, it's passion, Sal.
Okay, I'm Italian.
I can't help it. You know this.
Yeah, I do.
Oh, well, maybe this is her
calling to change her mind.
Hello?
Is this Frank Rossi?
Yeah, this is Frank Rossi.
Maria Tucci
passed away recently.
What?
I'm sorry for your loss.
Wait. What?
I'm her attorney David Lewis.
We need you to come in
for a reading of her will.
Yeah.
Can you come in this Friday?
Okay, Friday.
We'll send you the details.
Thank you.
What is it?
You all right?
I need some air.
Okay.
You okay?
Good morning.
Good morning.
Ah, cappuccino with an extra
splash of espresso, please.
Yeah, you got it.
Uh, and a cannoli.
Oh, lucky you.
It's our last one.
I'll take a paper, too.
Sure, thanks.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Can I get a cappuccino
with an extra splash
of espresso, please?
Oh, and a cannoli.
Unfortunately, we just
gave out our last one.
Ah, okay.
Just the cappuccino
then, please.
Yeah.
Couldn't help but
overhear we ordered
the exact same drink.
Ah, yeah.
Good friend of mine
introduced it to me.
This place, too, actually.
Same here.
Chef Frank.
Or Frank.
I don't know why I said that.
I guess I'm just used to
introducing myself that way.
Amy.
What kind of chef are you?
Oh, uh, Italian.
Kind of renowned, actually.
Renowned, wow.
Ah, just a little.
You know, gotta
stay humble, right?
What line of work
are you in, Amy?
Management.
Oh.
Lack thereof at the moment.
I'm still trying to figure
out my destino right now.
Ah, I see.
Yeah.
Destino.
Cannoli.
Uh, you're the, you're
the lucky one who got
the last cannoli.
Yeah.
But lucky isn't how I
describe myself lately.
Wanna split it?
I, uh, I already had half.
Right, yeah, of course.
Why would...
Uh, mind if I just take
a look at the paper?
Gotta check the scores.
Which team?
Yankees.
Who else?
It's not baseball season.
That was a joke, Amy.
Not one of my best.
You know what?
I've gotta get going, actually,
so the paper and
cannoli are all yours,
renowned chef Frank.
You have a nice day.
Well, nice to meet you.
And she's gone.
So who are we waiting for?
Just one more person.
Sorry I'm late.
Uh, weird chef guy?
Last cannoli girl?
What, you think I'm weird?
How did you know Mama?
I'm head chef at her restaurant.
I've been practically runnin'
the place the last year.
Wait, how do you know her?
We were close.
We hadn't spoken for awhile.
So you two know each other?
- No.
- Yes!
Yeah!
We just met.
Yeah.
Mama wanted you both present
to hear the instructions
laid out in her will.
Amy, I have the utmost
confidence that you will
dutifully and faithfully
preside over my life's work.
You were like a
granddaughter to me.
So, that's why I'm
leaving you my restaurant.
Mama's is now yours.
What?
Mama's wish is for Frank
to remain at the restaurant
in his current
capacity as head chef.
There is also a
substantial inheritance,
predicated on Amy
taking ownership.
Oh.
And
she also left this.
That book.
She never let anyone
else touch this.
Wait, wait, that's it?
No other details?
She's left nothing else.
I'm afraid her intentions are
up to your interpretation.
Good morning.
Good morning.
Boss.
Boss.
Wow.
You know, I had my own
plans for Mama's where
I'd one day take over,
but I suppose that
just wasn't my destino.
Speaking of which,
is that for me?
Extra splash of
espresso and a cannoli.
Tryin' to butter me up?
It's a peace offering.
Mama was special to both of us,
and she had no other family.
We can make this work.
Enjoy, ladies.
Hey.
Ugh, no more fresh gnocci.
No more gnocci.
Amy, I'm slammed in the kitchen.
I can't believe how busy we are.
I need you to help me.
What? No.
Oh, no, I, I'm just the busser.
No, no, there's no just
anything here at Mama's.
Every role is vital to this
restaurant, you know that.
What's the number one rule?
Work at everything you
do with all your heart,
soul, mind and strength.
Perfect.
You'll learn the rest
of the rules by my side.
Right now you're promoted.
Congratulations.
Okay.
There's your first customer.
Smile.
Benvenuti.
Welcome to Mama's.
What did you do to Mama's?
Sales have dipped.
Tiny dip.
Itty bitty, in technical terms.
No plans, repairs or updates.
I got those plans.
Just right up here.
The menu's completely changed.
Where are Mama's dishes?
We're still working
out the kinks.
We just need new, uh-
Everything?
Okay, we're in the
middle of an upgrade, okay?
Look, things have
been kind of crazy
ever since Mama slowed
down and stepped back
from her duties last year.
Obviously I'm not much
of an interior decorator,
but I do make a mean tiramisu.
All right, I come from
a big corporate franchise,
and I've developed a
system that will help
fix all of these issues.
And then once Mama's is
back in decent shape,
we can both move on.
Oh, wait.
So you're not
planning on staying?
Financials, attendance,
scheduling, trust.
The FAST system.
Yeah, I got my own system.
It's called DIY.
Mmm.
DIY hasn't been W-O-R-K-ing.
Yes, acronym thing's real cute.
Definitely won't
get on my nerves.
What is that?
Oh, that is Galaxy Blast.
Just the greatest
arcade game of all time.
Wanna play?
Mama's classic
Italian restaurant
now features Galaxy Blast?
Yeah.
Okay, I'm shutting this down.
What?
Mama's needs a total refresh.
But you know, with the
inheritance she left,
I think we can really bring
this place back to life.
You're the boss.
What should we do with this?
I'm not sure if she left
it for you or for me.
You know what?
Uh.
It's all yours.
Ooh, biscotti.
Mmm-hmm.
I figured some Italian
desserts would be a good way
to break the ice
with the employees
of your Italian restaurant.
My restaurant.
Nothing daunting
about those words.
It's kind of funny,
though, isn't it?
You just quit your job at Chow,
and then this opportunity
falls right into your lap.
Destino.
Oh, I don't know about destino.
Why, what do you mean?
I know I should
do what Mama wants.
It's just that I don't know
that I can do her legacy
justice if I stay
long-term, you know?
She-she put her heart
and soul into that place,
and if I fail at this, then
I, you know, I fail her.
Hey, you won't fail her.
You've never failed
her before, right?
Right.
So, Frankie, how you feelin'?
I think I'm still in
the anger stage of grief.
Miss her.
Yeah, me too.
It's a lot to take
in all at once.
But you know, we're
gonna get through this.
I know.
- You know what's funny?
- What?
I ran into Amy at
Destino's before we went
to the lawyer.
Uh-huh.
Think she was flirting with me.
Really?
That's a good thing you
didn't flirt back with her.
That would make things a
little interesting around here.
Yeah, it's...
Oh no.
You flirted with her, didn't ya?
I don't think she noticed.
I'm about as smooth
as a pine cone.
Plus, we got the stresses
of this situation
distracting us.
Yeah, about that.
What's your plan?
Well, Mama made one thing clear.
She wants me to stay.
Truth is, I don't know if I can.
Hi, everybody. I'm Amy.
I'm the new owner and manager,
and I've brought you biscotti.
My best friend
Christine made them.
Dig in.
I'm sure they'll go
well with the coffee.
Uh, yeah, let's do it after.
That's fine.
So.
Why don't you tell
me about yourselves?
Okay, I'll kick things off.
- Well, I'm Frank.
- Mmm-hmm.
Head chef.
And the menu is my duty.
And my duty only.
Hey, I'm Sal.
I've been here for a couple
years helpin' out, you know.
Hostin', servin',
cookin', all that stuff.
Welcome, Amy.
Thank you.
Uh, yeah. Name's Lorenzo.
I'm an old, old
friend of Frank's.
He actually brought
me in here once things
started falling apart and-
Eh.
Just to handle odds and ends.
I'm very handy.
Great.
Listen, everyone.
I know this is a tough
transition for all of us.
We all loved Mama, so, so
let's just try to do this
to honor her memory.
On that note, I
took the liberty.
Can you pass these out?
I've assigned various
tasks to each of you
based on your names.
Fun, right?
Yeah, that's one way to put it.
Mama's inheritance will
cover a one-month refresh,
and during that time
we'll experiment
with a soft open,
and we will culminate in a
grand reopening celebration.
It's gonna be big.
Go team!
- All right.
- Okay.
And don't forget the biscotti.
It's really good.
Nice to meet you.
Biscotti?
I'm good.
Don't worry about them.
They'll come around.
Your ragu was Papa's favorite.
He always said the
key to the perfect sauce
is to go easy on the seasoning
and heavy on the confidence.
Roberto, come try my rag...
Perfecto.
And now try.
And now try this.
I'm still full from taste
testing your carbonara
an hour ago.
What's the worry?
This is a lot of pressure.
The First Generation
Food Festival is known
to launch careers.
Emilio entered last
year and now look.
Emilio's on Broadway.
You have faith in
your cooking, yeah?
Of course.
Then it will all
work out as it should.
Destino.
Whether it's today
or years from now,
you will open your
dream restaurant.
Now why are you rushing around?
We've got plenty of time.
Come with me.
I have a surprise for you.
This festival is important,
but not more important than
making time for family.
Masseto.
But we can't afford-
I sold a few lasagnas
in Brooklyn last weekend.
I really like it there.
Tell me, what are you seeing?
The Manhattan skyline.
Mmm.
The view from a
quaint, brick building.
My restaurant.
Mama's.
One day I will
give you that view.
To Mama's.
To Mama's.
Frank.
Look, look at this.
Papa's sacrifices are
ultimately what led
to the success of my
famous ragu sauce.
Each recipe has a memory,
and there's photos and stories.
And nothing super helpful
for our immediate situation?
Well, not necessarily.
What if the key to
refreshing this place
is to go back to the
beginning and replicate
the original look
and feel of Mama's?
Okay.
Listen, I know it must feel
like I'm just coming in here
to change everything.
Remember, this is for Mama.
Think of it as a reboot.
Everybody loves a reboot.
Do they?
Mmm.
I'm gonna need you to trust me.
Does that go both ways?
Of course.
So you trust me with the menu?
Uh.
You have nothing to worry about.
Why does that worry me more?
Okay, let me catch
you up with the evolved
flavor of Mama's, huh?
Can I get rid of
the pinball machine?
Absolutely not, no.
I will think about it.
Well, then, I will
give you a chance.
Catch me up on the
evolved flavor of Mama's.
All right, okay.
Hey, sorry I'm late.
We still have time
to catch that movie.
How was day one?
When I quit my job for
more of the challenge,
I think I wanted something
a little less challenging.
Is this about Frank?
Yeah.
But also about Mama.
Mmm.
You know how I said
I never failed her?
Yeah.
Well, we had a big falling out
after I left all
those years ago,
and we hadn't spoken since.
So why would she leave
me her restaurant?
Looking good, Emily.
This place is sparkling clean.
Maybe a bit too sparkling.
Go easy on yourself.
How's it goin' up here, Lorenzo?
Doin' fine.
Amy, these chandeliers
are a little dim.
Are you sure that's what
Mama's used to look like?
Yeah.
No.
Maybe a touch dimmer.
Dimmer?
Oh, perfect.
Almost.
Huh.
You want me to add
a touch of white?
Break it up a bit?
Yes!
Okay.
Great idea.
Hate to interrupt Space Blast.
Galaxy Blast.
Oh! Oh! Oh!
Why?
I was just about to
beat Sal's high score.
Well, I'm gonna
be frank with you.
I haven't heard that one before.
I need your help.
Help me recreate
Mama's classics.
Come on.
I'm still gonna give
you a chance to show me
your version of the menu.
Why is recreating the original
Mama's so important to you?
Why are you so opposed to
bringing back the classics?
Okay, I will think about it.
Okay, great.
Thank you.
When are we sampling?
Oh, uh, yeah.
Meet me in the dining room
in two hours for dinner.
Okay.
And bring an appetite.
You don't hurry up, dinner's
gonna become breakfast.
Okay, you really
shouldn't rush the chef.
Here is your complete
sampling of Mama's new menu.
Where do you wanna start?
What's that one?
Ah, these are roast
branzino with tomatoes,
potatoes, and olives.
You know what it's not?
What?
Mama's penne.
I know.
That's Mama's right here.
Oh.
Great!
Here we go.
It's hot.
Not very adventurous, are ya?
Adventurous?
Not when it comes
to habanero penne.
It's habiata.
Look, the menu's sort
of become a fusion.
It's Mama's classics
with a little more edge.
Old and the new,
come together as one.
And how did you
end up at Mama's?
Ah, eh, Lorenzo!
Tiramisu?
Comin' right up, Frankie!
You're deflecting.
I'm not deflecting.
You are. There's
a story there.
- I'd like to hear it.
- No story.
I applied, she hired me.
That's the end of it.
Ah. Here, perfect.
Try some, go ahead.
Thanks.
You got it, boss.
You know, I'm more
of a cannoli girl.
Are you a picky eater?
No.
Oh my gosh, no wonder
you're so opposed to my menu.
Your tastes are less
branzino habiata,
more chicken nuggets,
mac and cheese.
Who doesn't love chicken
nuggets and mac and cheese?
Oh, we could sample
the kid's menu instead.
Okay, now you're
being obnoxious.
I will try your famous
tiramisu one day.
Well, I'm gonna
hold you to that.
Great.
Now that I've sampled
some of Frank's fusion,
how about you try
something for me?
Can I get Mama's Flight?
- You got it.
- Thank you.
Mama's Flight?
Yeah.
All Mama's favorite wines.
I'm surprised you didn't
know about this place.
Nice place.
Thanks.
Chianti.
Light, fruity.
It's comforting.
Well, this was
our drink of choice
whenever we'd have long
talks about life and love.
And this
is a Meroni.
Mmm.
Bold.
Yeah, well that's why
Mama associated that one
with the rush of
taking risks in life.
Is that one familiar at all?
It's Masseto.
Mama and Papa's favorite.
Exactly.
I checked the stock room.
Why aren't we carrying any
of Mama's favorite wines?
Oh, we had to scale back.
I mean, as our customer base
slowed, so did our demand.
Sure, but as you
lose the staples,
you lose Mama's memory.
I mean, you don't want people
to forget about her, do you?
No.
No, no, of course not.
Hey, well, that's why we
need to go back to the basics.
We need more Mama, not less.
So does this, uh, this
new reboot idea of yours
mean you're stickin' around?
I, uh.
Maybe.
Could be a way for me to
make things right again.
Make things right?
Yeah.
Aesthetically, you know?
Yeah.
You ready for one more stop?
Do I have a choice?
Drink up.
The Masseto's expensive.
You're awfully quiet
all the way here.
Didn't wanna make
any sudden moves.
Your tastes may be
safe, but your driving?
Ha! Another story.
I was so far from that
man when I parallel parked.
Yeah, keep telling
yourself that.
There it is.
Mama and Papa's first
apartment here in the States.
That's where she dreamed
of making her mark
on the culinary world and
then accomplished so much.
There's so much history there.
Seasons change,
history remains, huh?
Poetic.
I wanted to show
you something, look.
Ah.
Mama's opened exactly
50 years ago this year.
What better way to honor
her memory than to reopen
on the 50th anniversary?
The 15th?
Yeah.
That's two weeks away.
What happened to our
one month timeline?
We'll, we'll just
expedite the schedule
so the reopening coincides
with the anniversary.
It will be a lot of
work, but we can do it.
Mama will be our guide.
Seems overly ambitious,
don't ya think?
Oh, gotta take this.
Excuse me.
This is Frank.
Hey, Frank, how you doin'?
It's Wallace here over
at Reggio's on 52nd.
You may have heard that
we're getting ready
to open in a couple of weeks.
Listen, I heard that you are
on the hunt for a new gig.
I have an opening for you.
Yeah, talk to me.
Ah, we're reopening
in two weeks.
Two weeks?
That's fast.
You worried?
Was. Not anymore.
Got an interview.
Interview what?
At Reggio's.
Looking for a new head chef.
If all goes according
to plan, uh,
think I'm leavin' Mama's.
What do you mean
you're leaving Mama's?
Shh, shh, shh.
Look, you know I wanna
do my own thing, right?
Doesn't look like I can
do that here anymore.
- You can't.
- Just-
Gather around, everyone!
Talk later.
All right.
Our timeline just got
a little bit tighter.
The 50th anniversary of
Mama's is in two weeks,
and we're aiming
to be open by then.
I even took out an ad in
The Times to celebrate.
And, to lighten your load,
I'm gonna bring in more crew.
Sound good?
Uh, good is not the word for it.
Oops, didn't think
you could hear me.
Was hoping you'd be more
of a team player, Frank?
Loyal associate.
Amy, we're a family
here at Mama's, okay?
Not corporate employees.
Hmm.
No, you're right.
Well.
On what?
You're right.
We're a family.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
I'd also like us to be friends.
Well, you wanna be my friend?
I propose a compromise.
We'll carry the
old with the new.
Some of Mama's recipes
and some of yours.
Mama did love a compromise.
Okay, yeah, we can be friends.
All right, so then
how about you brush up
on Mama's recipes and
I'll go handle the hiring?
Menu is your territory, right?
Yeah, right.
Right.
Okay, all right.
Let's all go home
and get some sleep.
We'll come back tomorrow
rested and ready to go.
We can do this!
Yeah!
All around the restaurant.
These are rich with
history, so let's put them
back up where they belong.
There's some of Mama,
Italy, Papa, of course.
Recapture the spirit of Mama's.
Here at Mama's we are
lookin' for somebody
who is enthusiastic
and hardworking.
Responsible.
Punctual.
Tenacious.
Someone who is excited
to come to work everyday.
Someone who wants to
be part of our family,
because here at Mama's
it's not just the food,
it's the people who make
this place so special.
Now I know you already
have another job,
but the qualifications
are impeccable,
your years of
experience impressive,
and your baked goods
are out of this world,
so if you're looking
for some extra hours,
I'd love to bring you on.
What do you say?
I say sign me up.
I'm so glad we're gonna
be working together again.
Oh, I'm so happy you
offer such a generous
employee discount!
Okay!
Okay, no, I'm happy to
work together with you.
Okay.
Didn't realize there was
a tornado in the forecast.
I'm a little rusty
on Mama's old recipes.
Feeling any less rusty?
Eh.
When's the last time you ate?
Why do you ask?
Come in!
Hope this pairs well
with whatever takeout
you're ordering for us tonight.
What are you doing?
I'm not ordering takeout.
I'm gonna make you a
spaghetti di Maria.
Oh, really?
Okay.
Having said that, I'm
not really a good chef,
hence my landing on the
management side.
You're like Papa.
I guess that
makes you like Mama.
So I may need some of your
chef skills to
fill in any knowledge
gaps I might have.
I doubt you'll need
any help from me.
Well, you know.
On second thought,
what could it hurt?
Hmm.
Use Parmesan instead of...
You're doing great.
- Am I?
- Doing great.
This is hard work.
Not, not too much.
It's fun, though, right?
There you go.
See? Simple.
Mmm.
I forgot how delicious that was.
Isn't kind of hard
not to think about her
when making her specialties?
It's been the toughest
part for me, yeah.
When was the last
time you two spoke?
Oh, we checked in here and
there over the past few months,
but the last thing I said
to her in person was,
"Don't eat too much gnocci."
What about you?
It's, uh.
Hey, Emily. What's up?
Oh, hey.
Um, not much.
Just a little problem.
Big problem!
Sorry, did Lorenzo
just say big problem?
What's goin' on?
I don't know.
Ah, nothing, Frank.
It's this stove, we're
trying to fire it up.
Frank, the thing is kaput.
It's not, eh.
You could be a little
more tactful, you know?
What, there's no
use dancin' around it.
Well, you could dance
a little around it.
It's fine, Frank.
We're almost there.
That stove has been in
desperate need of a tuneup.
We just hadn't
gotten around to it.
It's this thing right
here, I'm telling you, yeah.
The soft open is in two days.
Can we fix it before then?
Uh...
All right.
- Lift this up.
- Yeah, yeah, go ahead.
Just gonna lean
over a little bit.
Okay, go ahead.
- Oh, I got it.
- Nice.
I think I got it.
I don't got it.
Hmm.
Hmm.
I paired my
gnocci with my ragu sauce
for the food festival.
It fit together
like me and Papa.
The perfect match.
Hey, Frank,
you gotta try the pizza!
Gnocci rag...
Extra for you.
Thank you.
Mmm.
You two make quite the team.
Jacob.
I'm an accountant
and also an investor.
Come by for a
business consultation.
I think I may be able to
help you expand Mama's.
Here's my fee, I marked it down.
That's very kind of you,
but I'm afraid we still
can't afford this.
I'm also looking for a
little help around the office.
Errands, paperwork.
Gopher-type tasks.
Maybe we could work out a deal.
I'll do it.
Roberto, but you
already have a job.
I can work nights.
And maybe I'll pick up
some budgeting tips.
I believe in you.
When can I start?
I think you just did.
Ah, what Papa
proved is hard work
and opportunity
can come together
and create a beautiful recipe
that we called good fortune.
Well, I did what I could.
Needs a new spark module.
Without that, the oven is
just a giant paperweight.
So we'll order a new part.
It's just a small hiccup.
Well, good luck finding one.
This thing's from the '60s.
I don't even know if they
make replacement parts
for it anymore.
Okay, so it's a bad
case of the hiccups,
but we'll just dig
in and work harder.
We could just get
a brand-new stove.
It's just a part, Frank.
There's no need to replace
Mama's original stove
for one part.
If we find it, can you fix it?
Yes, ma'am.
Yeah, all right.
I'll, I'll, I'll
help you find it.
Great.
Thank you.
We'll scour the city
first thing tomorrow.
Didn't put up much of a fight.
Huh?
Who is this softy
and what has he done
with the bold as brass
Frank Rossi, huh?
I was being a team player.
Oh, is that what it was?
- Yeah.
- Uh-huh.
Plus, you know, this
soft open is a great way
to get my menu out before
I take it elsewhere.
Mmm, mmm, yeah, no.
No, that's not what it is.
Could it be?
Nah.
Nah is right.
Mmm-hmm.
No.
- Okay.
- Uh-huh.
- Frank.
- Yeah?
Kitchen's that way.
- I know.
- Uh-huh.
Kitchen's in there.
My famous wedding
soup is best served
with a little spontaneity.
Surprise, amore mio.
Surprise doesn't even
begin to describe it.
How did you do all of
this without my knowing?
The rooftop was
completely empty before.
I snuck away during
your busiest hours.
Slowly brought things
up one at a time.
I tried to make an
amazing wedding soup.
Seemed appropriate for today.
I just hope it's edible.
I'm sure it's perfect.
By the look in your eyes
I thought this can
be our secret spot,
a sacred place just for us.
What did I say?
It's not you, it's just I
really am the luckiest girl
in the whole world.
And that must make
me the luckiest guy.
I don't know what I
would do without you.
You have sacrificed
so much for me.
I'd do it over
again in a heartbeat.
I love you, Roberto.
I love you, too.
Mmm, mmm, mmm
Magic
Sweeter than wine
35 years.
Look what we've done.
Everything I want I have
Well, here's to another 35.
Yeah.
I love you.
I love you.
Yeah, I've been, uh,
flippin' through it.
Come up here to read sometimes.
It's peaceful.
Oh, new project of mine.
Basil, bay leaves, rosemary.
There's something
beautiful about cultivating
your life up here.
Sorry, were you looking for me?
Are you okay?
Yeah, it's just been awhile
since I've been up here.
My memories of Mama hit
especially hard sometimes, I think.
Yeah.
Well, today was Mama and
Papa's wedding anniversary.
Do you know they celebrated
up here every year?
Had an inkling.
Let's go get that spark module.
Yes.
After a quick detour first.
Come on.
Little Italy?
Mama's home away from home.
I figure we could
celebrate Mama's and Papa's
wedding anniversary
in her absence
by visiting a few of
their favorite spots.
And according to this,
favorite gelato place should be
right there.
So is this little
excursion really just
to celebrate Mama and Papa?
It may also be a chance
for me to get to know
my new friend.
What do you wanna know?
Well, you wanted to
keep Mama's memory alive,
let's keep it alive.
Tell me about what it was
like growing up with her.
Well, she kind of
helped my dad raise me
after we lost my mom.
She became my surrogate mama.
And she was just
always there for me,
especially after my dad
retired and moved to Florida,
left me the apartment.
How traditionally New York, eh?
And she and Papa
both taught me better
than to settle for second-best.
Gosh, told me
everything about Papa.
Yeah.
You're really lucky
to have known him.
Yeah.
You know, you, uh,
you never told me about
the last time you
and Mama spoke.
You know, we should really
go find that spark thing.
Aw, come on.
Now you're deflecting.
Come on.
There's not much to tell.
I mean, it was about a year
after I left Mama's and...
Amy?
Surprise!
I haven't seen you in months!
I know.
I've been so busy
at the new job.
It's unforgivable, I'm sorry.
What are you wearing?
Well, Chow's more
about professionalism
than getting your hands dirty.
Oh, sounds like a lot of fun.
I know.
So, listen.
I heard you guys were
going through a bit
of a slump lately.
No.
The crew let me
in over the weekend,
and I put together a
little surprise for you.
What?
Yeah, come see.
What are we doing?
I present to you,
Mama's on the Rooftop.
It could be a whole
new experience,
attract a younger crowd,
make Mama's an even
hotter hot spot.
What do you think?
I think this is not Mama's.
What do you mean?
The rooftop was never
meant for business.
It was always just
a special place for
me and Papa.
Yeah, I thought, I thought
you'd wanna share that
with the world.
I don't wanna share it.
It's a sacred place for, for us.
I just,
I just wanted to
help boost business
and modernize a bit.
You know, I would just
hate to see Mama's close.
We're not closing.
We're doing just fine.
We don't need any change.
Please, take this
down before you go.
And then life just got busy,
and we exchanged messages,
but we never got the
chance to reconcile.
Or say goodbye.
But I'll always be
her little tesoro.
Wait a minute.
What'd you say?
- Tesoro?
- Mmm-hmm.
She talked about you.
What?
Yes, all the time.
She talked about her
tesoro, her treasure,
how she missed you
dearly, how she loved you.
I just realized she
was talkin' about you.
You don't have to try
to make me feel better.
No, trust me.
I'm not known for
going out of my way
to be sweet and comforting.
I'm telling the truth, Amy.
So, you ready for
detour number two?
How many?
Well, it's up to Mama
and Papa, isn't it?
All right.
This is supposed to be
where their favorite
hot dog spot was, but
times change, I guess.
But history remains, right?
Right.
Let me ask you the same
question you asked me.
What kind of impact
did Mama have on you?
Saved me from myself in a way.
Used to be a little hard headed.
No!
There are remnants of
the old Frank there, maybe.
I'm human, after all.
It's just a defense
mechanism, you know.
Is that right, Dr. Drew?
I've seen glimpses
of the real Frank,
the one who saw I was
having a tough time
on the roof and orchestrated
an anniversary getaway
to cheer me up.
Yeah, don't mention it.
I mean that.
It's getting a little
too sentimental in here.
Oh-ho!
Look at this!
Mama loved
knickknacks like this.
It's us!
It's cute.
I'll take it.
What are you gonna do with that?
What am I gonna do?
We'll find a spot for it.
And I love what it represents.
Friendship is all about
understanding and trust, honesty.
All the things we have now.
Right.
So where to next?
Last stop.
This one's a special one.
Thank you.
Mama's recipe
for a successful marriage.
I didn't think we'd
get a moment of peace
and quiet today.
Hmm.
You're nervous about the future.
It's a good nervous.
Here.
This is a worry.
No.
This is a rock.
Yes, but imagine it's a worry,
a fear, a problem.
Hold onto it for a second,
but only for a second.
And then...
Oh!
Let go!
My father put a lot
of pressure on me
to make something of
myself like my brothers did
back in Tuscany.
They all had made their
mark in the wine industry,
but I had other plans.
It was my mother who encouraged
me to follow my heart.
And look what happened.
It led me to you.
Hmm?
Don't you feel lighter?
Much lighter.
We should get back
before the reception.
Okay, but first,
one for each of my new in-laws.
Hey!
Recipe for a
successful marriage.
One part trust, one
part communication,
and many parts wine and pasta.
That tracks.
You know, Mama had
a new lesson for me
every time I came to work.
Guess I could look at
these as all the ones
we never got to.
You know, deep down
she forgives you,
no matter what happened.
You can let go.
Hmm.
Come here.
Come here.
All right, give me that.
Hat?
I cannot believe
you found a place
that sells vintage
appliance parts.
I knew a guy.
I mean, key to finding
anything in this city,
you gotta know a guy.
I was very impressed.
You're so much more
than just the weirdo
I met that the coffee shop.
You love calling me weird.
It was cute.
Listen, thank you for today.
It's been tough doing
this without her.
I think it's made
me a little messy
in terms of how I've been
handling things around here.
Messy's okay sometimes.
Uh, eh, it's your stop.
I'm gonna go pick
up a few more things
for the soft open tomorrow.
Mmm-hmm.
All right.
Uh, Frank?
Were you gonna ask me
out when we first met
at the coffee shop?
Is that why you were
acting so weird?
What?
At?
The?
Okay, it's just
too bad, because I,
I think there's a chance
I might've said yes.
Uh.
She's as good as new.
Just in time.
Papa made the
perfect cappuccino.
His secret, that extra
splash of espresso.
Hey, boss lady.
What you doin'?
Ah, I was just reading
about how Mama and Papa
got together at
this little cafe.
Oh, kind of like how
you and Frank met, hmm?
I know what you're implying.
But no, it's a little
different, actually.
Hmm, interesting.
Tell me, where did
you two go yesterday
that was so important
you had to cancel
drinks with me?
It was pretty important.
Mmm-hmm.
We had to find a spare
part for the stove.
Mmm.
Oh, but first we went for a
little walk in Little Italy,
and then we went to this
cute, little flea market,
and then to the East River.
He pulled a Mama.
A what?
A reverse date.
It's how she and
Papa got together.
He didn't know he was
on a date until he was
already on it.
Oh, wow, that's genius.
She was a genius!
Listen, I need to go
put this stuff away,
but this conversation
is not over.
Okay.
Not over, missy.
Okay.
Benvenuto.
Mama's will be open
in just a few minutes.
I had to be first
to make a reservation.
The tiramisu looks delicious.
I don't care what
that review said.
If Mama loved it, I'm
sure I'll love it, too.
Review? What review?
The review from The Times.
Oh, boy.
Indeed.
He didn't tell you about this?
No, no.
He didn't tell his
boss that the menu
he's been fighting so hard for
has been panned by critics.
One critic.
Kimberly Ramirez,
the top critic in
all of New York.
That's the equivalent of
like 10 really good critics.
Fair.
What are you gonna do?
I wanted to give him a
chance, but after this?
We can't serve his
menu at Mama's.
All right, everyone.
Gather round, please!
So this is our first official
run through as a team,
and I know that we
are going to make
Mama and Papa very proud.
So, Frank, of course, will cook.
Sal and Christine
will host and serve.
Lorenzo is going to take
care of everything else
with the help of our new hires,
and Emily and I will take
orders and run the cash.
Sound good?
Really?
Your hard work has paid off.
You've just been promoted.
Oh, hey!
Okay, okay, okay, we're
officially on a time crunch,
so let's prep.
All right, all right, okay.
Frank.
Yeah?
About the menu, take this.
We're gonna make some changes,
so if you have any
questions, let me know.
Got it.
So why'd the menu change?
We're just gonna
keep things simple
so we can serve more
customers more efficiently.
Okay.
Benvenuti, welcome to Mama's.
All right, keep it tight.
Knees lookin' weak,
Tom, let's go.
Yup.
Hey, how's it goin' here?
- Oh, beautifully, Sal.
- Nice.
Took me all morning,
but I pre-prepped
quite a bit of my wild
mushroom crostini,
branzino and pork chop frisee.
Uh-oh.
Uh-oh? What?
Well, you didn't look
over the new prep sheet?
Amy updated it.
Only includes Mama's staples.
Not now. What?
Yeah, it's only the staples.
You did prep that stuff, no?
Yeah, no, of course.
I just, I'm, I assumed
we'd be selling
equal amount of my items, too.
Oof.
Why would she
change the menu, Sal?
Hey, first order's
up for spaghetti,
three chicken parm,
two fettucine.
Three chicken parm?
Okay, okay, okay.
It's gonna take a
whole half an hour.
It's okay, it's
okay, we got this.
Let's go. Gonna help out.
Let's jump in.
The three chicken parms
all day, let's go.
- Enjoy.
- Thank goodness.
What is going on back there?
Well, Frank didn't
prep enough of Mama's
signature dishes.
What, didn't he get the changes?
- I don't know.
- Well, what happened?
Why didn't you tell me
you made these changes?
- You tryin' to set me up?
- Set you up?
I gave you the folder.
All you had to do was open it.
We agreed to use
my menu, remember?
Yeah, that was before
I knew about the review
in The Times.
Oh, this is not good.
I was gonna, I was
gonna tell you about that.
When?
A few weeks from now
after we already reopened?
I was waiting
for the right time.
You know what, it's really
hard to work with someone
who doesn't reciprocate
trust and honesty
and communication.
Amy.
I thought we had that.
I thought we were friends.
Okay, guess I was wrong.
All right.
No, look, I mean, this
is almost an exact replica.
You know, I mean, almost.
I haven't been able to say
goodbye to Galaxy Blast yet.
Are you still thinking
about leaving for another job?
My interview's this afternoon.
It's a new era here, Sal.
I'm just in the way.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a second.
You've never given up
on anything this easily.
What aren't you telling me?
Huh?
It's Amy, isn't it?
See, I knew it.
Listen, you go in there,
you just be honest with her.
You lay it all out, you earn
some of that trust back.
It's not that simple, Sal, okay?
Being here is just
not my destino,
and I've accepted that.
Had a lot of good times
together, old pal.
Yeah.
Yeah, we have.
You can help
me haul this in the back.
Yeah.
Pasta primavera
was Amy's favorite.
Mama?
Amy!
Just in time.
I'm making your
favorite, primavera.
Can we talk?
Sure.
You talk, I listen,
and I make primavera.
It's what we do.
I got a job offer.
Chow.
In Midtown.
They're looking for
an assistant manager.
Oh.
Um.
You should take it.
Really?
Well, yeah.
You know the restaurant
business in and out.
Papa and I have
taught you everything.
It's about time you got
to, uh, spread your wings
and show the world
what you have to offer.
I know, but this is the
only place I've ever worked,
and it's so scary.
You have to take
risks in order to have
a rich, fulfilling,
successful life.
Imagine if I stayed in the
same place my whole life.
Well, all this would've
never have come to be, right?
Yeah.
How am I suppose to leave you?
You know, when I lost
Papa all those years ago,
I had two choices.
I could continue to grieve,
or I could live life,
loving the people who
are right in front of me.
People like you.
And it was hard losing Papa,
and it'll be hard
when you leave.
But, Amy, you'll never
get the chance to spread
the love that you found here
if I don't let you go.
I'll come visit you
all the time, I promise.
My tesoro.
Thank you for everything
you've done for me.
You've done so much more for me.
We need a picture together.
We need a photo.
Okay.
- Okay.
- Okay.
Will you take a picture of us?
Thank you.
Tiramisu di
Franco is a sweet reminder
of the importance
of moving forward.
Why'd you leave your
last job, Frank?
Eh, what the heck.
It's like my 10th interview
and no one's given
me a shot yet and
why should they?
I was too proud.
I wanted to cook a certain way,
my manager disagreed,
and I was let go.
I deserved it.
I had passion, but
I wasn't the boss.
Lesson learned, right?
Thank you for your time.
I'll see myself out.
Appreciate it.
No, no, come on, sit.
You want an espresso?
Uh, sure?
Okay.
Duo, espresso, per favore.
Eh, relax.
I appreciate your honesty.
Yeah, blessing and a curse.
I know that well.
So what is it that
motivates you?
I mean, why do you wanna cook?
Cookin' to me,
it's, it's, it's food.
Food is my safe place.
It's my nonna and my
mom in the kitchen,
whippin' up some maccugan dish.
It's garlic and the olive
oil simmering in the pan.
Best smell in the world.
And it's just feeling
instantly better
when you walk in your
house, and you know,
the sounds and the smells
of the kitchen, you know?
It's love, it's family.
That's what I wanna do.
I wanna, I wanna make a place
for love, laughter and family.
That simple, really.
It's all I wanna do.
Okay.
I can offer you a
couple of things.
I can offer you a lot
of garlic and olive oil
and a lot of fun in the kitchen.
Does that interest you?
You won't regret
this, Mrs. Tucci.
I'm your guy, for sure.
Call me Mama.
Of course, Mama.
Salute.
Salute.
Menu's prepped for tonight.
Just experimenting
with a new dish.
Mmm, duck?
Duck sugo.
Hmm.
You know, Frank, you've been
doing a fantastic job here.
You proved me right
by hiring you.
What can I say?
I'm a changed man.
Well, I'm gonna take a
little advice from Papa,
and you know that I'm not
really that good at change.
No.
But, um.
What's this?
Every artist starts
with a blank canvas.
You should make it your own.
Me?
You're ah...
You trust me to
create my own menu?
You think you would
like to do that?
Absolutely, yes!
Yeah, I've been workin'
on a recipe for tiramisu.
I think it'll be fantastic.
Oh, great.
Let's serve it tonight.
Yes!
Mmm.
There you are.
We put the finishing
touches in the dining room,
and I put out a
basket of my biscotti.
Are you okay?
I've been doing it all wrong.
Doing what wrong?
Taking Mama's
back to square one.
It's not what she wanted.
D we he
some final prep work to do.
Where's Frank?
- Frank?
- Yeah.
Frank stepped out to the market.
Uh, eh, grab some
tomatoes and peppers
and things like that.
Oh.
Bummer.
He's gonna miss the good news.
Change of plans.
We're gonna reincorporate
his items into the menu.
- Nice.
- Yeah, okay?
Okay.
Cool.
Okay, look.
Don't panic, but
Frank's actually at
a job interview right now.
- What?
- Yeah.
That seems like a
great reason to panic.
He can't leave.
I know.
Well, we gotta get
'em to make up.
Yeah, but how?
How what?
How beautiful is that coat?
Is it new?
Yeah, it's beautiful.
Where you headin'?
To talk to Frank.
Did he go to Prospect Park?
46th Street.
Manhattan?
What's he doing in Manhattan?
Well, have you seen
the stock of tomatoes?
The best in New York.
You know Frank.
Always going above
and beyond, so.
Yeah, and I mean, I'm
sure he'll be back soon.
You may as well just
wait for him here.
No, I, I need some fresh air.
I'll see you in a bit.
Yeah, see ya.
So you're calling him, right?
Yeah.
Oh.
Hey.
Hey, so how'd it go?
Couldn't of gone better.
That's great.
More importantly,
I realized something.
I think I know what my
recipes have been missing.
Yeah, you can tell
me about that later.
Look, Amy's been
lookin' for you.
You didn't-
I didn't tell her
about the interview, no.
Head over to the
46th Street market.
I told her you were
picking up tomatoes.
Okay, on it.
Hey, thanks for covering.
Frank.
- Hey.
- Amy, uh?
What are you doing here?
Uh, I actually came
to apologize.
You did?
Yeah.
I went a little overboard
trying to replicate Mama's,
and I shouldn't of dismissed
your contributions.
I was just so set on
making Mama proud that I,
I kind of lost sight
of that very thing.
What do you mean?
I was reading
through her cookbook,
and she included your recipes.
I didn't realize she
had so much fait in you,
and I didn't realize that she
was ready to embrace change.
Yeah, well, it
wasn't exactly working.
Well, maybe that's
because you were only
one half of a team.
I wanna move forward
with your menu.
You do?
Yeah.
Mama's wishes should come first.
And who cares what some
critic thinks, right?
You know, I was really
embarrassed the other night
at the soft open.
Now I know I had
some fault, too.
I should've talked to
you earlier one-on-one.
I shouldn't have done that
in front of all those people.
Hey, can we still be friends?
Friends again.
I'll see ya back at Mama's.
Dear Amy.
A new friend inspired
me to write this letter.
Hey, Mama, I was, uh...
Is everything okay?
Yeah, it's okay.
I, uh.
I'm just thinkin'
about some of my life
and one big regret.
Yeah, I've got plenty of those.
You wanna tell me about it?
I had a special friend.
Mio tesoro.
And we had this falling
out and it was really
all my fault because
I had such a big,
emotional reaction
and I pushed her away,
and you know, life
goes by, time flies,
and we all get busy.
And we lost touch.
Well, I believe
someone taught me
that true friendship
can withstand anything.
What would you do if
you were in my shoes?
I'd write a letter.
I think there's something
special and comforting
about receiving a tangible
memory that can be
held onto forever.
I was a shy kid.
I wrote girls little notes
and poems all the time.
I don't know.
What a romantic.
Oh, yeah, right.
You know, you're both
about the same age,
and I, I do hope
one day you meet.
Yeah, I'm not so
great at relationships.
She'd really be having
to compromise with me.
Mmm.
Hey, when do you
leave for Napoli?
Tomorrow night.
All right, have fun.
Don't eat too much gnocci.
Water my plants.
I got it, I got it.
I'm sorry that
we've fallen out of touch.
I take responsibility
for how I reacted,
but the wonderful thing
about relationships is,
they can withstand
just about anything.
Life might change
and time may pass,
but family is forever.
Papa taught me that.
And just like Papa, no
matter where you are,
I'll always be there with you.
Love always, Mama.
Frank, wait.
What's this?
I found it in Mama's cookbook.
She hadn't sent it to me.
Did you tell her to
write this letter?
This is the closure
I never had with her
and you helped me find that.
You have no idea what
this means to me.
Frank.
Hey.
Sorry to interrupt.
This'll just take a moment.
I don't know if you're aware,
but this guy is one
tough nut to crack.
He just won't give
me a straight answer.
Look, Frank, I came by
tonight to see if there's
anything else I can do
to sweeten the deal.
Now we would love to have
you as head chef at Reggio's.
Come on. How about it?
Amy, wait.
Benvenuti.
Welcome to Mama's.
I hope you enjoy your
experience here tonight.
Take a trip down
memory lane with us,
but keep an open mind, because
we have some new treats
for you, as well.
Okay, come on in.
Hey, welcome. Welcome back.
Come on in.
One for you.
And the wine list
is on the back.
I gotta tell ya,
there's something
different about you lately.
I feel revitalized, Sal.
- I do.
- Yeah.
Finally took the
time to slow down
and reconnect with what
I'm doing, you know?
- Try this, try this.
- Nice.
- Okay.
- What do you think?
That's delicious.
You are back, baby.
I'm back, baby.
It's too bad being back
actually means you're leaving,
but, eh.
Aw, come on.
Don't, don't do that.
Oh, how I'll miss you constantly
shovin' down your emotions, huh?
It's not like we won't
be friends anymore, Sal.
I know.
I'm being dramatic.
Have you had a chance
to talk to Amy yet?
What do you think?
I think you should
tell her how you feel.
I meant the-
I know you meant the branzino.
But you're leaving.
What have you got to lose?
Wasn't Mama all
about taking risks?
Ppmm, this looks good.
Had no romantic ambitions
Here it is.
No dream that I
deemed to come true
Tonight's going
pretty smoothly, huh?
Yeah.
Frank really turned things
around since the soft open.
Guess your communication's
finally improved.
Better late than never.
I am proud of you, you know?
For letting him go.
Well.
I mean, it's what he wants.
Who am I to stop him?
When I found
Let's go, we're draggin' it!
Oh!
Oh, sorry.
No, my fault.
Listen to us apologizing.
You'd never guess two
weeks ago we were the most
stubborn two people
on the planet.
Uh, about me leaving.
I, uh-
So Sal will step in
while we find a chef,
and Christine will be our
resident baker, and that's it.
We're totally covered.
Don't worry.
I'm happy for you.
I really mean that.
Hey, Lorenzo.
These two are good to go.
Okay.
Now that I've found you
Here you go.
Behind you, watch out.
Thank you.
Here we go, guys.
Salad for you.
Kimberly, hey!
How are you?
Thank you for coming.
Let me take your coat
for you, all right?
Thank you.
You're very welcome.
- It's good to see you.
- You, too.
I'm afraid I didn't
make a reservation.
- Ooh.
- I'll take it, Sal.
Well, thanks, Mig.
Ah, might be tough tonight.
No, no, I'm joking.
Come on in, please.
Good to see you.
Kimberly.
Frank.
Giving us another chance, huh?
I couldn't miss
the grand re-opening.
Ah.
Maybe you found your
missing ingredient.
Please.
Enjoy.
Does everybody have a drink?
This is
a Masseto.
It was Mama's favorite wine.
It wasn't because of the flavor
or the steep price tag,
even though she did
have champagne tastes, oh yes.
It was her favorite
because she shared it with Papa.
Aww.
Their dedication
and commitment and,
and everlasting
love for one another
is the reason that Mama's
will thrive once again.
You are now all official members
of the Friday Night Supper Club.
Welcome to our family.
To family.
To family.
To family.
Okay, well, this is the part
where Mama would interrupt
and say mangiamo, let's eat.
How lucky can one guy be
I kissed her and
she kissed me
Like a fellow once said
Ain't that a
kick in the head
Mmm.
The room was
completely black
I hugged her and
she hugged back
Like the sailor said, quote
Ain't that a
hole in the boat
You guys.
Kimberly sent over an
early edit of her review.
And?
Mama's seems to have found
its missing ingredient.
10 out of 10 forks.
Whoa!
Oh my god!
I'd say this bodes
well for the future!
Amazing!
Wow!
- Uh, Sal?
- Yeah.
Where's Frank?
Frank, he's in the back
cleaning up, I think.
Can you help me with something?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
But it's your move.
- Okay, uh.
- Yeah, go.
- Take over for me.
- Yeah.
Oh, hey.
I thought you left
without saying goodbye.
Is, uh, is Amy still here?
She's in her office.
Thanks.
Hey, would you do me a favor?
Sure.
I can't, I can't find it.
I lost Mama's cookbook.
I have a feeling
it will turn up.
No, but how could I lose it?
Hey.
I think there's someone
who wants to see you.
Amy, getting to know you
has made me realize somethin'.
Mama made the right choice in
leaving you the restaurant.
I also realized somethin' else.
Please meet me where
the room has no walls,
where the ceiling breaks,
and only the sky is above us.
I thought you might wanna
celebrate a great evening
with a little dessert.
When did you do all this?
I snuck away in my down time.
Picked up a few tips from Papa.
Your famous tiramisu.
The one and only.
Of course I could order
you some chocolate pudding
off the kid's menu
instead, if you like.
It's perfect.
Dining room looks a little messy
with my pinball
machine in there.
Messy can be a good thing
sometimes.
This magic moment
So different and so new
Was like any other
Until I kissed you
Frank Rossi, are you
asking me to dance?
And then it happened
That's bold.
Bold and brash.
It's who I am.
That you felt it too
By the look in your eyes
So here's the thing.
I was thinkin' about asking
you out at the coffee shop.
I knew it.
And I did also sorta
take you on a reverse date.
I know.
What I didn't expect was,
was how much you helped me.
You kept Mama's memory
alive when I was
trying to run from it,
and that's exactly
when I needed to find
my passion again.
How can I thank you?
Thank me by staying.
Oh, oh, oh, oh
I'll make you an offer.
I'm listening.
Let's be co-owners.
That's a bold offer.
I can be bold sometimes, too.
I changed my mind.
I decided to turn down the job.
You did?
It was risky.
Could've been the best thing
that ever happened to me.
But then I realized
I already had that.
It was right in front
of me the whole time.
Sweeter than wine
Softer than the summer night
You know, Mama left the
rest of her cookbook blank,
so what do you say we pick
up where she left off?
Carry on her legacy?
Mmm-hmm.
Well, this is one time
I can confidently say
that is exactly what
Mama would want.
Lasts forever
Forever till the end of time
Magic
Oh, oh, oh
Magic
Magic moment