Our story
Chris and I want to thank you for taking the time to get to know us, our family, and our food creations. We are sincerely grateful and excited to inspire you and share our favorite recipes with you and your loved ones.
Soul mate or Soulmate
noun
a person with whom one has a strong affinity, shared values and tastes, and often a romantic bond:
I married my soulmate; you don’t get much luckier than that.
Soulmates is a term that Chris and I have used since the early days of our journey together. Let us go back decades, familiarize you with how Chris and I met and take you through some of our journey as Soulmates.
Chris and I come from similar backgrounds — Italian families that moved out of South Philadelphia. We both settled in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. We only grew up about 10 minutes from each other. We did not go to the same schools, and somehow never crossed paths. We did, however, appreciate the same things, and we were both passionate about our top priorities like spending quality time with family.
Most of the good times we commonly shared were centered around food, and lots of it. It is no surprise that Chris and I felt comfortable around the kitchen and the restaurant vibe.
I had attended culinary school and focused my studies on cooking, taking ownership of the “back of the house.” Chris studied hotel restaurant management with a focus on greeting and serving guests in the “front of the house.”
Once we entered into the same field, we were bound to finally run into each other. Chris and I met in our mid-20s at a restaurant in eastern Pennsylvania.
I was the Chef De Cuisine (Chef of the Kitchen), and Chris was a hostess and server.
Soul mate or Soulmate
noun
a person with whom one has a strong affinity, shared values and tastes, and often a romantic bond:
I married my soulmate; you don’t get much luckier than that.
Soulmates is a term that Chris and I have used since the early days of our journey together. Let us go back decades, familiarize you with how Chris and I met and take you through some of our journey as Soulmates.
Chris and I come from similar backgrounds — Italian families that moved out of South Philadelphia. We both settled in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. We only grew up about 10 minutes from each other. We did not go to the same schools, and somehow never crossed paths. We did, however, appreciate the same things, and we were both passionate about our top priorities like spending quality time with family.
Most of the good times we commonly shared were centered around food, and lots of it. It is no surprise that Chris and I felt comfortable around the kitchen and the restaurant vibe.
I had attended culinary school and focused my studies on cooking, taking ownership of the “back of the house.” Chris studied hotel restaurant management with a focus on greeting and serving guests in the “front of the house.”
Once we entered into the same field, we were bound to finally run into each other. Chris and I met in our mid-20s at a restaurant in eastern Pennsylvania.
I was the Chef De Cuisine (Chef of the Kitchen), and Chris was a hostess and server.
We were drawn to each other almost immediately. What really kicked off our 25-plus year journey of success was that we took the time in the early stages of our relationship to be friends. We spent hours every day sitting together and talking about who we are, our families and what is important to us when it comes to being with the people we love.
There was a spark there that neither of us had ever experienced. We both knew we were building something special even if it was unsaid, considering we had only known each other for a short while. Our talks were effortless. We spent downtime in the restaurant getting to know each other better.
The restaurant is a busy environment, which makes finding somewhere to talk without distractions challenging. In the restaurant where we met, there was an entrance for employees that took you through the basement, down a long hallway before reaching the stairwell that led you to the storage area and prep kitchen.
It was in that long hallway where we settled most nights to connect. In addition to funneling the employees prior to and after their shifts, it was the area of the building that accepted the restaurant’s food deliveries.
Not only was the area short on comfortable places to sit, there were no chairs at all.
Chris and I would spend many hours talking together. We needed to be resourceful and find a way to rest our legs while we chatted.
The best we could come up with was to arrange two milk crates that were tossed in a pile with the rest of the empty boxes and containers that once carried the restaurant’s daily inventory. The milk crates not only provided a restful platform for our fatigued bodies as most of our multi-hour talks started after a long shift – they became a symbol of our love to this day.
In fact, I proposed to Chris in my sister’s basement, as we shared a meal on…you guessed it…two milk crates from the local restaurant. It was the simplicity of the milk crates that made them so special. It was the fact that the smallest details were memorable, and reminds us about our humble beginnings.
There was a spark there that neither of us had ever experienced. We both knew we were building something special even if it was unsaid, considering we had only known each other for a short while. Our talks were effortless. We spent downtime in the restaurant getting to know each other better.
The restaurant is a busy environment, which makes finding somewhere to talk without distractions challenging. In the restaurant where we met, there was an entrance for employees that took you through the basement, down a long hallway before reaching the stairwell that led you to the storage area and prep kitchen.
It was in that long hallway where we settled most nights to connect. In addition to funneling the employees prior to and after their shifts, it was the area of the building that accepted the restaurant’s food deliveries.
Not only was the area short on comfortable places to sit, there were no chairs at all.
Chris and I would spend many hours talking together. We needed to be resourceful and find a way to rest our legs while we chatted.
The best we could come up with was to arrange two milk crates that were tossed in a pile with the rest of the empty boxes and containers that once carried the restaurant’s daily inventory. The milk crates not only provided a restful platform for our fatigued bodies as most of our multi-hour talks started after a long shift – they became a symbol of our love to this day.
In fact, I proposed to Chris in my sister’s basement, as we shared a meal on…you guessed it…two milk crates from the local restaurant. It was the simplicity of the milk crates that made them so special. It was the fact that the smallest details were memorable, and reminds us about our humble beginnings.
We continued our chats as we built a foundation of friendship. Everything just seemed to click and feel right. Even meeting each other’s families was peaceful and evidence that Chris and I were meant for each other. That does not mean that we did not compile some funny stories in the first few family encounters.
In the mid-1990s, I left the restaurant where Chris and I met to start a catering business with my sister and sister-in-law. We started the business prepping for parties in my parents’ home. When Chris met my family, we happened to be preparing for a cooking festival in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
I come from a large Italian family — a loud pack of extroverts that can make the first family meeting a daunting task for any newcomer. I have seen a few significant others not make it to the second family dinner. I had no doubt that Chris would hit the mark.
I arrived at a full house, and my parents were eager to help us get ready to showcase our new business to local foodies and prospective customers. People were creating signs and decorations while we arrived with a car full of food to spend the night preparing. It was like walking into a food and craft market with random activities being conducted by various family members.
Chris walked in, greeted my family, and asked what needed to be done. My mother replied, “Thomas’ chef coat needs to be ironed.” Without hesitation, Chris said, “I got this.” In the subsequent hours of grinding out whatever needed to be done to ensure a successful first step in our family business, Chris fit into the family perfectly. She was connecting with my family as effortlessly as we did when we first started talking.
I ran into my father as I was taking a break from what seemed like an endless evening of preparation.
I whispered, “Well, what do you think, dad?” He could barely contain himself. He quipped, “Marry her tomorrow!” My father still tells this story, almost 30 years later.
In the mid-1990s, I left the restaurant where Chris and I met to start a catering business with my sister and sister-in-law. We started the business prepping for parties in my parents’ home. When Chris met my family, we happened to be preparing for a cooking festival in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
I come from a large Italian family — a loud pack of extroverts that can make the first family meeting a daunting task for any newcomer. I have seen a few significant others not make it to the second family dinner. I had no doubt that Chris would hit the mark.
I arrived at a full house, and my parents were eager to help us get ready to showcase our new business to local foodies and prospective customers. People were creating signs and decorations while we arrived with a car full of food to spend the night preparing. It was like walking into a food and craft market with random activities being conducted by various family members.
Chris walked in, greeted my family, and asked what needed to be done. My mother replied, “Thomas’ chef coat needs to be ironed.” Without hesitation, Chris said, “I got this.” In the subsequent hours of grinding out whatever needed to be done to ensure a successful first step in our family business, Chris fit into the family perfectly. She was connecting with my family as effortlessly as we did when we first started talking.
I ran into my father as I was taking a break from what seemed like an endless evening of preparation.
I whispered, “Well, what do you think, dad?” He could barely contain himself. He quipped, “Marry her tomorrow!” My father still tells this story, almost 30 years later.
Meeting Chris’ family was not while we were frantically preparing for our first public appearance as an up-and-coming local catering business, but the encounter was the same in two ways. First, meeting and getting to know Chris’ family was as natural as Chris’ encounter with mine. Second, the initial meeting did not fail to produce a funny story.
Chris’ mother is an amateur cook like most home cooks, relying on a small handful of dishes that were handed down over many generations, and perfected by countless repetition. That stated, it is not every day that you have to cook dinner for a trained chef. I have tried many times to convince people that I can enjoy simple meals, and that I am a humble person who appreciates anyone serving me.
Regardless of my efforts, the thought of cooking for me for the first time would push people to a panic-stricken state as they think about pleasing the chef. My mother-in-law was no exception. She chose her number-one dish to prepare. The dish she had made 10,000 times. The dish that she could prepare and execute flawlessly while blindfolded. The Sunday staple: meatballs, sausage and gravy.
The stress of the moment surely got the best of her. My mother-in-law trashed two batches of meat and gravy. This was not good for my first showing with Chris’ late father. You do not get in the way of an Italian man from South Philly and his meatballs and gravy. To see two batches go in the trash because his daughter was bringing her new chef boyfriend over for dinner was unacceptable.
My mother-in-law nailed it on the third try, and anger levels were reduced to an acceptable place for a meet and greet over Sunday pasta. We all connected as if we had known each other for years. The foundation was set for Chris and I to continue building our life together.
I continued the catering business with my family for a short while. Chris put her studies to work and was progressing through the ranks quickly at a local hotel. Serving others was our specialty; however, being apart every day was something that Chris and I were not willing to accept long term.
We both knew that I was a good chef, and when it came to managing the guest’s experience, Chris was second to none. My sister-in-law, sister, and I felt it was time to take a risk and expand our reach beyond catering. We decided, along with our significant others, to bring our talents and dreams to fruition, and open a French-Italian, fine-dining restaurant.
Chris left her hotel management job where she was flourishing to manage the front-house operations of the restaurant. Once again, Chris and I proved that our bond was unbreakable. Our faith in each other, and our desire to be together, guided us through the tumultuous experience.
We built a restaurant from the ground up, taking an empty office space and converting it to a full-scale, 60-seat, award-winning restaurant. All family members were enlisted for the build and eventual grand opening.
Our successes and challenges were plentiful. As rough as some of the moments in the restaurant would get, Chris and I always embraced each other at the end of the night, and went home as happy and in love as when we arrived.
Before the end of our first year in the restaurant business, Chris and I decided to get married. You might be thinking to yourself: Wait a minute! How long ago did they start dating? When Chris and I set goals, we pursue them with unwavering passion. I get the numbers wrong sometimes, but I believe the story goes: We started dating, got engaged, were married and conceived our first child in 18 months.
That’s right! A few weeks after we got married, within a year after opening a new restaurant, it was time to expand the Soulmates family. Chris always wanted children, ever since she was a young girl. Her nurturing personality and
endless enthusiasm to put others before herself made being a mother a top priority.
We had our first child, Carly, in 1998. We quickly followed with our second child, Thomas, in 2000. Life was moving a mile a minute. Chris was staying at home with the children while I worked day and night running the restaurant. I would leave at 8:30 AM and come home around 10:30 PM.
As difficult as that was, it was no match for raising two young kids in a small apartment.
Chris’ mother is an amateur cook like most home cooks, relying on a small handful of dishes that were handed down over many generations, and perfected by countless repetition. That stated, it is not every day that you have to cook dinner for a trained chef. I have tried many times to convince people that I can enjoy simple meals, and that I am a humble person who appreciates anyone serving me.
Regardless of my efforts, the thought of cooking for me for the first time would push people to a panic-stricken state as they think about pleasing the chef. My mother-in-law was no exception. She chose her number-one dish to prepare. The dish she had made 10,000 times. The dish that she could prepare and execute flawlessly while blindfolded. The Sunday staple: meatballs, sausage and gravy.
The stress of the moment surely got the best of her. My mother-in-law trashed two batches of meat and gravy. This was not good for my first showing with Chris’ late father. You do not get in the way of an Italian man from South Philly and his meatballs and gravy. To see two batches go in the trash because his daughter was bringing her new chef boyfriend over for dinner was unacceptable.
My mother-in-law nailed it on the third try, and anger levels were reduced to an acceptable place for a meet and greet over Sunday pasta. We all connected as if we had known each other for years. The foundation was set for Chris and I to continue building our life together.
I continued the catering business with my family for a short while. Chris put her studies to work and was progressing through the ranks quickly at a local hotel. Serving others was our specialty; however, being apart every day was something that Chris and I were not willing to accept long term.
We both knew that I was a good chef, and when it came to managing the guest’s experience, Chris was second to none. My sister-in-law, sister, and I felt it was time to take a risk and expand our reach beyond catering. We decided, along with our significant others, to bring our talents and dreams to fruition, and open a French-Italian, fine-dining restaurant.
Chris left her hotel management job where she was flourishing to manage the front-house operations of the restaurant. Once again, Chris and I proved that our bond was unbreakable. Our faith in each other, and our desire to be together, guided us through the tumultuous experience.
We built a restaurant from the ground up, taking an empty office space and converting it to a full-scale, 60-seat, award-winning restaurant. All family members were enlisted for the build and eventual grand opening.
Our successes and challenges were plentiful. As rough as some of the moments in the restaurant would get, Chris and I always embraced each other at the end of the night, and went home as happy and in love as when we arrived.
Before the end of our first year in the restaurant business, Chris and I decided to get married. You might be thinking to yourself: Wait a minute! How long ago did they start dating? When Chris and I set goals, we pursue them with unwavering passion. I get the numbers wrong sometimes, but I believe the story goes: We started dating, got engaged, were married and conceived our first child in 18 months.
That’s right! A few weeks after we got married, within a year after opening a new restaurant, it was time to expand the Soulmates family. Chris always wanted children, ever since she was a young girl. Her nurturing personality and
endless enthusiasm to put others before herself made being a mother a top priority.
We had our first child, Carly, in 1998. We quickly followed with our second child, Thomas, in 2000. Life was moving a mile a minute. Chris was staying at home with the children while I worked day and night running the restaurant. I would leave at 8:30 AM and come home around 10:30 PM.
As difficult as that was, it was no match for raising two young kids in a small apartment.
We loved each other too much to accept this lifestyle and we did not want our children to see us separated all of the time. We were Soulmates! We needed to be close to each other. We needed to be a beacon for our children, and that is impossible if we are not together. Chris and I, along with the family members that shared in the adventure with us as co-owners, sold the restaurant in early 2001.\
We were able to accomplish some amazing things over the five years of running our own business. Being on radio and television, in cookbooks, magazines and countless newspapers are things that aspiring restaurant owners dream about. For us, it was just a typical month for us to get multiple write-ups with glowing accolades.
After we sold the business, we had notched a plethora of wins including: Best restaurant, best desserts, best menu, best family business, best caterer, best kept secret, and Best of Philly in Philadelphia magazine.
I could write a book of restaurant stories alone. Let’s move on.
The next chapter of our lives was fast and furious, like every other one so far in our young marriage.
We moved into my parents’ home to save money. I went back to school for Information Systems and Business Management in the hopes of starting a new career where family time was not so scarce. We also welcomed our third child, Ava, in 2003. We thought the first phase of our life was hard. It was no match for going to school full time, working full time, raising our three kids, and trying to be good house guests.
Not to mention the fact that we did not have any money. It was a reset time for us. We leaned heavily on our trust in each other, and on the support networks that were there for us all along.
Like every other challenge that we encountered, we pushed through and found a way to leverage our better-together mentality to finish school, progress in a new career, buy our first home, and in keeping with our inability to settle for one moment to breathe, we had Mikey, our fourth child, in 2006.
We were moving on from the culinary life that brought us together. Although, we never lost sight of our love for cooking, serving and entertaining. Over the last 21 years, as I climbed the corporate ladder, and leaned on my soulmate for support, we worked tirelessly to build an incredible life together.
One thing that we never stopped talking about over the years was how we were going to find time to go back to our roots and write a cookbook. Chris and I had hundreds, if not thousands, of dishes that we wanted to document, photograph and publish.
Writing a cookbook together was a life goal of mine for many years. Chris and I talked about it frequently, but life just gets in the way. Next year turns into five years, then 10, and then the next thing you know, you are 50-plus years old, and your life goal is still in the hopper waiting for its call to the front of the line.
That call came towards the end of 2021, as Chris and I were taking our morning walk. Taking a morning walk is our old-people version of spending quality time together. We started walking every morning in 2019, right before COVID took over the world and changed everyone’s lives. Through the many months of quarantine, Chris and I made it a point to connect every morning and walk for three miles.
On our walks, we solve many complex problems. We talk about work, the kids, money, our plans, how to better ourselves, our family, and what we want to see ourselves doing next year, the year after and beyond.
COVID put us all in a situation where we were not able to experience the day to day we were all used to for decades. The pandemic forced us to think differently about how to fill our day, excluding the hours dedicated to work, kids and the must-dos of course.
The limited ability to go to dinner or the movies, see friends, travel, etc. put a whole new perspective on our morning walks. We could have either felt sorry for ourselves and complained about not being able to do what we wanted to do, or we could team up and create something that is amazing, something that tells our story and something that shares our love for food with the world.
We partnered together as we always do, and chose the latter. We high-fived and set a 12-month goal to deliver a professional cookbook to our extended family and friends by Christmas 2022.
That decision set us on yet another journey together. We knew we were taking on a lot as we continued to juggle life with four grown children, and the many curveballs that life provides.
Chris and I knew we could deliver on our goal. Why? We are Soulmates! We can do anything if we do it together. We looked at each other that morning on our walk and said, “Let’s share our story. Let’s share our love for serving, entertaining and our favorite dishes with anyone who wants to learn.”
We embraced the challenge and never looked back. Since publishing our first cookbook, we have deployed a website and built a social-media presence to publish cooking videos and build a community. We look forward to sharing our love of food with you.
We were able to accomplish some amazing things over the five years of running our own business. Being on radio and television, in cookbooks, magazines and countless newspapers are things that aspiring restaurant owners dream about. For us, it was just a typical month for us to get multiple write-ups with glowing accolades.
After we sold the business, we had notched a plethora of wins including: Best restaurant, best desserts, best menu, best family business, best caterer, best kept secret, and Best of Philly in Philadelphia magazine.
I could write a book of restaurant stories alone. Let’s move on.
The next chapter of our lives was fast and furious, like every other one so far in our young marriage.
We moved into my parents’ home to save money. I went back to school for Information Systems and Business Management in the hopes of starting a new career where family time was not so scarce. We also welcomed our third child, Ava, in 2003. We thought the first phase of our life was hard. It was no match for going to school full time, working full time, raising our three kids, and trying to be good house guests.
Not to mention the fact that we did not have any money. It was a reset time for us. We leaned heavily on our trust in each other, and on the support networks that were there for us all along.
Like every other challenge that we encountered, we pushed through and found a way to leverage our better-together mentality to finish school, progress in a new career, buy our first home, and in keeping with our inability to settle for one moment to breathe, we had Mikey, our fourth child, in 2006.
We were moving on from the culinary life that brought us together. Although, we never lost sight of our love for cooking, serving and entertaining. Over the last 21 years, as I climbed the corporate ladder, and leaned on my soulmate for support, we worked tirelessly to build an incredible life together.
One thing that we never stopped talking about over the years was how we were going to find time to go back to our roots and write a cookbook. Chris and I had hundreds, if not thousands, of dishes that we wanted to document, photograph and publish.
Writing a cookbook together was a life goal of mine for many years. Chris and I talked about it frequently, but life just gets in the way. Next year turns into five years, then 10, and then the next thing you know, you are 50-plus years old, and your life goal is still in the hopper waiting for its call to the front of the line.
That call came towards the end of 2021, as Chris and I were taking our morning walk. Taking a morning walk is our old-people version of spending quality time together. We started walking every morning in 2019, right before COVID took over the world and changed everyone’s lives. Through the many months of quarantine, Chris and I made it a point to connect every morning and walk for three miles.
On our walks, we solve many complex problems. We talk about work, the kids, money, our plans, how to better ourselves, our family, and what we want to see ourselves doing next year, the year after and beyond.
COVID put us all in a situation where we were not able to experience the day to day we were all used to for decades. The pandemic forced us to think differently about how to fill our day, excluding the hours dedicated to work, kids and the must-dos of course.
The limited ability to go to dinner or the movies, see friends, travel, etc. put a whole new perspective on our morning walks. We could have either felt sorry for ourselves and complained about not being able to do what we wanted to do, or we could team up and create something that is amazing, something that tells our story and something that shares our love for food with the world.
We partnered together as we always do, and chose the latter. We high-fived and set a 12-month goal to deliver a professional cookbook to our extended family and friends by Christmas 2022.
That decision set us on yet another journey together. We knew we were taking on a lot as we continued to juggle life with four grown children, and the many curveballs that life provides.
Chris and I knew we could deliver on our goal. Why? We are Soulmates! We can do anything if we do it together. We looked at each other that morning on our walk and said, “Let’s share our story. Let’s share our love for serving, entertaining and our favorite dishes with anyone who wants to learn.”
We embraced the challenge and never looked back. Since publishing our first cookbook, we have deployed a website and built a social-media presence to publish cooking videos and build a community. We look forward to sharing our love of food with you.
come and cook with us on social media
