Not just the ones I hear, but especially the ones my family told me as a boy. Being a good storyteller was a matter of great pride in my family. My uncles were unbelievable and my mom was an absolute artist at it. Even my grandma had a flair of her own in telling us stories of her youth.

My life as a young boy was a tapestry of stories orally recounted, with much drama and inflection, there was no movie theater or movie that was ever close to our modest dining room and the family stories I heard as a young boy.

I did not know it then, but my destiny was to become a storyteller, myself.

I hope my stories will help you capture a much-needed smile, even if at my expense. A well-told story is like a hug, it is a magical moment when we find our smile in spite of our worries. More than a celebrity chef, … I want to be that guy, the one who makes people smile.