“Order fire — two short rib, one halibut, one cacio e pepe, extra pep ,” Leo calls out from expo, voice shot from a double shift.
The dining room is nearly empty. One couple left, nursing Negronis. Mara leans against the stainless steel and checks her phone. %23cheflife+latest
Chef Mara wipes her forearm across her brow, leaving a faint smear of duck fat and salt. The line is silent except for the hum of the lowboy and the sizzle of butter hitting a pan that should’ve been cleaned an hour ago. “Order fire — two short rib, one halibut,