It's that time of year
Where we show
some love and cheer
When the lights
shine a bit brighter
I can't wait for the snow
pine cones and mistletoe
Let's take
a little stroll
No baby don't let go
'Cause it's Christmas
Do doo-doo do doo-doo
A celebration right here
Do doo-doo do doo-doo
Yeah it's Christmas
Do doo-doo do doo-doo
My favorite time of year
Do doo-doo do doo-doo
Yeah it's Christmas
- Hola, Carmen.
- Oh. Hola, Sue. Buenas.
Don't mind me.
I'm just tidying up a bit.
- Anything I can help with?
- No.
Unless you can replace
my porcelain Christmas tree.
- Then no.
- Well, maybe I can help.
I know it's not your mom's,
but I know how upset you were...
- When it broke, so...
- Carmen!
It's perfect!
- You like it? You're welcome.
- Yes. Thank you so much.
Hey, just leave it right there,
I'll find a place for it.
- Okay.
- Hola!
- Hola! Hola, abuelita.
- Feliz Navidad!
I brought you some
leftover pollo guisado.
Abuelita,
there's plenty of food here.
No such thing.
Okay, okay, nos, vamenos?
Are you sure you're okay
on your own?
Yes, go, go, go!
Enjoy your Christmas shopping.
- All right.
- Okay.
- Buh-bye.
- Adios.
All right.
Thank you. Happy holidays.
There she is.
Hi, Victor, Shirley,
I was wondering if you two
would show up today.
What would you like to order?
I don't think I've tried
the Pan de Mallorca.
- Ooh. What's that?
- Oh, it's a sweet bread roll.
My abuela used to make these
every weekend
back in Puerto Rico.
We'll take two.
I am so excited.
- Shall we?
- Sure.
Carmen, this is exquisite.
Mm, I have to say,
these taste exactly
like I remember hers did.
You know...
Your baking never ceases
to amaze. You have a gift.
Well, my family used to own
a postre shop in Puerto Rico,
so everything I create,
I make using their recipes
that they've passed down
for generations.
You see those jars behind me,
they're pineapple chunks
that have been soaking in rum
for about a year.
Do they need to be soaking
that long? No.
But that's the way
my family does it.
I just thought of something,
our Lansby View Hotel hosts
an annual Christmas gala, famous
for our big holiday feast.
It's a wonderful event
and a great cause.
Even though
it's on Christmas Day,
everyone who's anyone goes.
The event not only benefits
those in need,
but has also become a way
to showcase up-and-coming chefs.
This year's sponsor is famed
food critic Anna Maria Garza.
That's right, all our chefs
move on to do great things.
The exposure alone can jumpstart
you into who knows what!
You should interview.
Call that number, they'll
give you all the information.
Make sure you say
Victor and Shirley sent you.
I-I've, I've never
actually run a kitchen,
so I don't think I would be
the person you're looking for.
Oh, no, you hush now,
you are exactly
what that stuffy ol' party
needs.
And I think it's perfect timing
'cause aren't the interviews
on Monday?
That's right.
Promise us you will at least
consider attending.
- Yeah, I will think about it.
- Mm. That's a start!
We'll take it. Let us know
if you need anything at all.
Oh, thank you. And the rolls
are on the house today.
- Oh. Carmen! That is so sweet.
- Thank you.
- Bye. Happy holidays!
- Oh, Pilar! Hi.
- Hey, hey.
- Hi. I'm here! I'm here!
Sorry I'm late. Sorry I'm late.
That was Mr. and Mrs. Flores, right?
Yeah, they came
for their Pan de Mallorca.
Oh! Oh, wow!
It's almost all sold out
and it's not even 2 p.m.
That must be a new record. Aww...
- The Christmas tree is fixed.
- Yeah, I got a new one for Sue.
Ay, of course you did.
Such a bleeding heart.
- What is that?
- Oh, it-it's nothing.
Ooh! Someone gave you
their phone number?
- Is he cute? Can we call him?
- No, no.
It's Victor and Shirley,
it was just...
Um, it's this holiday
fundraising gala that they have
every year in their hotel
in Lansby View, I guess.
Wait, it's not
the Lansby View Hotel, is it?
Actually, yeah. Why?
Carmen, that's only
the social event
of the holiday season at a
five-star paradise! That's all.
They didn't invite you to it,
did they?
Because if they did,
I am so going with you.
- And where are you both going?
- Nowhere! No...
Wita, Victor and Shirley
invited Carmen
to a very fancy holiday party.
Oh, so you're gonna miss
Noche Buena?
No, no, no, no.
It is not like that.
They're looking for chefs
that can handle a menu
on Christmas Day, but it sounds
way out of my league, so...
So what?
That's incredible!
You're going to interview, right?
I don't,
I don't think so, I mean,
they're probably looking for
somebody with more experience.
Okay, Carmen,
stop selling yourself short.
They personally invited you
because they know
you're the best. You have to do
it. Abuelita, tell her.
You have to do it, mijita.
Really, you have to do it.
Tell her.
See, wita and Sue
said you have to.
I'm applying for you then.
No, no, Pilar! You cann...
No, I don't even qualify.
It says that you need to have
a degree in culinary arts
or some sort
of chef certification!
Oh, your certification
is in your heritage!
- You learned from the two best!
- Exactly!
See, and I'll certify you
right now if I have to.
You fake it till you make it,
mamacita!
Pilar, you can't do that!
Uh-huh? See? There.
Easy enough. You're in.
- Pilar, you submitted me?
- Yes.
- Pilar!
- And you're going!
Now go call and tell them
that you applied,
so they can make sure
to bring you in.
Go ahead, I'm, I'm not moving
until you do.
Go, we have an early dinner
to get to. Go!
Okay! Okay. So demanding!
Oh... Did you eat today?
Because you always forget to eat
when you bake all day.
Yeah.
Dinner's almost ready.
- Hi.
- Hola, mi amor.
- Papi, hola.
- Hola, mijita.
Oh. Mm. You smell like anela.
And you smell like
Arroz con gandules.
You know what?
What am I missing?
Everybody is extra cheery
for some reason
on a regular
Sunday night dinner.
Mm, well, it's not every day
that your granddaughter
is invited to display
her famous postres
at our city's
finest holiday event.
Well, I-I still have
to interview.
I haven't gotten
the position yet.
Ay, but we are still so
proud of you, preciosa.
Yes, yes, but I don't want
everybody asking me
a lot of questions about it.
Can we just enjoy dinner?
Yes, yes, we promise.
Mira. Not a word.
Now, what would you girls
like to drink?
Vino.
Okay, bente, Luis,
help me set the table.
So I'm not gonna say a word,
but I do wanna say,
if you wanna feature my sofrito
on your big holiday menu,
I'll be happy
to offer my services.
- Oh-h*-h*! Salud!
- Salud!
Wow!
Everyone.
This is awesome.
- Oh! I'm...
- Oh! Sorry.
Oh... You know... It's okay.
I, uh, have extras.
It's good.
Guess I should be watching
where I'm going.
No, that's okay.
Sorry about that.
Jax! Hey!
- Francisco.
- It's nice to see you.
- Nice to see you as well.
- Aw, Jax is here.
We might as well all go home.
Come on, Bonnie,
since when are you afraid
to cook up a little competition?
It's not a competition if you
can get to smile to the judges.
You're at an unfair advantage.
- Good to see you, man.
- Good to see you as well.
So where is your number two,
Ben?
Sorry! I'm here.
I'm here. I'm here.
- The unstoppable dinner duo.
- Hm.
Now we really
don't have a chance.
I noticed that the utensils
at our old
restaurant weren't polished,
so I had them done.
Oh, great. I had our knife
sharpened, so we're good to go.
- How sweet.
- Polished silver.
Mm-hmm.
- So...
- Hi, I'm Carmen!
Carmen, hi. You brought cookies.
Yes. Uh, traditional
Puerto Rican cookies.
Although some of them did get
lost on the journey over here.
Hello, chefs. Most of you
know my wife Shirley.
Nice to see you all.
Ben and Jax, it's been a while.
Nice surprise.
Okay, you all know
where the kitchen is,
so you can go ahead
and set up your stations.
We're gonna get started
very soon.
Why did we even show up at all?
Pawns. Or maybe prawns.
That's what we are today.
Tasty little shrimp,
and they're the lobster.
Bonnie, you're making me hungry.
That's what I do.
As most of you know, we prefer
to hold these interviews
in a fashion similar
to that of a cooking contest.
We find it
more enjoyable this way.
Never one to keep things boring,
are you, Mrs. Flores?
You have an hour to prep
and cook
your best dish
before presenting it to us.
And even though we're not
serving to the masses,
remember,
presentation always matters.
Also, and most of you know this,
we always hire two positions.
An executive chef
and a pastry chef,
so lean in
to your strongest suit.
I didn't know we were
supposed to bring anything.
- Uh, supplies, I mean.
- Hey, don't worry about suppl...
I have some extra ingredients
from the cookies I made earlier.
Some of the senior chefs
like to bring their own stuff
'cause they like
the way they feel.
This kitchen's got everything
you can possibly need.
Thanks. Hey, I-I'm Carmen,
by the way.
I didn't get to introduce myself
since I was making a mess earlier.
Jax.
This kitchen is way fancier
than any place I've ever cooked.
Oh. What, what is this?
Pilar, you are a lifesaver.
Ready, set.
Go.
- Oh!
- Oh!
Don't worry about it.
Happens to the best of us.
Hm.
Just have fun.
Behind.
Coming through!
What's that about?
Alright, chefs, that's time.
Hands up.
If you'll follow me
into the ballroom,
and don't forget your dishes.
These all look delicious.
- Shall we?
- Hi.
- All right.
- So nice to meet you.
Thank you for this.
Oh, this is beautiful.
Ooh. Thank you.
- What was in that jar?
- Oh.
Pineapple chunks soaked in rum.
- How long were they soaking for?
- Long enough.
I was saving them
for a special occasion.
Thanks.
Mm.
- Not too shabby.
- Very good.
Hi.
- Mm.
- Delish.
Mm. Perfectly done.
Oh, what do we have here?
Wow, look at Carmen's, honey.
Nice. All right.
Mm...
Wow!
- Good job, guys.
- We'll be back.
We're gonna discuss.
Looks like you nailed it.
What culinary school
did you go to?
Um, I went to the Culinary
Academy of Mi Familia.
It's in Miami.
I've never heard of it.
- Hm.
- Where did you go?
We both went to one of the best
culinary schools in the country,
the New England Culinary
Institute. Ever heard of it?
Of course! Hm.
Carmen, is it?
How did you hear
about this event, anyway?
Victor and Shirley invited me.
Mr. and Mrs. Flores?
- Okay.
- Let's go.
So, we want to thank you all
for your hard work.
It's impressive to be surrounded
by such talent.
However, there can only be
two winners.
And tonight the winners are...
Jax, for the executive chef position.
And for our pastry chef...
Congratulations, Carmen!
Again, thank you.
Have a lovely night,
and Merry Christmas.
Hope to see you all next year!
Will you two please follow us?
Right this way, guys.
So, as of now
we have a full house,
which means there will be
lots of moving parts.
But I don't want you
to worry about that.
- That's what we live for.
- Exactly.
Our event planner
will handle all of the decor,
hiring the wait staff
and all the other details.
Your two are focused on
your menu and on your cooking,
and that's it.
And thank you again so much,
Mr. and Mrs. Flores,
for this opportunity.
Same. I'm so very excited.
I will not disappoint you.
We picked you both because we
believe you'll be a good team.
We've been in this industry
our entire lives
and have been hosting
this holiday charade
for nearly a decade.
One thing we've learned is that
desserts hold as much weight
as the main courses,
especially in the holidays.
So not only do we wanna
make sure that the menu has
as many desserts and pastries
as it does main courses,
but for this event
we consider the executive chef
and pastry chef as equal.
We want you guys to work
together to create a menu
that reflects
both of your cooking styles.
So you guys have to agree on
every single dish
you put out there. Okay?
We can't wait to see
what you come up with.
So good luck.
So, uh, is there anything,
um, I can help with?
- Anything you need me to do?
- No, sorry.
I'm just, uh, thinking
about what needs to be done.
Um, only got a week
to make this menu perfect, so...
Actually, I was thinking
about a couple of dishes
just off the top of my head...
What? What did I say?
No, it's just, uh,
before I interviewed,
I'd already figured out
the foundation of the menu
that I'd, I'd serve, so...
But Victor and Shirley said
we should collaborate
on the menu together.
And it's Christmas.
So a Christmas party like this,
don't you think deserves a new,
festive holiday-worthy menu?
You may have a point. Uh...
It's a lot to do
with very little time, though.
J-just so you know,
I have extensive experience
working large-scale events,
and I've created tons of menus
from scratch
for parties just like this one.
I didn't know that, um,
but I guess if Mr. Flores
invited you personally,
then that makes sense.
So if you don't wanna serve
my menu, then...
what should we serve?
Oh. No, I...
I-I didn't mean tonight, no.
Why don't we, w-why don't we
go home and-and-and actually
think about
what inspires us both?
And, um, we can regroup
in the morning.
Tomorrow morning?
Okay. 9 a.m. sharp.
9 a.m. sharp. Yes,
I-I will be there. Of course.
My leftovers.
What? I-I don't like
to waste food.
- D-did you, did you want one?
- No.
Are you sure?
They, they don't bite.
- It's good.
- Hm.
Mm, can I?
Thank you.
Carmen! So, how did it go?
Oh, no, you didn't get it?
- I got it!
- Ay, Carmen!
My heart can't take
your emotional whiplash.
Oh, and thank you for the jar.
Really saved the day.
Well, you never know
when you're gonna need it.
- Rum cake? Hey!
- Uh-huh.
- So, tell me everything.
- Ay, Pilar.
Everyone had supplies!
I didn't have supplies!
Oh, my God, what did you do?
Well, I used
the pineapple chunks.
Everyone had a coat.
I didn't have a coat!
- Do we need to get you a coat?
- Maybe.
- But right now we celebrate.
- Hm.
Oh, I am so proud of you.
- Morning! I come bearing gifts.
- You're late.
You know, in the future,
when you say you're gonna be
somewhere at a certain time,
you really should honor that.
Uh, it's only three minutes
past 9:00.
Which makes you
three minutes late.
And, look,
even if you were on time,
you're not early,
which means you're late.
I-I would have been here
on time, but I stopped
at a really cute Christmas
pop-up on Spring Street.
And I have this thing,
I love trying treats during
Christmas, it's really a thing,
so I had to check it out.
But I got you one.
Thank you.
Whoa.
This is really well-made.
Thank you. It was my abuela's.
She passed it down to me
along with her recipes.
She's really an amazing cook.
You'll have to try
some of her food someday.
All right, speaking of food,
we should really get started.
All right.
- Let's tackle this menu.
- Okay, let's do it.
So I like to break things
into four quadrants, okay?
We have apps, main courses,
sides, then desserts.
And once we figure these out
at a macro level,
we can start to hammer out
the details of the...
- What are you doing?
- You know, I don't really...
I don't really work this way.
I'm not really into lists.
We really need to be organized.
- Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
- Hm, why don't I start?
So I'm thinking
maybe a Sole Meuniere.
Sole Meuniere, so...
It's a French Sole dish,
pan-fried,
baked, deboned, served
with a brown butter sauce.
Oh. Oh, yeah.
Okay, yeah, I know, I know.
Yeah, that-that sounds good...
Uh, b-but...
Do you think that that's right
for Christmas, you know?
Okay. You go.
Okay, I was thinking
Arroz Con Dulce.
It's rice pudding.
Rice pudding is made
with only three ingredients.
Mn-mn.
This is going well.
Okay, we're not
getting anywhere.
Do we need to decide
on the menu today?
Do we need to decide on the menu
today? Yes! Of course we do!
We have so much to do, Carmen,
we're running out of time.
We still have to figure out
the details, we have to prep,
we have to perfect the recipes.
This would never happen
if Ben was here.
Well, I was the one that made it
into this kitchen, not Ben.
You're right.
That was rude. I apologize.
It's fine, I'm just... I don't
think we should rush things.
We should take our time,
see what inspires us.
We may be able to make some real
holiday magic, don't you think?
Sounds like you wanna wing it.
No. Carmen, I don't wing, okay?
I-I... Winging it
is not in my vocabulary.
All right, I'm not saying
winging it, I'm just saying,
all this talking
and list-making,
it's making the menu
feel inauthentic.
Okay, how about this,
how about we close our eyes
and see what our imagination
tells us?
I understand that my approach
is a little more methodical,
but there is a science
to cooking
and there is a formula
to creating a menu.
So we need to focus
and get organized.
It's the only way we're gonna
wow this party.
Well, to an extent, yes,
but when I cook,
I, I let my palate and my heart
guide me.
In my opinion, I think
that's the approach we need
to really wow this party.
Tell me the truth,
have you really
created a menu
for a party this size?
Carmen, you know how many people
have RSVPed to this, right?
I...
Fine. No. No.
The biggest party I've catered
to was 50 people, okay?
I-I-I was basically raised
in a bakery.
I know what people love to eat.
It's quality, not quantity.
Okay, okay, you know what,
doesn't matter
'cause we are here now,
so let's, uh,
let's combine our efforts.
You can let the heart guide you,
but you've got to write it down.
We've already wasted half
of the day and we can't afford
to waste any more time,
all right?
So I am going to focus
on the entrees
and you can bounce off
some of your dessert ideas
and we'll see what matches up.
So, then,
you're still in charge?
That's not what I'm saying. Uh...
We both know the executive chef
usually creates the menu
for events like this, okay,
and the pastry chef
focuses on desserts.
And the entree is
the biggest part of the meal...
Well, in your opinion.
Seems like our best option here
is to divide and conquer.
So we should do what we do best,
both focus on our own courses,
then we can mix and match
as we please.
So...
So you want me
to focus on the desserts
and you do the rest?
And if we can't find a pairing
that we both agree on,
then we compromise. Deal?
All right. Deal.
He acts like he's
better than me, so I've never
gone to culinary school, I've
never run a restaurant before.
Doesn't mean
I can't hold my own.
Carmen thinks her way
is more authentic
'cause it's not planned. But how
do you not plan anything?
Well, what, do they just
wing it? How do...
How does she get anything done?
How does he ever get
anything done?
I mean, creating his list
took half the day.
- All we did was talk.
- Well, maybe...
Try and find another way
to communicate with him.
I mean, you can get
a little wound up.
We've all seen your whirlwind
of energy in the kitchen.
He may need some time
to get used to it.
You remember how long it took me
to get used to Jorge?
And he still drives me crazy.
- I can hear you, you know?
- I love you.
Yes, abuelita?
Is there something
you'd like to add?
This Jax, it seems like
the two of you could learn a lot
from each other.
Hm.
See, you and I are always
in sync, but with her,
I mean, how does she expect
to get into her groove
if she keeps going rogue?
What kinda culinary school
teaches their chefs
to follow their heart?
It sounds weird.
Maybe it's not the school.
Maybe it's just who she is.
She does make phenomenal cookies
though, I'll give her that.
Okay, well,
while you were eating cookies,
I spent the day working out
ideas for
restaurant layouts. I'd love
for you to check 'em out.
Sorry, man,
I've totally been dominating
the conversation, haven't I?
No, it's okay,
it's a bit more casual
than what we're used to,
but I think they could be great.
These are, these are amazing!
Wow!
What do you think the bakery
that she works at looks like?
You think they just wing it?
It's got to be so messy.
Sorry.
Oh. I finished it!
Do you like it?
- Pretty, no? Thank you.
- It looks great.
What did you get wita?
You mean to say
you haven't gotten
our 75-year-old abuelita
a Christmas gift yet?
No, I don't know yet.
I haven't decided on anything.
Okay, but if you
don't do it soon,
it's your holiday funeral
is all.
Okay. Okay. I will stop and get
her something after work.
And, uh, you're right,
I'm gonna try something new
with Mr. Big Shot tomorrow.
Wish me luck, girl.
You got this.
Someone wise once told me if
you're not early, you're late.
Person does sound wise.
I do appreciate the punctuality.
Thank you.
- You're very welcome.
- What do we got over here?
Un-uh! Excuse me. Nosey much?
Fine. Then you don't
get to look in mine.
I'm not worried, I'll see yours
when we're done cooking
and tasting everything.
Game on.
I'm actually excited
to be cooking something.
I was thinking the same thing.
Wow, wait, does that mean
that we're actually
on the same page
about something?
I suppose we are.
Oh.
- Sorry.
- Um...
Hey, uh, if you don't mind,
I like to listen to some music
while I cook,
especially during Christmas.
Really gets me in the zone.
Uh, I, I could get into it.
So, uh, you got
any holiday plans
other than
the big holiday fiesta?
Uh, actually, originally I was
supposed to go see my parents
in Provo.
- That's where I'm from.
- And now you're not?
Uh, well,
with this event going on
and all these plans
with the restaurant with Ben,
I don't really
have the time, so...
Well, that's kind of a bummer,
I mean, having to choose work
over family. I can't imagine.
It's really not that big of
a deal, just me and my parents,
so it's usually pretty mellow.
And we celebrate Christmas
and everything, it's just...
Well, it's the complete opposite
in my house.
Every dinner is a big deal.
And, I mean, Christmas?
That's the biggest deal,
especially the night before.
And if I don't show up for that,
they'd probably
show up wherever I was.
That doesn't sound so bad,
having a family that's crazy
about you being home.
Actually, kinda nice.
So you said that, uh,
cooking's in your blood, right?
Besides you
and your grandmother,
anybody else in
your family cook?
Well, more like
who doesn't cook?
Uh, everyone in my family,
except for my sister, Pilar.
We let her handle the beverages
'cause it's the one thing
that she can't mess up.
But lucky for her, her husband,
Jorge, is a great cook.
If you wanted to discuss roasts
and beans, she'd be the girl
you wanted to talk to,
I call her the coffee bruja,
because she's always concocting
some new flavors
or something like that.
I'm a coffee snob,
so I like her already.
What about you? Anybody
in your family like to cooking?
My, um, my grandmother
was an incredible cook.
My mom and dad not so much,
they love food,
but, uh, they're more
of a seek-and-find
than a, uh, a do-it-yourself.
- Um, hey.
- Oh.
- You're kinda...
- Oh, that's just...
That's just me, you're gonna
have to get more towels
by the end of today.
Okay.
Oh. You know what?
- Oh, jeez, um...
- I'm...
I am sorry! I'm just...
I'm not used to sharing
a kitchen 'cause every time
I bake, I always arrive early
before anyone's there.
And when I'm catering,
everything's ready to serve.
You didn't have to share
a kitchen in culinary school?
Uh, yeah. Uh, yes, yes, I did.
I just, um, just seems
like a lifetime ago. So I'm...
You know what, I'm gonna,
I'm gonna go over there
and set up,
and I'm gonna let you prep that.
All right.
Oh, let me help you.
- Thanks.
- Mm-hmm.
All right. What do you think?
Oh! Fancy. Fancy.
Presentation's ten out of ten.
Mm... It's very good. Mm.
Hm.
What's...
What are you not telling me?
Come on, be honest.
Well, the thing is,
I'm-I'm just not seeing
the, the holiday aspect
of it all.
Is there anything that
we could do to spice it up?
Maybe add a-a garnish
or something?
Okay. Uh...
You know, maybe your dishes
will give me some inspiration.
Let's try 'em.
- Just, uh...
- Yeah.
Mm.
Uh-oh. Okay.
I-I-I know what that face is.
Let's hear it. Come on.
No, no, no, no, no.
They-they, well, taste amazing.
I'm just, uh, just wondering
if there's a way to, if...
You see, a holiday party of
this magnitude requires dishes
that are a little more,
um, sophisticated?
That's why Victor and Shirley
said we should
work on the menu together,
as a team.
Yeah.
Oh. Mrs. Flores.
- Hi. Good afternoon, you two.
- Great to see you.
- Hi. How are you?
- I'm well, thank you for asking.
I don't wanna take up too much
of your time, I just have a few
small housekeeping items
to discuss with you first.
Here's the list, all your
sous chefs, your line cooks,
the catering staff
for the big event.
Just take a peek, let me know
if you have any issues
with anyone, other than that,
I just need your ingredients
to order.
Oh, we haven't actually settled
on the perfect menu just yet.
We are very close, though.
You know, why don't you just
leave the vendor's info with us,
and we will send the list
as soon as we're ready?
All right.
But you have to have it in
by the 22nd.
- At the latest.
- Of course!
You need to fill those forms
out, if you have any
questions, give me a call.
It's pretty standard.
- May I?
- Of course! Yeah.
You know I can't turn this down.
Mm!
Delicious as always.
- So beautiful.
- Thank you.
Are those the dishes you guys
are thinking about serving?
- Yes.
- No.
- Maybe?
- Hm.
They seem a bit inconsistent.
Kinda like your answers.
Yeah, uh, we're still trying
to iron out some of the kinks.
But nothing to be worried about,
we're really enjoying
this time that we have to cook
and really getting
into the holiday spirit and all.
I'm not worried. We have
complete faith in you two.
- I'll see you in a bit.
- Thank you.
Okay.
We gotta do better, Carmen.
We can't screw this up.
We can. A-and we will.
Maybe we just have to listen
to each other more.
Oh! You know what?
- I-I got to go.
- You have to go right now?
Yeah. I told you. It's family
dinner, they'll come find me!
Ah... Okay, uh, I-I guess I'll
see you in the morning, then?
- Yeah. Bright and early.
- All right.
Uh, do you want me to wrap up
your leftovers for you
before you go?
Uh... No, actually,
you know, I...
I'll put 'em in the fridge and
maybe we can snack on it later.
Okay. Well, wait, why don't I
do that? You got to go. Go on.
Actually, would you
like to join us?
Maybe, um, if you had dinner
with my family,
you'd get a sense of who I am
and, um, where I come from.
Yeah, sure. That...
I mean, who's gonna turn down
a home-cooked meal?
Great. Okay.
Uh, let's do it together.
- We can come back for that.
- Yeah.
Mami? Wita?
Oh! Carmen!
Oh, who have you brought?
Oh, this is Jax. He's the
head chef for the hotel event.
Well, co-co-chefs.
We're both the heads.
- Oh?
- It's nice to meet you.
Ah. In this house
we hug our hellos.
Welcome.
- Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
I'm gonna go tell
your mother and father
that we have another guest
for dinner.
Oh, I don't wanna be
an imposition.
- Oh.
- Oh, don't be silly.
Setting another plate is
no imposition.
And we have plenty of food.
So, come on,
it's time to eat! Let's go!
- Ay, it smells great, wita.
- Oh, it's all ready.
Oh, she's here!
And she brought a friend!
Everyone, this is Jax.
Jax, this is my family.
My mother Esperanza,
my father Luis, my sister Pilar.
Where's... Oh.
- Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
Jorge, her husband,
and of course
you already met Wita Rita.
But you can call her Rita.
Or you can call me wita,
or whatever else you like.
Welcome, Jax.
So happy to have you join us.
Thank you.
So great to meet all of you.
This-this smells delicious.
Oh, well, thank you.
Let me get
another place-setting.
- Would you like some wine?
- I'm good, actually.
Oh, maybe just one
since I'm having?
- Hm? Hm?
- Just a little bit.
I mean, if wita's having, then...
Okay.
Did you know that unroasted
coffee beans are actually green?
Wow! Really?
- Never heard that before.
- I have!
Well, then maybe I'll use them
in my next green bean casserole.
So, how's the menu coming along?
Uh, everything is, um...
Um, it's great. Ahem.
We're almost there.
And I can see why Carmen
is so passionate about cooking.
This spread is unbelievable.
Oh, well, thank you.
We hope that you join us again.
I would love that.
Thank you very much.
Appreciate it.
- J-Jax? What are you doing here?
- Carmen. Hey.
This is, uh, the place you got
that delicious hot cocoa, right?
- Yeah.
- Figured I'd return the favor.
- You got me one, thank you.
- Of course.
- Amazing. Yeah.
- Shall we?
Your family is amazing,
by the way.
It was really lovely meeting 'em
last night, so...
- Thanks.
- Thank you for inviting me.
Of course! They love company.
They'd get together every night
if my sister and I agree to it.
I believe it.
It really is nice
that you're so close with them.
And that food, Carmen,
it was unbelievable!
I realized last night
that I've never actually had
true authentic
Puerto Rican cuisine before.
Well, you're in good hands now,
I mean, there are
a few traditional
Puerto Rican hideaways,
you just have to know
where to look.
Does that mean
you're gonna show me?
You know, we have some time.
Come on, I wanna show you something.
- Uh, we should...
- Get to work?
This is work.
This is work. This is work.
Come here.
Okay.
Gracias. These are the best
empanadas in the city.
- Oh, yeah?
- Mm-hmm.
- Oh, I got it.
- No, I got it.
Thank you. Thank you.
So should I just
get right in there?
Mm-hmm. Just try it.
- Here.
- Thank you.
Come here, wait.
This is the best empanada
I've ever had in my life.
- Yeah.
- Why is it so different?
Well, we marinate the beef
in achiote paste.
I've had achiote before, but
this, this is something special.
It's got a,
like a punch of spice.
- I taste the pepper.
- Mm-hmm.
Oh, good amount of cumin
in there.
Oh, yeah.
Some coriander, oregano...
garlic and cloves.
- There's... Is that annatto s...
- Annatto seeds.
Wha... This is so good.
Thank you.
The dough is like,
like, like pie crust,
but it doesn't break
when you bite into it. Why?
- It's the masa harina.
- Masa harina.
Yeah, masa harina
is ground corn flour,
it contains a leavening agent.
- So did I miss anything?
- Of course. The main ingredient!
Passion! Pasion.
The chef's love for his food.
You can taste it.
I definitely can.
And this filling is so hearty.
Yes, it is. One night say
savory, maybe even entree?
Okay, I will admit.
Sometimes pastries can be meals.
So when did you come
to the city?
Uh, well, I've been here
most of my life.
My family moved here
when I was ten. How about you?
Hm, I've been here
for a few years.
Yeah, I came from New York.
I was there for a while
working with this amazing chef
who helped me get my bearings
after school.
And my parents were very happy
because I was working
at a Michelin-star restaurant.
Mm. So why come here?
I felt like
I needed to carve my own path.
Plus, it brought me
closer to my parents.
That makes sense.
Oh, wait a second.
I just forgot.
I haven't gotten a Christmas
present for my abuela.
Come on, I wanna check this out.
Okay.
She just turned 75, and I wanna
get her something special.
Well, Wita Rita is special,
so we should make it good.
Well, how about, how about this?
Yeah, I mean, look, she's gonna
love whatever you get her.
But I think
we, we gotta make it perfect.
Ooh...
What do you think of this?
Oh, that, that's fancy.
Could I see that, please?
Thank you.
And you can put a picture in it.
Exactly. My grandmother had one
just like it.
My grandfather gave it to her
before he went off to the w*r.
He said, "Now, I can be
close to your heart every day."
That is so sweet.
You know what? Yeah.
I'm gonna take it, please.
Thank you.
My abuelita is gonna love that.
Did you know
that my grandmother is the one
that taught me how to cook?
Yeah, I was an only child,
so I was always bored
and I would just follow her
around the kitchen.
One day she put me to work,
and then we started cooking
Christmas dinner together.
We had a tradition,
we would bake fresh gingerbread
every year
and make a house out of it.
I love that.
Okay, we actually
should get to work now.
- Yeah, we should. Thank you.
- Thank you.
You know what, we,
we have to make one more stop
because there is
a key ingredient
that our kitchen is missing.
Okay, you're right. I like it.
Yeah, but it's not perfect.
Duh, it needs decorations.
One sec.
- What are you doing?
- No, just trust me.
What?
Needs a little pop of color.
- Oh.
- All right, and...
Some string and...
- Well...
- You just trust me.
Okay.
- Thank you.
- What are you...
- Follow my lead.
- Okay.
- Oh, I see what you're doing.
- How about this? Yup.
- I'll poke, you thread.
- Okay.
Oh, that is a pop of color.
- All right.
- Perfect.
We are going to have
stained fingers.
At least it's gonna look
super cute.
So I can't stop thinking
about those empanadas.
Oh.
I was thinking
if you wanted to create some,
like, pastry-type appetizers,
that would be cool.
Seriously? Oh.
Yes, I-I would love that.
- Perfect.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
Hey, thank you for letting me
add my empanadas to the menu.
I mean, how could we not?
They're the new best in town.
- Yeah.
- It's all in that achiote.
I'm glad you really liked it.
Wait, wait, wait, don't do that.
Somebody has to check
and make sure
that you are doing a good job.
Plus, Jorge isn't home yet,
so I haven't had any dinner.
Hm.
Mm, this smells delicious.
Was this you,
or was this the handsome guy
that you brought over
for family dinner?
All right, please,
don't start with me.
- And, yes, he made that.
- Mm!
He is a great chef!
You should marry him,
you'll have well-fed babies.
No, Pilar, we're colleagues.
Nothing can happen.
But what about the next week
afterward?
Look, you can't live
with me and Jorge here forever.
I mean, at some point
we're gonna have kids.
And, I mean, either that or
Jorge's just gonna drive you
so crazy
that you won't be able
to take it.
All right, come here.
You know...
I'm just teasing you,
you know that, right?
You know
you always have a home here.
- Now, what's in that other box?
- Empanada I made.
This is so good. Mm-hmm.
Hey, guys.
What, what's going on?
Is everything okay?
Sit, mijita. There's something
I need to tell you.
I'm moving to Puerto Rico.
Wait, what?
Which means
that she's selling Coqui.
No, no, no, no,
Coqui is one of the very few
Puerto-Rican owned cafes
in the city.
Our-our community cannot take
a loss like that.
I know, I know, and I hate
to leave this place behind
and you girls, you girls...
But, you know, I've been doing
this for such a long time.
And it's a lot to manage
for my age.
And I miss my family
in Puerto Rico.
So I-is there anything that
we can do? Maybe we can help.
I have a little bit of money
saved from catering...
Aye mi amor, I wish
it was that simple, really,
but this is
a big responsibility.
And I have to sell this place
by the end of the year.
What?
I'm still thinking that
we take a more subtle and
subdued approach to decoration.
Oh, um, I, of course, am leaning
towards the brighter option.
Don't you think
red screams Christmas?
I do. It does.
Um, small concern
that the decor will distract
from the dish itself.
Okay, so we do
no decoration or...
Or we, we meet in the middle
and we find a combo of the two.
Yeah, that-that could work.
Great. So what do you say?
We choose your top two apps,
my top two entrees,
two of your desserts,
two of my sides, and, voila,
we have a perfectly delicious
and eclectic menu.
All right, you have a deal.
All right, I just finished
the list of what's left to do.
We can give it to our sous chefs
and we will be good to go.
I've never
used one before, but...
A sous chef? Seriously?
Not even in school?
Actually,
I've been meaning to talk...
My esteemed chefs,
do not forget to put
your orders in by tonight.
Of course not, Ms. Flores.
We will get that to you shortly.
Wonderful.
Can't wait to see that menu.
You did submit
your grocery list.
- Right?
- No, not yet.
We barely settled on a menu. How
could I have known before now?
I've had a list going for two
days and I've been updating as
we go. Hey, they will get you
anything you want.
You just have to order it now.
I mean, if we have time
to decorate a tree,
we definitely have time to make
our grocery list, right?
Okay, yes, okay, I-I will...
I'll get it, get it to you
tonight, I promise.
Thank you.
Is everything okay?
Yeah, it's not a big deal.
Hey, talk to me.
Just my, my other job,
the cafe where I work at,
the owner, she's,
she's moving back to Puerto Rico
and she has to sell the cafe
before the end of the year.
I'm sorry to hear that.
It's a staple in our community
and it's hitting everybody
pretty rough.
Pilar is taking it
especially hard.
Hey, you think
I could head out early?
I make a mean guava pastelito.
I was thinking of dropping by
to cheer her up.
Sounds nice.
Hey, I've never actually made
a g-guava pastelito before.
I mean, if you're up for it,
I, I'd love to learn.
I'm heading
to the farmer's market on 7th.
I just, I need to get
some fresh guava.
There's a farmer's market
on 7th?
It's a local co-op where
vendors and restaurant owners,
they donate whatever produce
they're not using.
Kind of like ugly produce, but
it's the best quality in town.
- We'd have to go right now.
- Okay, yeah.
We can grab the stuff
and we can make them here.
Try these.
- Yeah? Is it good?
- Yeah. Mm-hmm.
- Which one should I try?
- Oh, any of them.
- They're all delicious.
- Oh, I don't like too spicy.
- But I do love flavor.
- Come on, you got this.
- Chipotle.
- Uh-huh.
That's good.
We need to come back here.
Oh, this is what
you were talkin' about.
This is it. Hola, Julio.
Ah, I see what you mean.
- I, uh, I frequent here a lot.
- I can tell.
Oh, let me.
- No, no. Gracias.
- Ah. Thank you very much.
Ben. Hey.
Hey, um,
what are you guys doing here?
Not workin' this afternoon?
- Actually, we got off early.
- Huh, again. Hm.
Yes, but we managed
to finish the menu.
- And it's perfect.
- Mm.
So what brings you guys here?
Are we shopping
the ugly produce?
Uh, actually Carmen says
this is the best place in town.
And now I'm seeing you here,
so I'm starting to think
I'm the only chef
that didn't know about it.
Carmen, you remember
my colleague Ben, right?
Uh, partner formerly,
and sous chef.
Yes, we are known
as the dynamic dinner duo.
It's nice to see you again, Ben.
Likewise.
We're actually getting ingredients
to make guava pastelitos.
P-pastelitos?
- Pastelitos.
- Pastelitos.
If you'd like to join us.
Uh, I can't.
Uh, I should get home now.
Uh, you know,
get working on the plans
for our restaurant-opening.
But you guys have fun.
Uh, Jax,
let's just catch up later?
- Absolutely.
- Bye.
- We got everything we need?
- Yeah.
All right. Let's do it.
- Typical, like...
- Yeah, and then...
I'll teach you how to slice it.
You slice 'em.
Team work.
I like this right here.
Is that how we do it?
I'm just joking, just joking.
So we'll use this one.
Super simple.
Oh, my...
- They look perfect. Mm-hmm.
- We did good.
Sorry, we're closed.
Good, because we brought treats.
We made pastelitos.
Come on.
Mm. Oh, it's so good!
- Thank you so much, Carmen.
- Of course, sis.
This place
really is a small treasure.
It's got so much charm,
it's, it's in a prime location.
It's really a shame
she has to sell it.
Either of you
ever considered taking over?
Uh, well, financially
it's just not in the cards
for us.
But I hear that you're maybe
opening up a restaurant soon?
Yeah, uh, with my colleague Ben.
Although, it's been in the works
for a while. Mm.
Guess we're a, a little picky,
to say the least.
- I'll say.
- Well...
- I hope for its great success.
- Thank you.
Hey, and if you ever need
a sassy barista,
you know where to find me.
Hold on, am I...
No, no, I'm-I'm early,
just like normal.
And I'm earlier than normal.
Oh, no!
I forgot my chef's coat.
- I never do this.
- Oh.
I have an extra apron in my bag.
You know, the mess I tend
to make... Just grab it.
- Yeah? Oh, this is perfect.
- Mm-hmm.
Thank you. All right.
- Oh, check this out.
- What is it?
Guava chutney.
I just took our leftovers
and kinda went with it.
Bet it goes good
with so many dishes.
Plus, it's chutney, so it's, you
know, great for the holidays.
Yeah.
Mm, yeah.
Jax, this is delicious.
We need to incorporate this
into the menu.
Oh. Yeah, that's probably
not a bad idea.
This is it.
Almost ready.
Wait, give me. I need a plate.
Coming through.
- Oh. Behind.
- Oh.
- Hello, you two.
- Mr. and Mrs. Flores.
Victor, Shirley, hi!
We were hoping to stop by sooner,
but we've been so busy
with the holiday rush.
Still, everything seems to be
coming together nicely here,
I see.
And I see you guys even put up
a Christmas tree.
Oh, yeah, can never be too
into the season.
No, I-I love it, and I think
maybe we should do it every year
moving forward.
Very cute. Although it's missing
a proper tree-topper, you know?
Oh, no,
that's on our to-do list.
Right this way.
- Oh, thank you.
- Got it? Got it?
Okay.
And for our final three...
Enjoy.
I can't help but feel like
there's something missing.
Shirl.
There's definitely
something missing.
Uh, if you could give us an idea
of what that is,
we can definitely address it
before the event.
Any criticism would be helpful.
We wanna make sure
we have an amazing meal.
Look, I'm-I'm neither a chef
nor a critic,
so I'm not sure
I can properly articulate
what it is I'm feeling,
but I can assure you,
if we noticed,
Anna Garza will as well.
Victor, I'm-I'm sure
they're gonna figure things out.
I'm sure they will.
And I know I don't need
to remind you both
of the importance of this event
for your careers,
but our donors are also paying
a lot of money to attend,
and Anna Garza's approval
will ensure an even more
successful turnout
the following year.
I have faith
you'll both succeed.
- Shall we?
- Yes.
I don't understand.
We've been working
on these dishes all week.
We've-we've sampled them
dozens of times.
What are we doing wrong?
It's okay, you know,
we'll figure it out
even if it takes us all night.
- You don't get it.
- I do get it.
I know how much
this means to you.
Do you?
I'm sorry, I just...
Can I show you something?
I don't understand.
What is this place?
This was my restaurant.
This was the place that I owned
and that I ran with Ben.
He was my number two.
I had 47 employees
working under me.
That's not even including
all my vendors.
These were people with families
that were depending on me,
and I let 'em down,
because they all lost their jobs
when it went under.
I had no idea. I'm so sorry.
I mean, opening this place
was my dream.
Even though I put everything
I had in it, I...
I just couldn't get it to work
in the end, and...
I felt like such a failure.
And I don't like
feelin' this way.
- Jax...
- Even with great reviews...
We closed after four months,
I mean, I-I-I don't know
what happened.
Uh, maybe I was too ambitious.
And now, of course,
Ben wants to try again
and he wants to start over,
and I don't think
I'm ready for that. And I don't
know how to tell him.
I just can't fail again.
That's why you applied
for this job.
Your second chance.
Yeah, I guess it is.
You know, it's gonna be okay.
I'm not gonna let you
fail again. You got this.
Come on, let's head back.
Pretty sure we're gonna pull
an all-nighter.
Do you mind if I put some music
to keep us going?
No. Go ahead.
All right, you know what,
I can't take it anymore.
I cannot see you like this,
I know what you need.
Let's go, come on.
- Come on, dance with me. Yeah.
- Dance with you?
It's late, and we have
to get back to work.
No, no, this is work, trust me.
You have to learn how to let go.
And how's dancing gonna help?
You know what,
that is your problem, Jax.
You think there's only one way
for things to be right.
But that's not how it is
with dancing, with dancing
you have to let it go,
it's whatever you feel,
that's what's right,
it's about the pasion,
and you find that right here.
And you get to that
with this right here.
There you go. Yeah. Come on.
You got to. Come on. One, two,
three. It's super easy. Yeah!
Okay, one more, one more,
let's try one more turn.
- Uh-huh...
- No.
- Hold on. I'm gonna just...
- Look at you.
Just I'm kind of...
- No!
- No?
- We should, uh...
- Yeah, uh...
Yeah, we should, uh...
Okay, today everything that
we make, we make with pasion.
Organized pasion.
I can change, too, you know?
Excuse me.
Mm...
That's everything.
- How you feeling?
- I, uh, honestly...
I don't even know anymore. I'm
too in the thick of it to tell.
But I think we did really well.
- Yeah.
- How you feelin'?
I'm feelin' good.
I mean, it's a lot of hard work,
but it'll pay off.
I think our guests are really
gonna love the menu.
Me, too. I like
this new confident Carmen.
I like this new relaxed,
self-assured Jax.
Okay, so it's, uh, Christmas
Eve, so it's do or die time.
Do we call it
or go another round?
I think we call it.
Yeah, like you said,
we've done everything we can
and tomorrow is a big day.
Yeah, well, technically it's
still a big day for me tonight.
Mine isn't over, I've still got
Christmas with my family.
Uh, are you... What're you doing
for Christmas Eve tonight?
Uh, I mean,
you're lookin' at it.
That's right, noche buena
with the family, huh?
Sure you're not gonna be
too tired tomorrow?
- It's gonna be a long day.
- I'll be fine.
I'm ten steps
ahead of myself now
and I need a little bit of sleep
as is.
I probably won't even sleep,
I'll be so nervous anyway.
Are you, um... Did-did...
Did you... wanna come with?
I mean, uh, my family
already loves you, so...
I would love that.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
Oh, great, I-I'm gonna go
get changed then.
Okay, me, too.
So noche buena is
our version of Christmas Eve.
That's when the festivities
really kick off.
And then later tonight
we'll go to Misa de Gallo.
Okay, Misa de Gallo.
What's that?
It's midnight mass, of course.
- Hey.
- Hi.
Have you been to midnight mass?
Uh, me and my...
Hey!
- Hey!
- So this is our parranda.
Our version
of Christmas caroling.
So it's our celebration
of Christmas!
Jax, it's so good
to see you again.
Oh, he's practically
part of the family.
Are you guys hungry,
we have plenty of food
for later when we get back.
Oh, you remembered Rita's gift, right?
- Yeah, it's in here.
- You've heard of a parranda.
Right?
But have you experienced one?
I hope you're rested 'cause
it's gonna be a long night.
What does he mean long night?
What?
- How far are we going?
- Well, until they get tired.
And I have no idea when
that's gonna be, so let's go.
Hey, what are you learning
over here?
Opa!
This is so much fun,
I can't believe you guys
celebrate Christmas like this.
Every year.
Hey, you have to try a coquito.
It's a coconut-flavored c*ck
similar to eggnog.
Oh, that's good. Mm.
Are you hungry?
I could bring you a plate.
Because we have
arroz con gandules,
we have morcilla,
we have lechon asado y platanos.
She wants to know what you wanna
eat, so we have rice
with pigeon peas,
we have roasted pork.
- Blood sausage and plantains.
- I can, I can make my own plate.
Oh, don't be silly,
you're having a good time.
I could bring you a little bit
of everything.
- Perfect.
- Okay.
- Gracias, wita.
- Gracias.
Why do you guys call her wita?
Well, in Spanish the casual way
to say grandmother
is abuelita,
and when you're a kid,
that's kinda hard to pronounce,
so Pilar and I would say wita
instead of abuelita,
and that kind of stuck.
Sweet.
- Oh!
- I'm sorry.
- Jorge, remember El Cuco?
- El Cuco! Who's that?
- It's the boogeyman.
- Yeah.
That will come and get you at
night if you're not being good.
- Mm-hmm.
- We're sorry.
You need a coquito.
I'm gonna grab you one.
Okay, yeah, great,
oh, be careful!
Because Tia Marta,
she has a heavy pour.
It's stronger than it tastes.
It looks like
Jax is having a good time.
- I'm glad you brought him.
- Yeah, me, too.
Looks like he makes you happy, honey.
- Abuelita!
- What? A grandmother notices.
- Oh, wait, before I forget...
- Que?
- No!
- Mm-hmm.
Oh, it's so beautiful!
Gracias.
And a coquito.
Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt.
Oh, you could never.
Okay, you kids enjoy yourselves.
Gracias.
- Did she like it?
- Oh, she loved it.
Thank you so much for inviting
me and for teaching me
everything that you have...
I just, I want you to know that
no matter what happens tomorrow,
I have immense respect for you.
That means a lot
coming from you.
And I-I feel the same way.
And thank you for being honest
with me about your restaurant.
I should probably
be honest, too.
I kind of lied to get this job.
Actually, I-I didn't lie,
Pilar did, on my resume.
I have never been
to culinary school.
I know.
I mean,
you never had a sous chef,
you've never been
in a commercial kitchen,
it was pretty obvious.
Are you upset?
No. Not at all.
So what if you haven't had
formal training?
You clearly have learned
from the best.
And if anything, that just makes
it all the more impressive.
Carmen, you're one
of the best chefs
that I've ever worked with.
Ahem, excuse me, um, we're
heading out to la Misa De Gallo.
- Are you two gonna join us?
- Is it midnight already?
You know what,
sorry, mami, I think
we have a really big day tomorrow,
so I think we're just gonna
get going.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
We should go.
This has been great.
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
Hey.
Hey. How are you feelin'?
A little tired, but I'm okay.
How about you?
Same.
- Last night was a lot of fun.
- I know. I'm glad you came.
Me, too.
I got you a little somethin'.
W-what's this? Why...
I didn't think...
You didn't have to...
I figured a great chef
has to have a great chef coat.
- Jax!
- Merry Christmas.
It's beautiful. Thank you.
Oh. I feel terrible,
I didn't get you anything.
It looks great on you.
- And don't worry about that.
- Except...
- Carmen!
- Merry Christmas, Jax.
It's nothing, it's not much.
Just something silly.
You, last night was
the best Christmas I've had
in a long time,
you already gave me that.
You...
- This is amazing, I love it.
- Yeah?
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
- Should we get to work?
- Let's do it. Yeah.
Okay, so the vendor's
already brought our groceries,
so we should make sure
that everything's here.
The rest of the staff
should arrive by 11 o'clock,
which gives us a little time
to figure out our assembly line.
- Oh, no.
- What? What's wrong?
My ingredients,
they're not here.
My ingredients,
my-my ingredients are not here.
You're joking.
Carmen, you did remember to put
in your order form, right?
Uh, yes, yes,
I-I think so. Maybe.
You promised me
that you did it the other night.
Carmen, I-I've literally
reminded you so many times.
We don't even have
half of what we need.
Uh, you know, I-I usually hand
pick my ingredients, you know?
I-I'll go to the market
and get everything that we need.
It's Christmas, nothing's gonna
be open, and even if you
could find a place, we don't
have that kind of time.
This is exactly
what I was afraid would happen.
Wow, really? I...
You know what,
I'll just leave then.
- You're just gonna leave?
- Yeah, I don't need to be here.
After everything
we've done here?
Yeah, you don't have
any ingredients
for a pastry chef, so no pastry,
no chef.
Carmen? Are you okay?
Sue, um,
what are you doing here?
It's, uh, it's Christmas Day.
Honey, I have to pack this place
up and get it ready to go.
But what's wrong?
I ruined it.
I ruined everything, Sue.
- I forgot the grocery list...
- Can you hold on a second?
I don't understand.
What happened?
I didn't graduate
from a culinary school,
I'm never gonna be able to run
my own business.
- It'll fail, like me.
- Carmen, stop it!
Why, what's going on?
I forgot to order
the ingredients from the vendors
and now I have nothing
to make the pastries with.
Ay, mijita. Look around you.
You have an entire stock
of anything you need
to make any Puerto Rican pastry
you can imagine.
- Sue, I-I couldn't.
- You can.
And you're going to, honey.
We're familia.
And that's what we're here for.
Now go call your sister. Dale!
- Okay.
- You got this, honey.
Thank you.
- You came back.
- Yes.
And we have everything
we need now.
And then some, so we can give it
Carmen's fancy new spin.
We are missing the other
dessert, but I think we have
everything we need to make
authentic tembleque.
I-I sorry, temble what?
It's an authentic Puerto Rican
coconut-based custard.
Now you'd better make some room
in this kitchen for us
so we can catch up
with you guys.
You heard the ladies,
let's move these stations down
and let's get to work!
Dashing through the snow
in a one-horse open sleigh
- She's here.
- There she is.
Well, hello, lovely,
good to see you.
- How are you?
- Always great to see you.
This is all so beautiful,
I cannot wait to try the menu.
Well, we're ready for you,
so right this way.
Thank you.
Jingle bells
jingle all the way
And we are going to sit you
right here.
- May I take your coat?
- Appreciate it.
All right.
Oh what fun it is
We're very excited. Enjoy.
Hey.
I'm sorry about
what I said earlier.
I was just frustrated.
It's okay. You know what?
I finally realized
what was missing from the menu.
Oh, yeah?
We've been cooking together
as a team,
and when I cook,
I always cook with my heart,
leaning into what inspires me.
But I finally realized...
that's you, Jax.
You inspire me
to boost what I do,
to elevate myself as a chef,
as a businesswoman.
I-I wanna win over these guests
and Anna Maria Garza.
I wanna win Sue's cafe.
And if I'm being
completely honest,
I wanna win you.
You did that day one,
when you dumped your cookies
all over me.
And then salsaed
into this kitchen and told me
to get out of your way.
So, yeah.
Let's go win this thing together.
Okay.
Wow! This looks rather...
- Cohesive. And delectable!!
- Yes! Cohesive.
Merry Christmas, you guys!
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
And I see you have a little
tasting here for us.
- Shall we?
- Yes.
- Mm!
- Mm!
- So good.
- It is perfect.
- All of it is so perfect.
- Thank you.
So, what changed?
Well, when you look
at our ingredients, you see
that they're mixed together and
they create a beautiful fusion
of perfectly-paired entrees
and desserts.
And we didn't start
from scratch, all we did was
blend our ingredients
to slightly alter
the existing dishes.
Right here we have
our roasted pork,
that's the mofongo and lechon.
And our personal pot pie,
made with morcilla.
Mm-hm, and we also reduced
our portions
so that they're smaller,
the empanadas,
so our guests can enjoy to eat
and mingle at the same time.
And so they save room
for our delectable desserts
like you just tried, our temb...
- Tembleque.
- Yes, that.
Well, okay then, let's serve.
Can you grab those two
and take them out?
Up by table seven.
This is exciting.
She loves our food.
Anna Garza loves our food.
- Looks like we pulled it off.
- We did it.
- Hey, congrats, hermanita.
- Hey. Thank you.
I-I could not have done it
without you.
No, you couldn't, and when
you get a new job from this
and you're finally able
to open up a place of your own,
I expect a job
as your full-time barista?
- Deal. I love you.
- Oi.
I love you, too.
I'll see you at home, okay?
Thank you.
Oh, thank you.
Guess we have
a new dynamic dinner duo.
I'm just kidding,
I'm just kidding.
I'm glad
you two could pull it off.
Carmen,
you're an incredible chef
and it was a pleasure
working with you today.
Thank you. I really appreciate
that, Ben. Same to you.
Thanks for all your help today, man.
Look at you two!
The stars of the night.
The menu was a massive hit.
All the guests
are raving about it.
Anna.
I was just telling the chefs
the good news.
Let me introduce you
to Carmen and Jax.
Anna Garza. Pleasure.
It's so nice to meet you,
Ms. Garza.
Oh, please, call me Anna.
And congrats.
I truly enjoyed
your entire menu.
You two are both very talented.
Wow, thank you, Anna. That
means the world coming from you.
It really was a lovely event,
you did not disappoint.
Thank you so much.
It was good to see you.
See you. Bye.
So listen, we've already had
several restaurant owners
and investors inquiring
about you two this evening.
We are so proud of you both,
I can't wait to see
where your careers are
by this time next year.
The possibilities are going to
be endless. Just wait and see.
And I have to admit,
I'm not surprised at all.
I didn't doubt you two
for one single moment.
And after we tasted
your dishes tonight,
we realized what your
other dishes were missing.
Your hearts.
But you two put everything
into tonight's plates.
It really showed.
Thank you both so very much.
Oh, thank you! We are so happy.
It truly was an honor.
- Let's go.
- Bye.
We did it!
- You are amazing.
- Thank you, Jax.
We did forget to cross one thing
off our list, though.
- What's that?
- Well...
I mean, I know we had discussed
finding a, uh,
well, a tree-topper,
so I thought maybe...
Really, a mistletoe?
Feliz navidad, Carmen.
Merry Christmas, Jax.
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Sweet Navidad (2021)
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