The world was ending around us and there was nothing we could do about it..

1 1/2 cups dry red wine.Two 28-ounce cans Italian whole tomatoes, drained and chopped.

4 cups chicken or veal stock.1 1/2 tablespoons minced rosemary.2 pounds fresh pappardelle.

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.Season the veal with salt and pepper and dust with flour, tapping off the excess.

In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil.

Add the veal and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 12 minutes.I had come to terms with my own sacrifices, but now I was being confronted with my role in the employees under me.. Luckily, before I got too deep into the abyss of "what if’s," we were notified that Eric awoke from his coma and that he was improving each day.

He actually was getting restless after a couple weeks in the hospital and itching to get back to the grind of the kitchen.He had surgery to install a defibrillator into the side of his chest and came back into our lives and the Mister Jiu’s kitchen as lively as ever.

His recovery is the most miraculous event I have ever witnessed.It’s still hard for me to believe, even to this day.. Eric’s dedication and commitment to our kitchen and to the craft of cooking has been inspiring to us all.