She was well aware that the restaurant she worked at wasn’t the best

Wouldn’t be winning any awards anytime soon unless you considered a C rating from the health inspector a prize

Sure, they had their regulars (mostly drunks and poor teenagers) and on one random Wednesday, Carmen Berzatto.

She didn’t know much about the food industry but she did know him. She’d heard enough gripes from the street about him too. Because apparently Chicagoans don’t take kindly to their favorite Italian Beef spot turning into a pretentious place serving risotto and micro greens for 100 a plate (their words not her’s).

What was a James Beard recipient (she had Google) doing in a place where half (all) the menu was inedible?

“How’s the Tuna?”

Carmen asks barely looking up from the menu

A quick glance at the clock tells her it’s barely noon. Clearly this man was unwell

“Inedible.”