From Scratch – Season 1 Episode 2 “Carne e Ossa” Recap & Review

Carne e Ossa

Episode 2 of From Scratch begins with a time jump to November 2002. We are not in Florence, but in Los Angeles, home of the famous and wealthy. Amy and Lino have dinner in bed, and Amy is delighted Lino is now in L.A. She suggests that they have been in a long-distance relationship for over a year and a quarter.

Lino also appears to be thinking about opening a restaurant, which reminds him of his father’s rift. Lino’s dad wasn’t happy with his decision to become a chef, and he stopped talking to him.

They are currently staying with Zora, and things aren’t going as planned. Lino has organized Zora’s kitchen. It’s Thanksgiving, and their parents will be spending the holiday together for the first time in 12 years.

Zora is eager to see what drama unfolds while Lino is experiencing the “meeting all the family for the first-time” pressure. Amy, on the other hand, is anxious about her job interview. She hopes to find a new job before her parents arrive at Thanksgiving. Lino works as a waiter in a restaurant and is shocked that Americans don’t eat “real” food.

Zora passes her interview and is hired. Lino, however, remains frustrated at being a waiter. Zora shares his frustrations about having to work in a foreign country. Zora approaches her boss Chloe to help Lino land a job in Massimo’s 5-star hotel. Lino is frustrated by how he was treated and the interview ends in failure.

Lino offers to help Zora with the Thanksgiving shopping one evening. Zora isn’t convinced that he plans to reinvent Thanksgiving. Although he cooks a lot for Thanksgiving dinner, the family chooses to have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner instead.

Amy’s father thinks Lino isn’t trying hard enough to find a better job. This makes the conversation at the dinner table even less enriching. Lynn, her mother, says that Zora hopes to bring home a chocolate man. She also wants brown grandchildren. Are they serious? Amy and Zora are both surprised that she is also planning to move to L.A. Amy’s family is also interested in Lino’s distance from his family. Lino is even more frustrated by her dad’s insistence on giving them money to help them through this rough time.

Lino goes to the fresh air, and Amy follows him to see if he is okay. Lino informs Amy that he’s having a hard time in L. A. and doesn’t like her taking her father’s money. Lino feels that it is a sign that he doesn’t think he is good enough for her. He was also hurt by the fact that his family did not even attempt the meal he had worked so hard to make. After telling her it was too much, he left her and said that they could be happy in L.A.

Amy visits Lino at his workplace but he is already gone early so Amy talks to his colleagues to find a way for Lino to experience a bit of Italy in L.A. and makes new Italian friends. Lino is now optimistic that they will be happy together in L.A. Amy proposes and Lino accepts. Lino then calls his family to share the good news. Lino tells his dad the good news, but his father is not impressed and declines to congratulate him.

The Episode Review

It is an indication of their love that they were able to maintain a long-distance relationship for 18 months. It was not an easy task. Lino is frustrated to be in a foreign country with no family or friends and a job that he hates but must do. Amy’s family should have treated Lino better. It was shocking to me that Amy’s mother spoke so badly of Amy without any respect.

Amy should have requested that her family try the homemade food. It meant a lot to him, and she saw how he put his heart into the meal. They were able to overcome this because they communicate well.

Lino’s loss breaks my heart. He wanted to share a happy time in his life with his loved ones, but his father selfishly destroyed it. Family honor and legacy are important, but what about letting your child have fun? I’m beginning to understand what bi-racial couples experience when their families are against them.