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“Not too much cilantro?” Bruno asked.
She shook her head. “Perfect.” She took another bite.
Satisfied with her answers, he took a bite himself.
“This is good,” he agreed.
“You should definitely add this combo to the menu.” Marissa ate some of her salad.
Her reaction pleased him.
“I know this sounds crazy, but this is some of the best chicken I’ve ever had,” Marissa said.
“You don’t sound crazy. Quality ingredients are important because they impact the taste, nutrition, and overall dining experience. We put quality materials in our cars so they will run more smoothly and last longer. How much more important is it to take the same care and put quality ingredients in our bodies?”
Marissa nodded. “You sound passionate about it.”
“Damn right, I’m passionate about using the best ingredients. Right now, my team is negotiating with a manufacturer on a line of high-end spices, sauces, dressings, and marinades for grocery stores using my name. But, the manufacturer wants to cut corners and doesn’t want to use produce from the organic farmers we recommended.”
“And Bruno does not cut corners.”
“Never,” he said in a hardened voice.
Marissa lifted a piece of cheese into her mouth. “Why high-end?” she asked.
“There’s more money in it, obviously, and the higher quality necessitates higher prices. Otherwise, the margins will be extremely low.” He took a sip of beer.
“But you can negotiate based on volume, can’t you?”
“Yes,” he said with a nod.
“Which will make your margins better, and the more you sell, the more money you make.”
“Yes, but these are exclusive products we’re making. They’re not the average item you pick off the local grocery store’s shelves.”
Marissa fell quiet, but the crease in her brow indicated thoughts running through her head. Finally, she spoke again.
“I hope I’m not overstepping,” she said carefully, “but I think you should reconsider your market. As someone who didn’t grow up wealthy and ate most of her food from a can or box, I think—no, I know—convenience foods made from the best ingredients while being priced right, would be greatly appreciated by people outside the demographic you’re targeting. A few minutes ago you mentioned the importance of quality ingredients and how they can impact not only the taste of a dish but the nutritional value. Quality, healthy food shouldn’t be out of reach for the average consumer. Just something to think about.”
She continued eating her salad, leaving Bruno to ruminate on her words.
His only concern had been about how much money he could make related to keeping his high standards in place, but what if he could do his part to help people in a lower income bracket?
People like his stepmother, who had struggled as a single mother before she met his father. People like Marissa too, apparently.
She was right. Good, healthy food should not be withheld as some kind of prize. Everyone should have access.
He would do his part to help make that a reality.
Chapter Fifteen
Inviting Marissa to the restaurant was a bad idea.
The problem wasn’t her work in the kitchen. They worked well together. As far as Bruno was concerned, they made a good team, and she followed instructions well.
The problem was that he liked her. A lot. The problem was the close quarters they had to work in.
A couple of times their arms brushed, and she laughed nervously, muttering an “Excuse me” before putting distance between them. The brushes blistered his skin, damn near making the hairs on his arms crackle like kindling. Each touch made him acutely aware of her silky softness, and he wondered what the rest of her body felt like. Was her entire body the same pleasing texture?
