It’s a wrap. The filming of what’s hoped to be the pilot episode of Spaghetti Wars, an Italian food-based reality show, ended over the weekend. Executive producer Barry Mendelson, whose resume boasts more than 300 TV shows—mostly sports-related—now leads the charge in post-production editing and pitching the show to streaming platforms.

While Spaghetti Wars deviates from Mendelson's usual focus, he feels its broader appeal lies in the celebration of Italian families and their culinary traditions, making it resonate far beyond audiences in the United States. The creator of Spaghetti Wars is Pepe Kehm, a chef and serial local restaurateur with deep Italian roots, evidenced in his two current restaurants, Peno and Rosé by Peno.