Good food is chemistry: the mixing of tastes, textures, temperature, and a little mystery. The recipe for friendship is much the same say chefs Jonathan Stranger, who grew up in Chandler, OK, and Fabio Faviani, a celebrity chef from Italy.

"I think it's a great fit," says Faviani. "I like this guy a lot. I like him!" They met each other at a conference in Norman, OK a few years ago and began cooking up ideas right away. Stranger says, "If you find someone that's doing something well, and is where you want to be, I just kind of grabbed onto him. Gently. like a backpack."