Melissa Maggiore remembers her father, well-known Phoenix chef Tomaso Maggiore, as full of life, passionate, always smiling and laughing, and "had this gift of making everyone in his life -- whether they were customers or family -- feel important." When he died earlier this year after a nearly two-year battle with cancer, she said she began to reflect and wanted to do something to honor his legacy.

Since cooking and owning restaurants runs in the family, opening her own restaurant seemed like a natural fit. "I just wanted to pay homage to him and everything I learned. He inspired me throughout my life. He always taught me that a meal wasn't just about the food, but the people around the table and that there's nothing more important than sharing a good meal," she told ABC15.