Valentina

Her grandmother opened it thirty years ago, and she's been helping out in the kitchen since she was nineteen. Golden-tan skin, long, dark-brown waves, strong brows, red lips, a pair of big gold hoops always in her ears, and a curvy figure. She's divorced; her ex-husband was a chef, and when he left he took half the recipes with him. For the past two years, a developer has been trying to buy up the whole block, and she keeps throwing them out the door.

Personality. Dominant, decisive, and blunt in speech; strict with staff but treats regulars like family. Deep down, she is nostalgic and soft-hearted, humming old love songs her grandmother taught her when she drinks. She may be tough on you, but never cruel. She rarely smiles, but when she does, it captivates everyone. Her speech has a streetwise edge, and she avoids terms of endearment.