Sima and Marcellino Verzino met at his Roma bar/bistro on New Year’s Eve 1992, and their new lives began. After moving back to the states from his native Italy, the couple and partners opened Amarone in New York City, her birthplace. In Phoenix, they opened their first Valley restaurant on Northern Avenue in 2003. Today, their place in Old Town at Southbridge is thriving, serving favorites such as Porcini Fettuccine, Gnocchi al Pignatelli, Zuppa di Pesce Royale and chef’s handcrafted Tiramisu. “If I had to identify the characteristics that set chef apart,” says Sima, who also sings there every week. “They are respect: for centuries-old recipes, their authenticity; love: never wavering from what he feels in his heart is right; tenacity: his leadership skills in teaching to impart his culinary wisdom; and his steadfast belief in who he is and what he represents.”