Theirs is one of the most satisfying culinary friendships since soup and sandwich, meat and potatoes, or shrimp and grits. Chef David Denis comes of age in the South of France, only to discover that everything-including restaurant success-is bigger in Texas. Chef Jani Lehtinen grows up in Pori, Finland, only to discover the meaning of life, and certainly the meaning of his life, cooking in Italy. Drawing on the dazzling culinary riches of Le Mistral in Houston and Bucco in Pori, these chef-buddies take us "on the road", through their quite different kitchens and far beyond: sharing with us the people, places and things that truly make dishes spectacular. Written with veteran author John DeMers and photographer Shannon O'Hara.