Young culinary genius Carmen Berzatto, who previously worked as a head chef in one of the world's finest gourmet restaurants, returns to Chicago after receiving shocking news of his brother Mike's suicide. Carmen takes over his brother's struggling sandwich shop, where he must now find a way to connect with a diverse staff and pay off significant debts. In an effort to turn things around, Carmen hires Sydney, a promising chef fresh out of culinary school, as his sous chef. He hopes that together they can improve the kitchen's operations, enhance the service, and attract new customers.