OKLAHOMA CITY – Good food is chemistry: the mixing of tastes, textures, temperature, and a little mystery.

The recipe for friendship is much the same say chefs Jonathan Stranger, who grew up in Chandler, OK, and Fabio Faviani, a celebrity chef from Italy.

“I think it’s a great fit,” says Faviani. “I like this guy a lot. I like him!”

They met each other at a conference in Norman, OK a few years ago and began cooking up ideas right away.

Stranger says, “If you find someone that’s doing something well, and is where you want to be, I just kind of grabbed onto him. Gently. like a backpack.”

Faviani adds, “For us it was an easy path.”

Quicker than you can throw together a bowl of Fettuccine Bolognese they both had a concept for a new restaurant, no hand shake necessary.

Fabio explains, “Osteria is a classic Italian restaurant with an American spin to it.”

“We pretty much live on a high-five and we did it,” he continues. “Literally, we high-fived.”

Osteria opened last November, but on this Saturday morning the staff is up and running with a new brunch menu.

Guests were set to arrive by 11 a.m., so there was a lot to do.

Jonathan and Fabio only had a few minutes to talk about their friendship, their partnership, and what makes a restaurant successful.

Faviani adds, “It’s making it profitable, making it feasible, making it replicable. And then you have to find the right people.”

So many last-minute details, a flurry of meetings, the lights come up and the doors open.

It looks simple by that’s by design.

Osteria is nice little neighborhood place to get a late breakfast or an early lunch on a cold weekend.

But it’s know how and good ingredients that make the difference.

“It’s exceeded my expectations,” says Stranger.

“He’s doing good,” smiles Faviani

Maybe, it’s the chemistry of a good friendship as well.

For more information on Osteria including hours and menu go to www.osteriaokc.com