When Chef Giordano received Napoleon's call, he was just finishing a long day and his first impulse was to turn down the last minute request for his services immediately. The last name sunk in before that happened and, once he knew Napoleon was related to one of his favorite customers, Napoleon's request was taken more favorably.

What sealed the deal was that Napoleon left the choice of menu entirely in the chef's hands, specifying only that he and his friends were after trying the more unusual dishes from the region. Time and cost were quickly agreed on.