Love on the Menu
They say the best love stories start in unexpected places. Some meet on dating apps, others at a friend’s party… but these two? They found love between the clatter of plates, the scent of garlic butter, and the glow of a kitchen stove.
He’s the chef.
She’s the waitress.
They’ve been working side by side for years, slicing, dicing, serving, laughing, and somewhere between the daily specials and late-night cleanups, their friendship began to simmer… and slowly, beautifully, it came to a boil.
Now they’re engaged, and come November, they’ll be serving up their biggest dish yet: a wedding.
So of course, when it came time for their engagement session, there was no better setting than the restaurant where it all began. I mean, why not take photos right where their love story was literally cooked up?
Let me just say, this wasn’t your average engagement shoot. There were aprons. There was flour in the air. There were moments where I swear I saw actual sparks flying, and not just from the stove. He kept sneaking glances at her while prepping vegetables, and she? She couldn’t stop smiling while handing him plates like she’s done a thousand times before, except now, every gesture felt like poetry.
They are a team, not just in the kitchen, but in life. He still cooks for her (yes, ladies, he cooks!), and she still serves him, with love in her eyes and a side of sass. Watching them together, you get it immediately, these two were made to be a pair. Like wine and pasta. Like butter and garlic. Like chef and waitress.
What touched me the most during our session wasn’t just how effortlessly they moved together, it was the way they looked at each other. Their eyes glowed like the open flame on the stove: warm, steady, full of life. And here’s the thing about eyes, they never lie.
He is patient, gentle, and a true gentleman, a rare gem in any era, but especially today.
She is extraordinary. There’s a light in her that fills the room. She’s authentic, kind, joyful, and wildly magnetic. In just a few hours, I felt like I’d known them for years. That’s how strong their energy is, it wraps around you like the smell of fresh bread out of the oven.
As a photographer, I feel so honored to have captured their story in the place where it began. This wasn’t just a session, it was a celebration of real love, of laughter in the little things, of shared dreams and late nights and “just one more bite.” It was a reminder that the best recipes are the ones written in the heart.
And in November… I’ll be back to tell the story of their wedding day. Stay tuned, I promise, it’s going to be delicious.
Lead Photographer | Natalia Fontes
Location | Duff's Buffet
