Each plate of food prepared reminds Susan Carrano of her late husband.

“This is where when the kids come here, when everyone comes here, this is where you feel he is,” Susan Carrano. “He was always smiling. My husband was always smiling.”

Carrano’s husband Christian Ciarapica died in May after a five-year battle with colon cancer. Carrano says she’s working to keep her husband’s restaurant Il Passatore in Williamburg, Brooklyn running.

“It hasn’t been easy,” Carrano said. “My husband was a lover of food and Italy and he wanted everyone to love Italy as much as he did.”

He moved here from Italy in 1999 and immediately found work at restaurants in the West Village. In 2008 he and his friend opened the business in Brooklyn. Since the pandemic, she says the restaurant had a hard time staying afloat. Carrano says they are still recovering.

“I think the end goal to keep the legacy alive the business going is what everyone wants,” she said.

In addition, Carrano works full time as a costume designer for a late night network TV show and takes care of her three kids ages 9 to 18.

“It’s a lot of pressure. I hope they are proud of me. I’m sure it is frustrating that they wish I was maybe a little bit more available,” she said.

She said she is still learning.

“I’m sure I come and I feel like I come here and just make a big mess of things and everyone is really patient with me,” she said. “All you can do is go through the motion and figure it out as you’re going.”

She finds comfort in remembering and making her husband’s favorite recipes — giving her strength to carry on his legacy.

“We’re not done here. There is still a work here to be done,” she said. “I surely hope he would be proud.”