Chef Louis Ferroni has been keeping firefighters at Union Fire Department fed for 18 years, and while his culinary school training refined his skills, the busy firehouse is what has kept him on his toes.
Every Friday night, Paul and Mary Adler bring their large family together for a Shabbat dinner to welcome in Sabbath, and everyone has a role as Mary and her daughters make the meal with their signature dishes while Paul and the boys tidy the house.
Life as an NFL player can be hectic, so Jordan Hicks and his wife Ivana lean on family dinners to feel more at home wherever his career takes them; hosting Ivana's family for a large Mexican feast is one of their favorite ways to feel grounded.
Baseball player Roy Smalley and his wife began their family in the midst of his career but prioritized Sunday meals; the kids are now grown with families of their own, but they still make time for this tradition.
The Garner family honors their mother by carrying on family dinner traditions.
Summers at the lake house are sacred for the Wetherbee family, and so is spending time on the boat; between their family's easy-to-make bars and casserole dishes, they've perfected a lake life dinner menu.
The Kwon family immigrated from Korea to North Carolina 40 years ago, bringing their traditional Korean recipes with them; today, family dinners are a fusion of those Korean dishes with other cultural cuisines.
Growing up in rural Minnesota, the nearest neighbors were miles away and family dinner was a nightly occurrence for the Lassen siblings; they still come together for home-cooked meals with their favorite recipes passed down by their family.
Kim Ratcliff followed in her father's footsteps by leaving corporate America to work on the family ranch in Texas; Kim has also taken over in the kitchen since her mother's passing and keeps her spirit alive by making the family's favorite recipes.
Kelly and Nancy Stirn have run the R Lazy S dude ranch for 35 years, raising their sons Matt and Will to become the next generation of ranch owners; while their season keeps them busy, they treasure family dinners and time together.
Mema Pat was a profound presence for everyone in the Goss family and especially influenced Becki Shepherd's passions and career goals; Becki gained her love of cooking from Mema Pat and honors her through family dinners.
Wood's great-grandparents immigrated from Italy to Cumberland, WI in the 1880s and brought their Italian dinner traditions with them; her grandparents continued hosting "pasta sunday" dinners, and now her mother has taken the reins.
The Devine family have been seafood purveyors for decades and it's a lifestyle that makes its way to their dinner table, too; Nancy Faidley Devine and her family seek to spread love and happiness for generations to come through her renowned recipes.
The Fraser's are a chosen family bound by history, love for each other and shared appreciation for spending time together; their dinners are a mix of generational recipes and favorites that they've created together.
Marlynn Schotland grew up cooking with her grandmother, and family dinner was a nightly occurrence; along with her parents, Marlynn is passing on her family's Filipino traditions and favorite recipes to her own kids.
The Sayegh family prepares Polish-Ukrainian food.
The Lewis family prepares Caribbean island food.
Joansie Bergman shares her passion for family dinners.
The Baldinos celebrate their Italian heritage.
The Major family grows and hunts most of their food.
The Ugapos celebrate their Samoan-American heritage.
The Doffos race motorcycles, run a winery, and cook together.
Authentic Vietnamese dishes from family recipes.
Gullah Geechee food.
Keeping beloved Lebanese food traditions alive.
Family meals are a source of strength and pride for Laura Rodriguez, a mom who sacrificed everything to make a better life for her family in the United States; every dish they make is a nod to their Mexican roots.
Jamila Norman cultivates her passion for healthy eating by blending farm fresh ingredients with Caribbean family recipes.
Andrew joins the Ponce family for a Mexican dinner in Queens, N.Y.
Known from the movie "The Sound of Music," the von Trapp family shares with Andrew the ways they honor their Austrian heritage through their dinner traditions.
Shawn loves cooking up childhood staples and New Orleans classics that help the family make new memories around the dinner table.
The Biegels have been growing cranberries on their marsh in Wisconsin Rapids for five generations; caring for cranberries keeps them busy year-round, but they always make time for family meals on Sundays.
New Jersey sisters Sarah and Kaitlin Leung miss their childhood meals; together, they start a food blog featuring traditional Chinese recipes to keep the family connected.
Helen and Al Arends of Willmar, Minnesota, love feeding people, and with eight kids, they have a crowd before anyone else shows up; when work on their family farm ends, everyone makes a point to be home for favorites like Helen's Russian pelmeni.
The Cataldos have run their family pork store for generations in Massapequa, N.Y.; now that Emily and Sam's children are living nearby, the whole gang comes home on Monday nights to catch up and enjoy a traditional family meal.
The Leons are Miami restaurateurs who work together at their Cuban eatery; they love to unwind with family dinners several times a week and always have enough delectable food for their friends in the neighborhood.
The Terrys are members of the Ho-Chunk Nation, a Native American tribe that, according to oral history, has lived in Wisconsin prior to two ice ages; they believe that food nourishes the body and reconnects them with their land and their ancestors.
Sharing African food and culture to show love.
The Zuber family has roots dating back to the founding of Amana Colonies in Iowa by German immigrants; everyone is family in Amana, and Andrew quickly learns that when he joins the Zuber family for a meal.
For the DiBernardo family in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, dinner together involves three generations carrying on traditions established by their Sicilian grandparents.
Family meals are a source of strength and pride for Laura Rodriguez, a mom who sacrificed everything to make a better life for her family in the United States.
For the Beevas family of Minneapolis, food is healing in every way, and they're known for serving and sharing food with the people in their community; every meal Tomme Beevas makes shows his Caribbean influence and is a nod to his Jamaican roots.
When family isn't nearby, quality time with friends becomes extra important; Minneapolis couple Jon and Laurel have friends who work in the food industry, so their shared meals are top-notch and big enough for all who drop by.
The Palmer family shares their love for all things maple at their family sugar shack in Shelburne, Vermont. From hot dogs to dessert, every recipe includes a little maple syrup.
Jerome and Brianna Smallwood share a passion for cooking soul food.
The Petrillos love sharing southern Italian eats and entertaining friends.
The Pinheiros are a large Portuguese and Brazilian family who gather most weekends to cook traditional dishes like picanha and octopus; they enjoy a loud dinner in the basement, the only place they all can fit, and end the day with a dance party.