There is a restaurant we know and love in Chicago’s Little Italy called Bruna’s. It’s a little bit of Siena stuck away in a quiet and unassuming residential street. We have filmed there before, partly because there is such a palpable sense of place and partly because the owner, Luciano, is now family. We love familiarity with people and places, it allows us to focus on being creative immediately rather than spending time getting up to speed on new variables. Bruna’s is a little treasure trove and if the walls could talk, I am sure there would be more people serving time in Illinois prisons. This was once a mobster’s restaurant and the food is damn good. The chefs could not afford to make too many mistakes.

So, into Bruna’s we brought The Stanley Cup, some famous Blackhawks and a Sports Illustrated Swimwear cover girl. What could possibly go wrong? We threw a little bit of snow into the mix, as I associate Chicago with the cold, and, after all, these are ice hockey players, not surfers.

I think it turned out rather well and everyone had the best of times.

Thank you to the NHL Foundation, without whom this wouldn't have been possible.