It's time for YOU to put on your chef's hat and mix up the ultimate Italian meal with Ristorante Italia! You are the manager and head chef of a new Italian restaurant, hoping to make your mark on the culinary world. Your ultimate goal is to wow the critics with the greatest Italian meal you can create. But, you must balance your creative drive with the economic realities of keeping your restaurant profitable. Focus too much on making the perfect meal and you won't have the funds you need. But concentrate on growing your business and you won't have the artistic feast the critics demand!

The game is played over four "seasons." In each season, you will have six actions to improve your restaurant and your menu. You can learn new recipes, take a cooking class to improve your skills, go shopping for essential ingredients, or even add dining rooms for extra income. At season's end, if you have collected the right ingredients you can prepare new dishes, just in time to impress the critics.

At the end of the game, you must prepare a single meal-the best you can put together-to complete in the national cooking competition. The best chef will earn the coveted "Golden Spoon!"

The winner will be the player who has created the best menu. You can earn bonuses from the critics, by growing your cooking skill, and by matching the perfect wine to each dish. The player with the highest score wins the game!