Working as an independent Creative Director for Carrabbas's Italian Grill, David Hale wrote and produced nine TV packages and over thirty radio spots. Having built the local Houston-based Italian chain into a half-billion dollar business, David and Carraba’s SVP Marketing Andi Jacobs spun the successful advertising campaign into off a cooking show that has made "celebrity chefs" out of Carrabba's co-founders Johnny Carrabba and Damian Mandola. Cucina Amore began airing on PBS in April 2002 and is currently in its seventh season.