When Zia Donatella comes to live with the Bertolizzi family, little do Alfie and his older sister Emilia know what's in store for them. Zia Donatella is determined to show the kids how a home-cooked meal is better than even the best take-out pizza or burrito. And when Zia's plan actually transports Alfie and Emilia to famous food cities around the world, they learn first-hand how food cannot only take you places but can also bring you back home.

In the third book in the series, Zia's secret ingredient takes Alfie and Emilia to the other side of the world - Hong Kong! Ying and her family are convinced that Alfie and Emilia are the foreign exchange students scheduled to visit them, and the siblings soon find themselves helping out with the opening of the family's new restaurant. Between shopping at the markets, assisting in the kitchen, and trying to get back home, Alfie and Emilia discover the sights and sounds of the exotic and bustling city.