DENVER -- Academy Award-nominated actor Chazz Palminteri said he had to bring his one-man show to a town that loves theater as much as his native New York so he is bringing the bronx to Denver!

7News Anchor Theresa Marchetta spent time with Palminteri in the kitchen at Prima restaurant and found the actor is on a mission not only to entertain, but also to bring his life lessons to kids everywhere.

"A little garlic, a little oil," said Palminteri to Prima Chef Austin Cueto as he added the ingredients to a hot pan.

Palminteri knows a little about Italian food.

"I love to make sauce," he said.

Like so many Italians, he enjoys spending time in and around the kitchen.

"The kitchen was like the temple. A very important spot," said Palminteri, "A meal was like a feast. We eat, we talk, we laugh, we tell stories."

Those life stories took shape when Palminteri wrote "A Bronx Tale." With just $200 in the bank, the then-struggling actor put his life story on paper.

"This is a young boy who took the best of both worlds and became a man," said Palminteri.

"You?" asked Marchetta.

"Me, yes, my name is Calogero, that's my real name," said Palminteri.

In the play the movie was based on Palminteri plays all the characters, including the real-life mobster he confronted as a boy.

"I was 9 years old and I saw a man kill a man right in front of me. From here to where you're standing," he told Marchetta.

Palminteri said his life experiences, coupled with his father's wisdom, shaped who he is.

"The choices they make will shape their lives forever. The saddest thing in the world is wasted talent. These are my father's words. They're not mine," Palminteri said.

They are words the actor shares with young people across the country.

He believes "A Bronx Tale" is more than entertainment. He said it can spark kitchen table conversation in anyone's home.

"When my son saw it on Broadway recently, he came back stage and he said, 'Daddy, I promise I won't waste my talent,'" Palminteri recalled with tears in his eyes.

He choked up talking about his son and the other kids he works hard to reach.

"I say, 'Every choice you make has an effect on your life. It will effect you,'" he said.

Palminteri and Marchetta tasted the fruits of their labors in the kitchen, a spring pasta dish with English peas and morel mushrooms that Chef Cueto is considering renaming "Pasta Chazz."

"I love this dish," Palminteri said.

Palminteri wants his audience to know his success is proof that hard work pays off.

"I was an average student who worked hard," he said.

"You didn't waste your talent," said Marchetta.

"I didn't waste my talent," Palminteri confirmed.

"My father is the one who said the working man is the real tough guy. So, if you're going to admire anyone, you admire the working man. Don't admire mafia guys. My father said, 'It doesn't take much strength to pull a trigger, but try to get up in the morning and work for a living. That's tough,'" he said.

Palminteri promises the play is a lot funnier than the movie with even more wise guys from his youth.

"If you love the movie you'll love the show even more. It's a very visceral experience because I'm the guy. You say, 'Wait a minute that is Calogero.' It's a rockus ride," said Palminteri.

You can see Chazz Palminteri in A Bronx Tale at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House starting June 9.

For more information on A Bronx Tale go to DenverCenter.

For more information on Prima Restaurant go to KTRG.net.