Who is Elisa Sarno from Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-quoting Butcher in T and what is their importance?

Elisa Sarno was the prep chef at Babbo. Elisa taught Bill the basics such as how to cut up carrots and to prepare meat for various recipes. Elisa was a strong cook but others in the kitchen questioned her abilities in the highly tense atmosphere of the restaurant business. If not for Elisa, Bill never would have learned some of the things he desperately needed to know to become a better cook.