Life in the restaurant business means you work when everybody else plays. At Cibo, that’s no reason not to get together for a holiday dinner.

The restaurant closes for a few days over the holidays to take a breather before the New Year’s extravaganza. During that time chef and owner Rosario Caputo hosts 40 family, staff and friends at the restaurant for Boxing Day dinner.

It’s an all-day family affair: His mother makes her famous lasagne (and no, she will not share the recipe), while Cibo’s kitchen crew prep turkey with a sausage stuffing, lamb, and pork shoulder from Irvings and lots of side dishes.

“We brine the shoulder for two days in a brown sugar brine, score the fat and work in a honey rosemary thyme rub,” says Rosario. “The crackling tastes like candy. We get two lamb legs from Four Whistle Farm, debone them, make a fresh herb and garlic mixture to rub the inside, tie them up, and roast until fragrant and tender.

“Doing it at the restaurant saves everybody more cleanup. My aunts and uncles have already had Christmas Eve and Christmas dinners.”

Dessert?

“My uncle makes tarts, chocolate and pecan. He’s been cooking all his life.”

An Entertaining Menu: Cibo’s Family Boxing Day Dinner

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