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News, stories, and recipes for anyone who loves Italian food, wine, spirits, and travel

Appetito

Bona Furtuna

Caryn Antonini is a global culinary storyteller, media personality and host of The Cultivated by Caryn Show, a podcast exploring cultural and culinary experiences around the world. She is the founder of <a href="https://cultivatedbycaryn.com/">Cultivated by Caryn</a>, a global media brand at the intersection of food, culture, business and luxury, bringing people together through original content, curated experiences and collaborations.
A two-time TEDx speaker and graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Languages and Linguistics, Caryn speaks five languages. An avid traveler and home chef, she is fascinated by the traditions and stories that shape the way we experience cuisine, place and the art of living.
Find Caryn <a href="https://www.instagram.com/carynantonini/">@carynantonini</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cultivatedbycarynshow/">@cultivatedbycarynshow</a>
Photo credit: Miles Pearson

Caryn Antonini

Pietro Ruffo’s Constellation Globe at art’otel Rome Via Veneto

Travel

Inside Rome’s Art-Filled art’otel Via Veneto

Priya Lakshminarayan is the founder of Cookilicious, a vegetarian and vegan food platform where she shares Indian recipes, globally inspired creations, and modern interpretations of traditional dishes. A recipe developer, food photographer, and cookbook author, Priya is passionate about making Indian cuisine approachable and relevant to today&#8217;s home cook. She is the author of The Essential Vegan Indian Cookbook and recently appeared on Food Network&#8217;s 100 Cooks, where she won the Sunday Breakfast Challenge. Based in Orlando, Florida, Priya also hosts culinary workshops and supper clubs, bringing her love of food and hospitality beyond the digital space.

Priya Lakshminarayan

Spaghetti with Curry Leaves Aglio e Olio.

Recipes

Indian Italian Fusion: How to Make Curry Leaves Aglio e Olio

<div>Marianna Cuomo Maier is a National Board Certified Health &amp; Wellness Coach and the founder of <a href="http://www.gratawellness.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.gratawellness.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1728582454046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw14YIpYbUloji2A2RHNVR0X">Grata Wellness</a>, where she empowers individuals to take charge of their health and cultivate joy through personalized coaching and engaging group sessions. Known for her holistic approach, Marianna leads transformative wellness workshops, events, and corporate wellness programs, utilizing an inside-out approach to foster growth and connection.</div>
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Additionally, she is the founder of the Emerging Leaders Council of <a href="https://italianlanguagefoundation.org/web/?doing_wp_cron=1700083117.0815899372100830078125" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://italianlanguagefoundation.org/web/?doing_wp_cron%3D1700083117.0815899372100830078125&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1728582454046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2FeA-IVf0wN2W3zmaUJHKj">The Italian Language Foundation</a> (ILF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to promoting Italian language and culture. Marianna holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Yale University and a Master’s in Teaching from National Louis University.
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/gratawellness/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/gratawellness/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1728582454046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0-p1BOSwGT2LwCBFQH-Smv">Join Marianna on Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.gratawellness.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.gratawellness.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1728582454046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3zJZn6DlYCdpYaedSJ9zYw">sign up for the Grata Wellness newsletter</a> for tips and inspiration. For personalized guidance, please email <a href="mailto:marianna@gratawellness.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">marianna@gratawellness.com</a> or <a href="https://www.gratawellness.com/booking-calendar/complimentary-30-minute-consultation?referral=service_list_widget" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.gratawellness.com/booking-calendar/complimentary-30-minute-consultation?referral%3Dservice_list_widget&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1728582454046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2pt-oFccDs6dDP44HSDO3D">book a coaching consultation</a> to begin your wellness journey today.
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Marianna Cuomo Maier

Features

The Italian Art of Wellness by Not Optimizing Everything

Erica D’Arcangelo is an author and creator specializing in Italian and Italian American food culture. Steeped in the vibrant traditions of her family’s business, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/darcspizza">D’Arc’s Pizza</a> (est. 1960), she writes about her culinary travels and heritage across fiction and non-fiction. She is the author of the Amazon #1 best-seller &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Story-About-Pizza-Erica-DArcangelo/dp/1917116993/">A Story About Pizza</a>,&#8221; the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Erica-DArcangelo/author/B0D8K62R5B?ccs_id=83ad4e56-afc0-4611-8147-ec7d7f32d3f6">Pietro’s Pizza children&#8217;s series</a>, and the host of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AStoryAboutPizza">The Pizza Story Podcast</a>, where she interviews cultural icons and master pizzaiolos. Her next book, &#8220;My Big Loud Italian Christmas,&#8221; releases in Fall 2026.

Author Erica D'Arcangelo staring at the camera in black and white

Erica D’Arcangelo

Polenta being stirred in large metal pots.

Discovering the Soul of Northern Italy Through Polenta

Paola Marocchi is a NYC-based pastry chef who has worked for some of the world&#8217;s most acclaimed chefs and restaurant groups. Her passion for Italian food was ignited from early childhood, growing up in an Argentinian household of Italian background that valued all things homemade and food as the main guest in any celebration. In her free time, she travels all over Italy mingling with locals and sharing in the culture, food, language and love for all things Italian.
Follow Paola on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/paola_marocchi_/">Instagram.</a>

Paola Marocchi

GIR 10-piece kitchen utensil set in assorted colors

Chef POV: 5 Kitchen Tools I Use at Home

Samuel Ghelli is an Italian scholar and educator based in New York. He teaches and directs the Italian and Food Studies programs at York College, CUNY.

Samuel Ghelli

The Italian expression carne da macello describes people treated as expendable.

Carne da Macello: When Italians Turn People into Meat

A lifelong learner and mentor of Italian cuisine, Cathy Whims is happiest when she’s sharing her love and knowledge of regional Italian culture through food, wine, travel, and writing. 
Her deep dive into the soul and psyche of Italian cooking started over 30 years ago at Genoa,  one of the first high-end, chef-driven, seasonally focused restaurants in Portland, Oregon. During her 18-year tenure, 10 of those years as chef/co-owner, Whims introduced Portland diners to both the nuances of Italian ingredients and the concept of sourcing locally.
Today, she continues to share her passion through her three Portland restaurants (Nostrana, Oven and Shaker, and Enoteca Nostrana), the culinary tours she leads in Italy and the cooking classes she hosts around the world. Her writing and recipes have been featured in numerous outlets including The Wall Street Journal and Eating Well and soon in the pages of her first cookbook, scheduled to debut in 2025.
Whims’ culinary philosophy is grounded in the way Italians weave food into the seasons, holidays, love, friendships and daily life. Similarly, Cathy has created personal relationships with numerous farmers and ranchers in the Pacific Northwest, as well as winemakers in Italy and at home, crafting a community that celebrates the good things in life that come when you sit with friends at a table. Her ability to follow the seasons, creating brilliant food that comes from the heart has earned her six James Beard Award nominations for Best Chef Northwest and is the guiding vision behind all of her restaurants. 
Cathy’s community building includes serving on the board of Scuola Italiana di Portland, a non-profit school for all ages that promotes Italian language and culture, as well as ongoing collaborations with The Culinary Breeding Network, an Oregon State University initiative that aims to bridge the gap between ‘breeders and eaters’ by improving agricultural and culinary quality in vegetables and grains. And for many years she served on the board of Slow Food Portland–the first chapter in the United States of Slow Food, the non-profit, member-supported organization founded in Italy in 1989 to counteract the culture of fast food. 
Cathy is the owner of  three Portland, Oregon restaurants: 
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<li style="font-weight: 400"><a href="https://nostrana.com/">Nostrana</a> (2006), her beloved flagship restaurant since 2006 that serves inventive regional Italian through the lens of seasonal Pacific Northwest ingredients. Heralded  as one of the best Italian restaurants in the United States by Thrillist and Tasting Table, Best Pizza in Portland by Eater and Restaurant of the Year by The Oregonian in 2006, the year it opened.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400"><a href="https://www.ovenandshaker.com/">Oven and Shaker</a> (2012), an urban pizza and cocktail spot in Portland’s Pearl District, with a second location in Lake Oswego. Named one of the best places for pizza in Portland by Portland Monthly in 2022.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400"><a href="https://enotecanostrana.com/">Enoteca Nostrana </a>(2018), a gorgeous, modern wine bar and special events space with an award-winning wine list focused on small producers and creative bar programs. The 2018 Eater Portland Award winner for Design of the Year and a 2018 Portland Monthly Best New Restaurant.</li>
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Follow Cathy on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cathywhims/?hl=en">@cathywhims</a>.
Photo: John Valls

Cathy Whims

Fresh gnocchi being cut on a floured work surface. Image 4

Appetito Travels: An Expert’s Guide to Bologna, Italy

I am the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Appetito magazine. I like Italian food &amp; drink, a lot. I am also an award-winning novelist and a regular contributor to the New York Times. More about my work can be found at <a href="https://andrewcotto.com/">Home &#8211; Andrew Cotto</a>.

Andrew Cotto

Anthony Mangieri of Una Pizza Napoletana, awarded Best Pizzeria in America by 50 Top Pizza USA 2025

Anthony Mangieri of Una Pizza Napoletana on Competitions

Michele Sessa is an Italian American home chef raised in upstate NY with a flair for creating new recipes. When she was young, her great grandmother would watch her while her parents worked. She only spoke Italian, and they communicated through the magic of cooking. The duo would bake, garden and even take care of the chickens, which developed Michele’s passion for making people happy through her food. All the women in her family fostered the importance of family, faith and healthy food.
Working in the apparel business for over 25 years in NYC and traveling the world for developing fashion lines, her love of different cuisines grew. Of course, Italian food is near and dear to her heart, but she now develops Greek, Asian, Latin and Mexican recipes for her family and for parties.
Now living in Florida with her husband and extended family, she even teaches her friends her innovative takes on Italian classic dishes. Everyone wants and invitation to her Italian Sunday feasts she makes for 8-14 family members, and everyone gets to pick their favorite dinner for their birthday celebration. Her Mother Louise has finally left NY and is living nearby, and they love cooking and baking together, especially for the traditional holiday meals. She learned everything about being a gracious hostess from her mom, and they even catered a large wedding for 65 guests in their backyard when her cousins came to America from Italy to get married!
Michele’s love for her heritage and family continues to drive her knack for entertaining, decorating and cooking. Instagram is another place where she shares her recipes, and she has a great following for her handle <a href="https://www.instagram.com/michele7533/">@michele7533</a>. Make sure to stop by her page for inspiration and her authentic stories through her eyes and her food! Casa Michele’s kitchen is a special place that you can visit through her page!

Michele Sessa

Mondays With Michele

Morgan Hines is a New York City-based contributor for Appetito. She loves learning about and experiencing Italian cuisine and culture. Morgan is a full time reporter at PhocusWire and also contributes to Hotels Above Par, Women&#8217;s Wear Daily, Footwear News, etc. She was previously a full time reporter at USA TODAY and holds degrees from Columbia University and Georgetown University. Follow her on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/morganemhines/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@morganemhines?lang=en">TikTok</a> at <a>@MorganEmHines. </a>

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