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

Appetito

Bona Furtuna

<pre>Rob LeDonne is a humor and culture writer whose work can be found in
Billboard, The New York Times, The Guardian, Vogue, Rolling Stone, and
Interview. He lives in Brooklyn and is of Neapolitan and Sicilian
descent.

Learn more about Rob at his <a href="http://robledonne.com/">website.</a></pre>

Rob LeDonne

Turning Stone Resort Casino and The Crescent illuminated at night in Central New York

Features

Betting on Italian Food in Central New York

Suzanne Storms D.HTM, MEd, B.A., CEC, CHE is an Assistant Professor of Culinary Arts and Management in the Department of Hospitality and Business Management at The Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) in Hong Kong and was raised in the northeastern United States.
Cultural curiosity and dedication to hospitality have led her from around the United States to China, the United Arab Emirates, France, Hong Kong, South Korea and back to Hong Kong.
She worked in the food and beverage operations of restaurants, major hotels and premier private clubs before transitioning to higher education.
She is a Certified Executive Chef by The American Culinary Federation (ACF) and holds degrees from the Culinary Institute of America, Tulane University, The University of Hong Kong and a Doctorate from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Chef Suzanne Storms

Rustic bread “Amo ago” Bakery, Oxtail suppli, Colli etruschi olive oil, Lardo battuto, Local sea snail in spicy tomato sauce, Finocchiona salami, Giancarlo Tanara 24-month prosciutto di Parma at DIECI in Hong Kong. Photo: DIECI, Paolo Olivieri

Travel

Hong Kong’s Italian Dining Scene

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

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

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: 
<ul>
<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>
</ul>
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

<div>Monique is a California-based travel and lifestyle writer dedicated to sharing unique experiences and diverse perspectives with a discerning audience. She holds a B.A. in Media Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, and has built a foundation in public relations, journalism, and event planning, working with high-profile hospitality clients and journalists alike. Her writing has appeared in <a title="https://www.goworldtravel.com/tag/monique-evdokiou/" href="https://www.goworldtravel.com/tag/monique-evdokiou/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Go World Travel</a>, <a title="https://www.businessinsider.com/laid-off-first-post-college-job-cold-emailing-helped-2026-6" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/laid-off-first-post-college-job-cold-emailing-helped-2026-6">Business Insider</a>, and <a title="https://www.dailycal.org/users/profile/monique%20evdokiou/" href="https://www.dailycal.org/users/profile/monique%20evdokiou/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Californian,</a> and she has written podcast scripts for <a title="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mostar-bosnia-and-herzogovina-and-that-bridge/id1612514250?i=1000760332857" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mostar-bosnia-and-herzogovina-and-that-bridge/id1612514250?i=1000760332857" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoNomad</a>.</div>

Monique Evdokiou

The farmhouse at Agriturismo Santa Lorica in Sassetta. Photo by Monique Evdokiou.

Inside Agriturismo Santa Lorica: Farming, Food and Family

<div>
Jessica is a researcher, lecturer, and writer specializing in Italian wine tourism, women-owned wineries, and rural entrepreneurship. She is currently undertaking doctoral research exploring how women are reshaping Italy&#8217;s wine sector through innovation, storytelling, and a strong sense of place.
</div>
<div>
Alongside her academic work, she writes accessible, storytelling-driven features that connect readers with the people, landscapes, and cultures behind Italian wine.
Follow Jessica <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jesscocco22?utm_source=qr">@jesscocco22 </a>and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-holloway-53170334/">LinkedIn</a>
</div>

Jessica Holloway

Donatella Cinelli Colombini: The Woman Who Changed the Cellar

Mira Cuturilo is an Australian writer and humanitarian professional who has spent more than 20 years supporting humanitarian operations around the world. While based in Rome with the United Nations World Food Programme, she took every opportunity to explore Italy’s regions, food and local traditions. She writes <a href="https://miragoestomarket.com/">Mira Goes to Market</a>, exploring the world through its markets &#8211; the food, people and everyday life that unfolds around them

Mira Cuturilo

Author Mira Cuturilo walks through Pisciotta. Photo courtesy of Mira Cuturilo.

Pisciotta and Mediterranean Life on the Cilento Coast

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

View of Capitolo Riviera’s pool, gardens and neighboring historic villa

A Stay at Capitolo Riviera Reveals the Charms of Genoa Nervi

<a href="https://www.sarahhallier.com/">Sarah Campise Hallier</a> is the associate editor of Appetito Magazine and co-founder of <a href="https://www.forkboundfoodies.com/">Forkbound Foodies</a>, where she shares exceptional culinary and travel experiences.
She is also a board member of Poggioreale in America Inc, a nonprofit committed to preserving the history and cultural heritage of Western Sicilians and their diaspora. Featured in Italy Magazine, The Local IT, la Repubblica, and We the Italians, Sarah enjoys covering everything from cultural identity to the evolving Italian-American food experience.
A California girl at heart, when she’s not crafting food, travel and wellness stories, she’s chasing down the best foodie finds on her travels and sharing them at <a title="https://www.instagram.com/foodiesfromca/" href="https://www.instagram.com/forkboundfoodies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@forkBOUNDfoodies</a>.  Subscribe to her <a href="https://www.sarahhallier.com/about-1">newsletter</a> to keep up to date on the best places to eat, stay and tour.
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