As a Chef, I spend a lot of time tasting my way through ingredients, tracing their stories back to the hands and traditions that brought them here, and paying attention to how they shine best. I’m always thinking of what’s in season, what makes a dish stand out, and what truly deserves a chef’s kiss.
Chef POV is where I share what I’m currently drawn to — ingredients, producers, markets, and the Italian culinary traditions and convivialità that I cherish most. I believe deeply in the beauty of simplicity: choosing high quality ingredients and allowing them to speak for themselves. From specialty pantry staples and kitchen essentials to regional discoveries, restaurant finds, and entertaining inspiration, this column is a collection of the things that continue to inspire me both in and out of the kitchen.
If there’s an ingredient, product, region, or restaurant you’d like to see featured in Chef POV: Italian Edit, email me — I’d love to hear from you!
YOSHI wants to be your next espresso martini
Matcha has conquered cafe culture, and YOSHI, a matcha liqueur created specifically for cocktails, wants to help bartenders and home entertainers conquer the cocktail menu as well, starting with the Matcha Martini, a twist on the ever-popular espresso martini. YOSHI combines ceremonial-grade matcha from Uji, Japan with a creamy, oat-based liqueur, creating a ready-to-pour mix that simplifies the cocktail-making process. Alternatively, this vibrant green alcohol also serves to spice up your favorite matcha latte for a boozy iteration.
As someone who has worked extensively with matcha in culinary concoctions, I know how particular it can be. It clumps, settles, and requires careful preparation to get the texture right without compromising color and flavor. YOSHI handles that work for you to make matcha drinks easier to create.
To help expand its presence amongst cocktails shakers, Jamie Gruwer has joined YOSHI as president, bringing a decade of experience in the spirits industry, most recently as SVP of National Accounts On Premise at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. At YOSHI, she will oversee the brand’s go-to-market strategy, distribution, and on-premise growth.
Olio Piro unveils their curated holiday boxes
Every holiday season, I love to gift (and receive) ingredients. A truly exceptional ingredient is the ultimate luxury for a chef and anyone who loves to cook. The best meals aren’t always the most elaborate; they’re often the simplest, provided the right, quality ingredients are used. A ripe tomato, fresh mozzarella and exceptional olive oil need very little intervention to make a delicious dish.
This holiday season, Olio Piro takes the guesswork out of gift-giving with their curated boxes featuring both their award-winning extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar from sister company Bonini. The pairing brings two Italian pantry staples together in a stylish presentation. Its Tuscan olive oil starts with handpicked olives from centuries-old trees, harvested early for vibrant flavor, milled within hours of harvest to preserve freshness and quality.The oil is also organically produced. The bottle makes an elegant addition to any kitchen counter while serving a practical purpose: shielding the oil from light and oxygen. The oil is also processed using a proprietary filtration system.
On the palate, expect notes of green almonds, herbs, and artichokes, followed by a lingering peppery zest. Some of the gift boxes pair Piro’s olive oil with Bonini’s aged Modena balsamic, slowly matured in wooden barrels, with layers of sweetness, acidity, and spice in a velvety texture. This is the stuff you want to elevate your salad with, dip your bread in, and then drizzle on your gelato.
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A little Monkey Business for the holidays
Monkey Business has been turning everyday objects into clever conversation pieces since 1994. This family-run design company collaborates with established and emerging designers to create affordable home and kitchen accessories that balance practicality with fun.
This holiday season, Monkey Business offers a playful way to surprise the Italian wine lover in your life or the host who seems to have everything with their collection of bottle stoppers disguised as little winter hats. The beanie bottle stopper, molded from food-grade silicone in the shape of a cozy knitted cap, creates a tight seal for an opened bottle and can be tossed in the dishwasher for easy cleaning. A good stopper can give that Barolo, Brunello, or Prosecco another pour, and the beanie does it with flair.
Beyond the beanie, the line includes Karoto, a playful gadget that looks like an oversized pencil sharpener used to peel and curl vegetables, as well as Hug Doug, a silicone figurine that grips the cooking spoon and keeps it from slipping into the pot, especially useful when making Sunday sauce.
Food-mega influencer Gianluca Conte joins Sicilian olive oil brand CIAO!
Italian American creator Gianluca Conte, known to his more than 25 million social media followers as @itsQCP, is partnering with Sicilian Olive Oil brand CIAO! as head of communications and part owner. In this new role, Conte will join forces with CIAO!’s Sicilian-born Founder Milton Vavassori to further develop the brand’s voice and product offerings.
CIAO! takes a playful approach to olive oil consumption with its “Drizzle Irresponsibly” campaign and chef-friendly squeeze bottles, encouraging cooks to pour with abandon. Their lineup of certified organic oils ranges from finishing to cooking options, seven infused varieties including garlic, rosemary, and basil, as well as Selezione Reserve, a limited annual release made from 250-year-old groves on the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna. The oil itself has a beautifully silky viscosity that makes it especially nice to pour, whether dressing a pizza or a salad. The squeeze bottles some of the oils come in are practical and easy to grab, making it simple to add a generous drizzle whenever the mood strikes.
CIAO! Also has a merchandise collection, including aprons stamped with the brand’s catchy name and a design of a pizzaiolo riding a vespa, adding to the overall playful feeling of the brand and reminding us that cooking should be enjoyed.
Questions for Paola? Email her at paolamarocchi55@gmail.com.
