Appetito's Italian language instructor Luna is back with another lesson: 2 useful sentences to use in an Italian restaurant to order better.

Italian Lessons With Luna: 2 Useful Sentences to Use in an Italian Restaurant

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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

A simple leaf becomes the image behind the Italian expression “mangiare la foglia,” used to describe intuitive understanding.

Features

Mangiare la Foglia: When Getting It Is Something You Eat

Michael Politto Jr. is a retired Italian chef and accomplished journalist whose life’s work bridged the passionate artistry of traditional cuisine with the storytelling power of the written word. Born into a proud Italian-American family, Politto developed his culinary foundation under the mentorship of master chefs in Italy, refining his craft in some of the country’s most revered kitchens. His early career took him through the historic halls of Osteria Francescana, the elegance of Le Calandre, and the legendary La Pergola, where he became known for his disciplined technique and deep respect for regional Italian traditions. Over decades, Politto cultivated a reputation as a chef who could elevate rustic dishes into refined experiences, earning admiration from peers and critics alike.
In the later stages of his career, Politto transitioned seamlessly into journalism, bringing the same authenticity and depth to his writing that defined his cooking. As a contributor to leading culinary publications across Europe and the United States, he documented the evolving landscape of Italian gastronomy, profiling iconic chefs and preserving disappearing regional recipes. His work captured not just food, but the culture, history, and people behind it cementing his legacy as both a craftsman and a storyteller. Now retired, Michael Politto Jr. is regarded as a respected voice in the culinary world, a man whose life embodied the spirit of Italy’s kitchens and whose words continue to inspire a new generation of chefs and food writers.

Michael Politto Jr.

An Italian Chef’s Mission to Change the Hospitality Industry

Mark Meyerrose lives in Vermont, though he travels a lot.  His partner, <a href="https://stacy-hopkins-design.com/">Stacy</a>, is a renowned jeweler who trained and lived 10 years in Florence.  At least several times a year, they travel to Italy to visit friends and celebrate something.  Back in VT, he’s a writer and a carpenter who enjoys, with equal enthusiasm, wine and food.

Mark Meyerrose

Artisanal Cellars is an organic wine importer / distributor based in Vermont.

How Artisanal Cellars Finds Sustainable, Boutique Italian Wines

Sarah Campise Hallier is the Associate Editor at Appetito Magazine. 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 (any many others), Sarah enjoys covering everything from cultural identity to the evolving Italian-American food experience. A California girl at heart, when she’s not crafting stories, she’s chasing down the best food and drink 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 newsletter <a href="https://www.sarahhallier.com/about-1">here</a>.

Sarah Campise Hallier

Andrea and Camilla Zanin inside Bianco Latte bakery New York

Bianco Latte: A Family’s Pastry Legacy, From Treviso to New York

Kori Belotti is a German-Italian Chicago native who grew up a mile west of Wrigley Field eating cuisines from the varied cultures throughout the city. She is also a SAG-AFTRA actor and writer who writes pilots for episodic television series. Growing up in the culinary mecca of the Midwest, food has always been present in her life and she is excited to share her perspective on Italian fare and culture in Chicago with the Appetito community!

Kori Belotti

Seafood trio with lobster, scallops, and shrimp pasta at Provare Chicago

Provare Chicago: Italian Creole Restaurant in West Town

Lowcountry Bella (Mandi Casey) is Italian by birth and Southern by choice. Moving to eastern North Carolina as a young girl, she was exposed to a whole new type of cuisine like BBQ and hush puppies. As an adult, she embraces both cultures so you never know what she may be cooking up in her kitchen! Currently she lives in both Pawleys Island, South Carolina and Fort Mill, South Carolina.
Her family continues to grow, and that makes her happy because there are more people to feed and love. What&#8217;s better than that?
In addition to creating, cooking and sharing great recipes, she loves to research the history of food origins. Understanding the flavors and ingredients helps her creativity, but more-so, appreciate the meal with even more passion.
Mandi loves to be a guest of events, signing books and donating a portion of her net proceeds to local charities. Her second cookbook, Mangia Y&#8217;all &#8211; Make Everyday Delicious, is scheduled to be released on July 19, 2025.
Please follow her on her website <a href="http://www.lowcountrybella.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.lowcountrybella.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1705416623316000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2qLX1Ag56lHqdrjNXYhkQG">www.lowcountrybella.com </a>or on social media: @lowcountrybella on both Instagram and Facebook.
Mangia Y’all!

Lowcountry Bella

Allora Charleston dining room with colorful seating and pendant lighting

Charleston Says “Ciao” to Positano at Allora

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Appetito Editors

News

April 21 Marks the First International Moka Day

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>

Morgan Hines

Sunday Shop

Sunday Shop: YSE Beauty, Estelle’s, Hudson Local and more

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<a title="https://kristinejannuzzi.contently.com/" href="https://kristinejannuzzi.contently.com/">Kristine Jannuzzi</a> is an accomplished journalist, cheese expert, six-time World Cheese Awards Judge, and dual American-Italian citizen dividing her time between New York and Florence. Her work has been published in Culture Magazine, La Cucina Italiana, Wedge Magazine, Cheese Professor, British Heritage Travel, and The Florentine, among other publications. Kristine also hosts exclusive private tastings and tours in Tuscany and the NYC area. <a title="mailto:kristine.jannuzzi@gmail.com" href="mailto:kristine.jannuzzi@gmail.com">Contact her</a> for details and follow her adventures on Instagram <a title="https://www.instagram.com/nyccheesechick/" href="https://www.instagram.com/nyccheesechick/">@nyccheesechick </a>

Kristine Jannuzzi

Outdoor dining at Caffè dell’Oro in Florence overlooking Ponte Vecchio and the Arno River