Where did you grow up?
I was born in the Italian neighborhood of Montreal known as St. Leonard, but at the age of 3, we moved to Mississauga (a not very Italian neighborhood), which is a suburb of Toronto. I grew up there.
What is your familial or cultural connection to Italy?
My father was born in a small town called Policastrello in Cosenza, Calabria. He moved to Montreal, Canada at the age of 7 in 1961 (with my Nonni and younger Zio). My mother is the 4th of 5 sisters and the first to be born to her parents in Windsor, Ontario (across the river from Detroit), after they immigrated from the town of Guardialfiera, Campobasso, Molise in 1953.
How and when did you first fall in love with Italian cuisine?
It’s all I’ve ever known. My mom, being one of 5 sisters, means I was very blessed with food from strong women who were always cooking. Even though neither of my Nonni lived in Toronto, food has been such a central theme of family tradition and memories.
How did your passion for Italian food develop?
I always enjoyed cooking and being around food in the kitchen while growing up. I was very active in the garden, and the kitchen became a natural extension of that. As I grew up, I also noticed and appreciated the differences between the two sides of my family, being from different regions. Now, I see food – and those memories, family recipes, traditions, etc. – as a (re)connection. Being that I did not have the typical Italian-Canadian/American upbringing with my Nonni constantly around, things like food and gardening have been a way to stay connected.
When and why did you decide to focus on Italian food via social media?
In developing The Young Nonno brand over the past 3-4 years, food became more and more of a central theme. You can’t tell a story of a modern meets traditional Italian lifestyle without it. But the focus is not only food, and the food I do share is only what I was taught at home.
How do you find the experience overall (pros / cons)?
With a professional career in social media and marketing, the experience of creating my brand is the perfect combination of personal passion with what I do (and do well). Being an entrepreneur in my marketing career means that I was prepared for the new challenge of pivoting to a different type of brand and telling different types of stories. It was a pivot that now is more than just “what I do” - it’s food for the soul and a chance to connect with Italians (especially in Toronto, where I never had a big family presence).
What’s the image you want to project?
That anyone can be The Young Nonno. It’s about embracing, preserving, and sharing the values of being Italian. And never taking for granted what generations before us did to provide a better life for us all.
Where do you hope your social media status will lead?
I hope that The Young Nonno outlives me. Because it is a brand and ethos that belongs in a place where, no matter how much time passes, traditions will never be forgotten. Doing that through connection and appreciation that strengthens the community of those with Italian blood running through their veins anywhere they are.
