Meet Giancarlo and Veronica Palazzone, the Italian couple behind two of northern New Jersey's beloved Italian eateries.

The Italian Couple Who Came to New Jersey for Their American Dream

core/paragraph

type

providerNameSlug

responsive

className

core/embed

postId

lede/related-post

Emmy Nominee, Cara Di Falco is host and executive producer of the cooking series “Cara’s Cucina.” The first show of its kind to receive an Emmy nomination.  She is also a culinary expert appearing on QVC, as well as a TV and radio host in the New York metro area. Cara hosts a culinary tour of Italy, giving fans an opportunity to vacation with her and learn about her beloved heritage through its regional cuisine.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Cara is a proud graduate of Rutgers University and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She’s been featured in We the Italians, Where Women Cook, and The Italian-American Podcast.
On top of her 2018 Emmy nomination, Cara is a Columbian Foundation Honoree for 2023, the 2012 &#8220;Woman of the Year&#8221; for the Italian-American Policy Society of NJ, and the 2019 &#8220;Woman of the Year&#8221; for the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Cara&#8217;s free time is spent enjoying nature, a good meal with friends and family, or snuggled on the couch with her dog Roxie.
Learn more about Cara at her <a href="https://www.caradifalco.com/">website.</a>
Follow her on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/caradifalco">Instagram.</a>

Cara Di Falco

Features

A Visit to Cucina Fresca, an Italian Market on the Jersey Shore

<div dir="ltr">Planted, harvested and aged in NY, Li Valentine has a background in education and marketing, with a passion for travel and all things wine. With roots in the boot, she has a special interest in Italian wine and travel. She is a certified wine professional and Italian Wine Specialist. In addition to writing about wine (<a href="http://discover.thewininghour.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://discover.thewininghour.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1697217195025000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2tvR1J02Hhj2IanKTun4fa">discover.thewininghour.com</a>), she is the founder of The Wining Hour, Inc., which includes a wine boutique that caters to the wine lover, as well as the vinous winechat (#WiningHourChat) on X (formerly Twitter).</div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr">Follow Li on all social at @thewininghour.</div>

Li Valentine

Federico Bricolo, President of Veronafiere, at VinItaly.USA 2025 in Chicago.

Vinitaly.USA in NYC: A New Chapter for Italian Wine in America

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

Cacio e pepe topped with grated cheese and black pepper in a white bowl.

Salumeria Rosi’s Cacio e Pepe Is Worth a Visit to the East Village

Alyssa Smolen, MS, RDN, CDN, is a community dietitian, nutrition content creator on Instagram, freelance writer and recipe developer. She has been quoted as a nutrition expert in Food Network, Martha Stewart Living, Food and Wine, Forbes, Parade and US News and World Report. Her work has been published in EatingWell, Dietitian Connection and Today’s Dietitian. Work. Alyssa’s account, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/arugalyssa/">@arugalyssa</a>, promotes simple recipes and is a source for myth-busting nutrition misinformation. 
Find Alyssa online at: 
<a href="https://www.arugalyssa.com/">Website</a>
<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@arugalyssa?_t=8lC6fE8Ykpf&amp;_r=1">TikTok</a>:
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssasmolen/">LinkedIn</a>

Alyssa Smolen

Vegetable soup with penne, chickpeas, tomatoes and leafy greens in a white bowl.

5 Italian Super Soups for Fall, According to Dietitians

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

Let’s Bring Back the Spoon for Eating Our Spaghetti

Audace’s Tricolore pizza with tomatoes, melted cheese and basil on a patterned plate.

At Audace, Neapolitan Pizza Takes Center Stage

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

Mangia, Mangia!: When “Eat, Eat” Stops Being About Food

About Us

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Register to continue

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

Appetito

Bona Furtuna

Hello. My name is Joanna Moeller, and I am a passionate home cook residing in downtown Manhattan for 20+ years. I started my Instagram cooking page <a href="https://www.instagram.com/spaghettiroots_nyc/">@spaghettiroots_nyc </a>in April, 2023, as a way to showcase my cooking, as I initially intended for it to be more of an inspirational cooking page featuring my &#8220;No recipe, recipes.&#8221; It has truly been a wonderfully creative outlet for me.

Joanna Moeller

Spaghetti with Shrimp Fra Diavolo by Joanna Moeller.

Recipes

Pasta Wednesday, Week 3: Spaghetti with Shrimp Fra Diavolo

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/thesaltynomade/">Marianna Campigotto</a> is an Italian travel writer and contributor to Adamello Magazine, where she writes about the landscapes and culture of the Italian Alps. Based in Valle Camonica, she is particularly interested in slow, meaningful travel. Her work explores the character of a place through the people who live there, the traditions they carry and the ways those traditions continue to evolve. She is currently completing a Master’s in Travel Journalism, with a focus on responsible travel and respectful storytelling. 
&nbsp;

Marianna Campigotto

Three beef tacos topped with red onion and chopped herbs at La Tana dell’Orso.

The Italian Couple Who Came to New Jersey for Their American Dream

Tagged:

Stay in touch

More Stories

Vinitaly.USA in NYC: A New Chapter for Italian Wine in America

Salumeria Rosi’s Cacio e Pepe Is Worth a Visit to the East Village

Bona Furtuna

5 Italian Super Soups for Fall, According to Dietitians

Pasta Wednesday, Week 3: Spaghetti with Shrimp Fra Diavolo

La Tana dell’Orso: A Taste of Ponte di Legno

Pasta Wednesday Week 2: Cheese Tortellini with Pancetta and Peas