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

Appetito

Paul Watters grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where he discovered his passion for cooking at the age of 16. With nearly 35 years in the culinary industry, he has worked in some of the world’s most renowned kitchens, including the Savoy in London and the Sydney Opera House in Australia. His career has taken him around the globe, allowing him to explore new cultures, refine his craft and gather decades of experience that continue to shape his approach to food today.

Paul Watters

Seafood carbonara with prawns, calamari, Parmesan and fresh herbs. Photo credit: Chef Paul Watters

Recipes

Creamy Seafood Carbonara with Prawns and Calamari

<div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/matthewcutolo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/matthewcutolo/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1737732208475000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2W9sxEjPHw8HA5vP3lJrJs">Chef Matthew Cutolo </a>is the Chef at <a href="https://gargiulos.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://gargiulos.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1737732208475000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0bAwnlSS05rHhUJPnWJ2yd">Gargiulo’s Restaurant </a>in Coney Island, Brooklyn. As a third-generation Italian-American chef, Chef Cutolo carries on the legacy of Gargiulo’s century-old cannoli recipe and is a passionate advocate for preserving Neapolitan and Sorrentine culinary traditions. Chef Cutolo’s expertise spans a range of classic Italian dishes, including Penne Pasqualina, Zeppole di San Giuseppe, and a unique Pizza Rustica. He is known for maintaining &#8220;Old School&#8221; Italian recipes and traditions, often learned through hands-on experience rather than written instructions.</div>

Chef Matthew Cutolo with his lasagna on the set of Good Day New York.

Matthew Cutolo

Part reporter, part pasta enthusiast, and always in search of a good story, the Appetito Editors bring readers the latest happenings in food, travel and Italian culture.

Appetito Editors

Olympic-Inspired Ossobuco alla Milanese by Chef Matthew Cutolo

Michele Sessa is an Italian American home chef raised in upstate NY with a flair for creating new recipes. When she was young, her great grandmother would watch her while her parents worked. She only spoke Italian, and they communicated through the magic of cooking. The duo would bake, garden and even take care of the chickens, which developed Michele’s passion for making people happy through her food. All the women in her family fostered the importance of family, faith and healthy food.
Working in the apparel business for over 25 years in NYC and traveling the world for developing fashion lines, her love of different cuisines grew. Of course, Italian food is near and dear to her heart, but she now develops Greek, Asian, Latin and Mexican recipes for her family and for parties.
Now living in Florida with her husband and extended family, she even teaches her friends her innovative takes on Italian classic dishes. Everyone wants and invitation to her Italian Sunday feasts she makes for 8-14 family members, and everyone gets to pick their favorite dinner for their birthday celebration. Her Mother Louise has finally left NY and is living nearby, and they love cooking and baking together, especially for the traditional holiday meals. She learned everything about being a gracious hostess from her mom, and they even catered a large wedding for 65 guests in their backyard when her cousins came to America from Italy to get married!
Michele’s love for her heritage and family continues to drive her knack for entertaining, decorating and cooking. Instagram is another place where she shares her recipes, and she has a great following for her handle <a href="https://www.instagram.com/michele7533/">@michele7533</a>. Make sure to stop by her page for inspiration and her authentic stories through her eyes and her food! Casa Michele’s kitchen is a special place that you can visit through her page!

Michele Sessa

A single serving of citrus infused salmon topped with roasted vegetables and fresh basil.

Lent-Friendly Citrus Salmon with Burst Tomatoes

Justin Patulli is a food and travel writer with a lifelong passion for his Italian heritage. From Italy’s most famous cities, landmarks, and dishes to its best-kept secrets, he brings the heart of Italy and its diaspora to life through storytelling. His writing inspires readers to embrace the Italian experience in its entirety. You can find his work on <a title="https://muckrack.com/justin-patulli/portfolio" href="https://muckrack.com/justin-patulli/portfolio">Muck Rack</a> and follow him on <a title="https://www.instagram.com/discover.olive.italy/" href="https://www.instagram.com/discover.olive.italy/">Instagram</a>.

Justin Patulli

Single Roman rice stuffed tomato served with roasted potatoes.

Roman Rice Stuffed Tomatoes: A Roman  Comfort Dish

By training, Chiara Montalto Giannini is an actress and a writer, but she has been cooking since before she can remember. As an actress and a writer, her solo play, A Brooklyn Love Story &#8211; based on the decade she spent living in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn with her grandfather &#8211; was produced Off Broadway at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York and at Theatre 68 in Los Angeles, where it was directed by Ronnie Marmo. Currently, she is the Director of the Writers Guild Initiative, a non-profit affiliated with the WGAE that shares the tools of writing and creative expression with different communities. She&#8217;s also a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and the Dramatists Guild. At Appetito, Chiara will share recipes from her childhood and those she has learned through her extensive pursuit of Italian food both here and abroad.

Chiara Montalto Giannini

Golden citrus Aperol Spritz cake topped with fresh berries and powdered sugar, served on a white plate.

Spritzed With Love: A Valentine’s Day Citrus Cake

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

Inspired by East Village Pizza, these heart-shaped pies are an easy way to bring a little fun to your next homemade pizza night.

New York-Style Heart-Shaped Pizza at Home for Valentine’s Day

Bacio tortino with chocolate and hazelnut on a pink tablecloth.

An Easy Bacio Tortoni for Valentine’s Day

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

Gluten free amaretto raspberry cake on a white round platter

Valentine’s Day Gluten Free Amaretto Raspberry Cake

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, was released in July 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!

Mandi Casey of Low Country Bella on a foam green Vespa in a floral skirt.

Lowcountry Bella

Square slices of sourdough discard focaccia stacked on a wooden serving stand.

Easy Sourdough Discard Focaccia Recipe

Chef Scott Conant's Lobster Fra Diavolo with Martone St Arrabbiata Calabrian Chili and Garlic Sauce. Courtesy of Martone Street

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