This is really important. I can't tell you how many time Anglophone Italian 'experts' have mansplained Italian food and culture to my Italian born husband. It's crazy! On the other hand, working in wine, I come up against the intersection of misogyny and xenophobia. Italian (men) I deal with talk over me, mansplain, or just talk to a man next to me if there is one. There is no possible way I, as an American and a woman, could possible know anything about Italian wine despite having more wine education, more wine experience, and taught a university level course called 'wines of Italy.'
I don't really believe in food expertise to be honest. I believe some people have a gift of guiding people through food and have a lot of knowledge and should absolutely share that knowledge.
Thank you so much for sharing this: I appreciate your honesty and completely understand your frustration. It's astounding how often food and wine become arenas where authority is claimed based on nationality, gender, or perceived authenticity rather than genuine knowledge or experience.
Your experience in the wine industry highlights a crucial point: the voices we choose to listen to (and respect) shouldn't depend on stereotypes or assumptions, but rather on dedication and competence.
Thanks again for adding your important perspective!
I just wanted to take a moment to applaud you for this brilliant article—it resonated with me beyond words. Not to appropriate your story, of course, but as a French food writer living in France, I saw so many parallels between our experiences and perspectives. Reading your words felt almost like reading my own thoughts on the page.
While France and Italy share that friendly culinary rivalry, it's fascinating to see how similar our cultural contexts can be. I spent 12 years in Canada, near the U.S. border, where the most famous names in French cuisine were people like Daniel Boulud, Jacques Pépin, David Lebovitz, and of course, Julia Child—either French chefs who moved to the U.S. or Americans who immersed themselves in France. It’s interesting how, despite not being household names here in France, they became icons abroad. As you so perfectly put it, they "bridge two worlds," offering an accessible, entertaining, and distinctly foreign perspective on French cuisine.
That idea—of not having the same “tools to translate my everyday life into a language that international readers could understand”—is something I feel deeply. As a French cook living in France, I sometimes wonder if I lack that sense of theatricality or the ability to make my world feel exotic to an international audience. But at the end of the day, whether we’re writing for a global readership or simply cooking in our own kitchens, honesty in our craft is what truly matters.
In Canada, my husband’s family (Italians immigrants) would always watch Lidia Bastianich’s cooking show on TV - she is quite popular. Is she known in Italy as well? I know her son made it over to Italy to be a host on Masterchef.
Thank you for putting these feelings into words. Your article was a gift!
Audrey, thank you thank you thank you for your thoughtful comment. Knowing that my reflections resonated so deeply with you, especially from your perspective as a French food writer living in France, feels incredibly validating. It's fascinating (and comforting, and scaring at the same time!) to see how similar our experiences can be, despite our different culinary traditions.
I completely agree with your point about honesty in our craft: perhaps that’s the most valuable "tool" we have. Being able to share authentic, everyday experiences without feeling compelled to exoticize or dramatize them might be the hardest challenge, but it’s also deeply rewarding.
As for Lidia Bastianich, she's indeed an icon in North America but not very well-known here in Italy. Her son, Joe, on the other hand, became a household name thanks to MasterChef Italia: that's another interesting example of how culinary figures often cross borders in unexpected ways!
Thanks again for sharing your experiences: this conversation is exactly what I hoped this letter would inspire.
I love and appreciate your generous and expansive perspective regarding Italian food. It's been interesting to witness the evolution of the American understanding/knowledge of Italian cooking over the decades. Until the '60s and '70s, most Americans equated "red sauce" Italian-American cuisine with Italian cuisine. My mom, who came to the U.S. in the 1950s as a young adult never identified as an Italian-American and did not like the food. I took my cues from her, though in the years since I was raised, I have gained a true appreciation for what Italian-American food represents. In the '80s, Marcella Hazan's books changed the way Americans thought about Italian food, in the way that Julia Child did the same with French cooking. And then we had the "Northern Italian" trend, followed by the "regional Italian" trend. Now it's sort of a mish-mash of everything, and includes voices and words that are highly knowledgeable (like yours) and voices that are less so (anything with beans or spinach = "Tuscan" to some food bloggers). Beyond all that, there is now the reverse trend of Italian cooks/bloggers/influencers making and sharing recipes for all sorts of regional American dishes. It makes one's head spin and find it all fascinating. In any case, you should definitely be on the radar of the American fooderati, as I like to call them (I have mixed feelings about this contrivance, but that's a story for another day LOL!).
Domenica, thank you so much: your perspective is always such a gift. And yes, I’ve definitely seen the Tuscan = beans and spinach shorthand one too many times!
If only the combo was made up of beans and chard, or cavolo nero, at least! Spinach isn’t even that vernacular in Tuscan cuisine (says this pedantic Italian food writer)!
Brava. As an American who has been here for 40 years now, I am also trying to explain honest regional cooking from my perspective. Italian-American food experts often attack me, as what others write about from the regions of Italy is usually not what their nonnas made. I also find so many adapt the recipe to American ingredients as the immigrants also had to do so long ago when they moved to the USA. It's a complex issue. Famous TV personalities or cookbook writers create with what knowledge they have or may gather on trips, and depending on who they are in contact with for their information, they may not have time to go deeply like you would.
You are lucky to be published in English and be one of the true voices of Italy.
Judy, you’re absolutely right: it’s a complex issue, layered with nostalgia, adaptation, and often misunderstandings about authenticity. Recipes inevitably evolve when they cross oceans, and honoring those adaptations is important too.
i just think it’s important to know where you want to go and keep that in mind. today’s world with instagram…. screws up our perception and puts doubt in our minds. There is a price to pay to become Nigella etc. I look at RAchel Roddy and Emiko who have really crossed the sea. Again as English speakers in Italy.I actually haven’t bought their books. I just stay on my road. do my own research, traveling around Italy, cooking, buying books in Italian, usually older classics. I had a famous American chef, tons o books, TV etc.. tell me that Tuscan beans where cooked in chicken broth. When they come to research and don’t speak the language and don’t ask anyone… that’s what happens. ha ha
Their nonnas most likely had a very limited knowledge and very poor means - and used a lot of processed “new food” like Maggi because post-war Italy was a hellscape.
Wow, Giulia, you've surpassed your already high-quality writing standard, and made yourself - and us Italians – proud. Such a well-argued article, a passionate yet dignified, authentic voice. Keep on doing what you're doing, the way you're doing it. Bravissima!
I was thinking writing about Italian cuisine in one of my next posts. I'll quote your article, because there are many points I agree with, and you're giving me much food for thought (pun intended). Grazie di cuore.
Portia, your words mean so much to me. Writing this was not easy, but comments like yours make me feel truly understood and encouraged to keep sharing my thoughts openly.
I'm honored that my reflections have inspired your upcoming post. I can't wait to read it! Feel free to quote and share; I'm thrilled to be part of the conversation you’re building. Grazie a te!!
Here's the link to my last post: https://bppersio.substack.com/p/whats-cooking-part-1-italy, where I quote this great article of yours. You deserve all the accolades in this world. To more delicious cooking from Tuscany and Italy, and buona domenica!
Giulia! First, this is such excellent writing. I know this wasn't easy to write, and required bravery must research and contemplation. Brava for putting it out in the world--it's such an important topic.
This is one of the tragedies of our culture, that often the loudest/most famed voices get the assignment, so to speak, rather than the most qualified. You handled this argument so well. We need authentic voices. We need insider voices and we also need second and third culture stories with the wonder of outsiders looking in. All these voices working together to create a tapestry is vital, but one should never usurp the other.
There are too many experts in food, (culturally or topically) that never make it onto the prestigious panels or get the bylines or are overshadowed by the shiny package of entertainment. That's a loss for everyone.
Maybe articles like this will help that change in the future.
Sarah, thank you so much. Your words mean the world to me. You know how much thought, doubt, and heart went into this piece, and hearing your encouragement feels like a warm, steady hand on my shoulder.
If this article can help move the needle, even just a little, toward more inclusion and nuance, then it was worth every bit of the vulnerability it took to write it.
This is kind of like Chinese cuisine. As a child of Hong Kong immigrants, I used to make fun of Canadian/American Chinese food like chicken balls and chop suey. As an adult, I now believe that these foods tell their own story, one of adapting with the ingredients available to chefs at the time and adjusting to palates of the general public in the new country. It’s the same for Italian food here, and just about any other “ethnic” cuisine (basically anyone who isn’t Anglo-Protestant (or French-Catholic for those in Francophone communities). Cuisine outside of its original country tells a story of migration and immigration. And speaking of Italian cuisine and Asian cuisine, I recently found out that lasagna is referred to as “thousand layer noodles” in Hong Kong Cantonese.
Thank you so much, Cynthia. What a thoughtful and beautifully expressed reflection. I completely agree: food tells stories of migration, adaptation, and resilience. What may once have seemed like a “lesser” version often holds deep cultural and emotional meaning, shaped by the realities people faced in a new land.
And “thousand layer noodles” for lasagna? That’s poetic and absolutely delightful! Thank you for sharing that, I'll be thinking about it every time I layer lasagna sheets from now on.
Giulia, I don’t even know who the pasta queen is. lol. I do know Giada and have some of her recipe books. I like to try different ways of making things. That being said, you and your original blog have the most print outs, written on, splashed on recipes of any food writer I follow. I have loved you ever since I found you. I judge recipes now by your method and I love how you always explain how it should look, smell, taste etc. Including all the senses. You have taught me so many tricks and tips I use in all my cooking! I am American but I prefer to hear from authentic Italians living in Italy! I love how you show your actual life, not glamorized, going to market, planting beans, cleaning your space. It makes me feel like I am truly a friend and part of your life. I also follow Enrica Monzani and her authentic work on Liguria. You can tell she loves her home and culture just like you. It all makes me want to transform my kitchen into a little Italy in Texas! Don’t stop doing what you are doing!
Lisa, your message made me smile from ear to ear. Thank you, truly! The image of my recipes printed out, splashed on, and written over is the highest compliment I could ever receive. That’s exactly how I hope they’ll live: in real kitchens, used and loved.
And yes, Enrica’s work is so inspiring. Her love for Liguria shines through in everything she does, and I continuously learn from her!
Sending a big hug to your little Italy in Texas. Yhank you for being here all these years!
This is a very important piece, brilliantly written. And of course, it applies not merely to food but to every aspect of the culture. It's something I worry about all the time as a NYer that writes about my experience in Italy. Even though I try to focus on my experience and perceptions as an outsider, it's often hard not to stumble into commenting on something for which I'm completely out of my cultural depth-- it's humbling and deeply embarrassing when it happens. Likewise, it's very hard not to romanticize the Italian life-- as an American, we all know that's what foreigners want to read. But what really irritates me is when someone like the so-called "Pasta Queen" doesn't have the good sense to point out a couple of Italian writers who should be part of her Marvel universe. Or at least to credit some of the work they've done that has influenced her. It's a bit like the British blues musicians of the Sixties. At least Clapton, Richards, etc. had the good taste to re-direct people to the black musicians who created the music in the first place. You're fortunate in that you have the ability to communicate in a way that touches an international audience. But many authors, in any culture, do not-- and they speak primarily to the culture in which they're based. It's up to others to direct attention to them and to give credit where credit is due. Thanks for a tremendously insightful piece.
Thank you so much, your words truly mean a lot. I really appreciate the honesty in what you shared. That sense of walking a tightrope between genuine admiration and unintended romanticization is so real, and I imagine it’s something many writers—especially those writing across cultures—can relate to deeply. It is also something I experience: it's very hard not to romanticize the Italian life, when you live in the countryside and you're the firs tone to be in awe every single morning in front of of the amazing view!
And yes, I couldn’t agree more: credit matters. It’s one thing to be inspired, another to pretend you invented the story. I love your comparison with the British blues musicians. There’s real wisdom in knowing where something comes from and having the humility to acknowledge it.
Hi Giulia, What a thought-provoking article! I'd love to share my experience. I came to Italy for the first time in 1992, a cento per cento Italo-Americana seeking the Baroque and Renaissance masters. Instead, I fell in deep love with a cuisine that had nothing to do with anything I had ever tasted in the States, either in restaurants or at my grandmothers' tables. That led to my leading small culinary tours to Rome and in the process, becoming educated by chefs and home cooks. I became such a convert that when returning to the States, the only thing I wanted to eat was a Nathan's hotdog. No Italian food could compare outside of Italy.
I eventually wrote small inconsequential books in an effort to explain the customs and culture of eating in Italy— the rules, the seasonal and regional aspect of it all. I led seminars in la cucina povera to groups preparing to travel to Italy for the first time, all the while knowing that some of them would be longing for a Big Mac at some point in their journey.
I too groan at the proliferation of items such as carbonara pizza or cacio e pepe bruschetta but have learned to accept it as a tribute, not an insult to the best cuisine in the world.
As for me, all these years later, eating in Italy is a pleasure in which I can now indulge at least once a year. In the meantime, there are people like you doing the real thing. And thank you for that! If my grandparents' hadn't emigrated, I think I might be right there with you.
Carol, thank you so much for sharing your beautiful story. It reads like a love letter to Italy and its food. I smiled at the image of your return to the U.S. craving only a Nathan’s hotdog! :D
Thank you for your kind words and for bringing your own story to the table.
Thank you for this courageous and poignant article. For writers like Stefano and myself, with one foot in both cultures, it is a reminder to be humble and honest in sharing our experiences with Italian food and culture while finding an opportunity to shine a light on authentic, expert food writers like yourself.
Thank you so much for your kind and generous words. It means a lot coming from someone who navigates both cultures with such care and thoughtfulness. I truly believe that voices like yours, rooted in both personal experience and cultural bridge-building, play an essential role in this conversation.
What a marvelously insightful and inspiring article. It certainly prompted some further insight.
As far as I see it, the "World of Italian Food [Culture]" (or plug in any ethnic cuisine) is presented at its best when it's at that intersection, the sweet spot, of a Venn diagram wherein three circles come together: (1) Heritage/Authenticity, (2) Expertise/Research, and (3) Entertainment/Popularity. Yes, I certainly may look at things a tad too logically sometimes but that's the teacher in me (formerly Culinary Arts instructor). Each of the three circles has their importance but I don't think any of the three are any more important than the others. I find this true of books, tv shows, speakers, teachers, and all other formats that are made to provide information. It's when they fuse, in whatever degree, that what is said becomes so much more valuable, almost synergistically. It could also be that when the three meet, they have a tendency to temper any arrogance of just one.
Don't get me wrong; I like all three voices, for what they each are (and I'd probably like whatever fourth and fifth voices there may be). I am sure that "foodies" find their favorites in just one or some combination of the three. Communication is most important and communication is about a voice matching an ear.
You've asked some very important questions. This comment was my first thought. Further thoughts would requre many hours sitting at a dining room table with food-loving friends.
Grazie per aver creato un dialogo culinario così provocatorio.
Joe, thank you so much for this beautifully structured and thought-provoking comment. It’s a perspective I hadn’t framed quite that way, but it resonates deeply.
I’d absolutely take you up on that long table conversation someday, with good food and better stories. Grazie di cuore per aver arricchito questo dialogo con il tuo punto di vista!
What a masterpiece of an article Giulia! Beautifully written and so well-put. And I agree with you and others that the question as to who is “authorized” to write about Italian (or any other) regional cuisine should simply be about honesty. Yes, we all have to find a way to relate to our audiences but being a local should not automatically disqualify you from relating to an international audience. I also believe that local voices are so important because I find that those who have only spent a short amount of time in the country tend to have (and present to their audiences) a romanticised view of Italy.
Thank you so much, Sophia, your words truly moved me. Being local doesn’t mean being biased or insular: it means bringing depth, nuance, and lived experience that can offer so much to an international audience.
And yes, the romanticised view of Italy is so pervasive. I understand the appeal, but I think there’s even more beauty in the everyday, in the stories that come from real life rather than postcard-perfect snapshots.
Thank you again for reading and for joining this conversation with such thoughtfulness.
I agree and it is a pity the romanticised view of Italy is so strong. It is an extraordinarily beautiful country with a rich history and rich culture, including its cuisine. But I agree that there is also so much beauty in the everyday. Plus there is also so much beauty in Italian dishes and culinary traditions outside the mainstream - eg why don’t we read about carbonara con asparigi selvati which was such a (delicious) staple of pasquetta when I lived in Lazio? And why aren’t we seeing recipes for mostaccioli in round-ups of Christmas cookies from around Europe? So in many ways I also think that if you want to get the full picture of Italian food you have to include locals.
This is really important. I can't tell you how many time Anglophone Italian 'experts' have mansplained Italian food and culture to my Italian born husband. It's crazy! On the other hand, working in wine, I come up against the intersection of misogyny and xenophobia. Italian (men) I deal with talk over me, mansplain, or just talk to a man next to me if there is one. There is no possible way I, as an American and a woman, could possible know anything about Italian wine despite having more wine education, more wine experience, and taught a university level course called 'wines of Italy.'
I don't really believe in food expertise to be honest. I believe some people have a gift of guiding people through food and have a lot of knowledge and should absolutely share that knowledge.
Thank you so much for sharing this: I appreciate your honesty and completely understand your frustration. It's astounding how often food and wine become arenas where authority is claimed based on nationality, gender, or perceived authenticity rather than genuine knowledge or experience.
Your experience in the wine industry highlights a crucial point: the voices we choose to listen to (and respect) shouldn't depend on stereotypes or assumptions, but rather on dedication and competence.
Thanks again for adding your important perspective!
Well said!
Hello Giulia,
I just wanted to take a moment to applaud you for this brilliant article—it resonated with me beyond words. Not to appropriate your story, of course, but as a French food writer living in France, I saw so many parallels between our experiences and perspectives. Reading your words felt almost like reading my own thoughts on the page.
While France and Italy share that friendly culinary rivalry, it's fascinating to see how similar our cultural contexts can be. I spent 12 years in Canada, near the U.S. border, where the most famous names in French cuisine were people like Daniel Boulud, Jacques Pépin, David Lebovitz, and of course, Julia Child—either French chefs who moved to the U.S. or Americans who immersed themselves in France. It’s interesting how, despite not being household names here in France, they became icons abroad. As you so perfectly put it, they "bridge two worlds," offering an accessible, entertaining, and distinctly foreign perspective on French cuisine.
That idea—of not having the same “tools to translate my everyday life into a language that international readers could understand”—is something I feel deeply. As a French cook living in France, I sometimes wonder if I lack that sense of theatricality or the ability to make my world feel exotic to an international audience. But at the end of the day, whether we’re writing for a global readership or simply cooking in our own kitchens, honesty in our craft is what truly matters.
In Canada, my husband’s family (Italians immigrants) would always watch Lidia Bastianich’s cooking show on TV - she is quite popular. Is she known in Italy as well? I know her son made it over to Italy to be a host on Masterchef.
Thank you for putting these feelings into words. Your article was a gift!
Audrey, thank you thank you thank you for your thoughtful comment. Knowing that my reflections resonated so deeply with you, especially from your perspective as a French food writer living in France, feels incredibly validating. It's fascinating (and comforting, and scaring at the same time!) to see how similar our experiences can be, despite our different culinary traditions.
I completely agree with your point about honesty in our craft: perhaps that’s the most valuable "tool" we have. Being able to share authentic, everyday experiences without feeling compelled to exoticize or dramatize them might be the hardest challenge, but it’s also deeply rewarding.
As for Lidia Bastianich, she's indeed an icon in North America but not very well-known here in Italy. Her son, Joe, on the other hand, became a household name thanks to MasterChef Italia: that's another interesting example of how culinary figures often cross borders in unexpected ways!
Thanks again for sharing your experiences: this conversation is exactly what I hoped this letter would inspire.
I love and appreciate your generous and expansive perspective regarding Italian food. It's been interesting to witness the evolution of the American understanding/knowledge of Italian cooking over the decades. Until the '60s and '70s, most Americans equated "red sauce" Italian-American cuisine with Italian cuisine. My mom, who came to the U.S. in the 1950s as a young adult never identified as an Italian-American and did not like the food. I took my cues from her, though in the years since I was raised, I have gained a true appreciation for what Italian-American food represents. In the '80s, Marcella Hazan's books changed the way Americans thought about Italian food, in the way that Julia Child did the same with French cooking. And then we had the "Northern Italian" trend, followed by the "regional Italian" trend. Now it's sort of a mish-mash of everything, and includes voices and words that are highly knowledgeable (like yours) and voices that are less so (anything with beans or spinach = "Tuscan" to some food bloggers). Beyond all that, there is now the reverse trend of Italian cooks/bloggers/influencers making and sharing recipes for all sorts of regional American dishes. It makes one's head spin and find it all fascinating. In any case, you should definitely be on the radar of the American fooderati, as I like to call them (I have mixed feelings about this contrivance, but that's a story for another day LOL!).
Domenica, thank you so much: your perspective is always such a gift. And yes, I’ve definitely seen the Tuscan = beans and spinach shorthand one too many times!
If only the combo was made up of beans and chard, or cavolo nero, at least! Spinach isn’t even that vernacular in Tuscan cuisine (says this pedantic Italian food writer)!
Brava. As an American who has been here for 40 years now, I am also trying to explain honest regional cooking from my perspective. Italian-American food experts often attack me, as what others write about from the regions of Italy is usually not what their nonnas made. I also find so many adapt the recipe to American ingredients as the immigrants also had to do so long ago when they moved to the USA. It's a complex issue. Famous TV personalities or cookbook writers create with what knowledge they have or may gather on trips, and depending on who they are in contact with for their information, they may not have time to go deeply like you would.
You are lucky to be published in English and be one of the true voices of Italy.
Judy, you’re absolutely right: it’s a complex issue, layered with nostalgia, adaptation, and often misunderstandings about authenticity. Recipes inevitably evolve when they cross oceans, and honoring those adaptations is important too.
i just think it’s important to know where you want to go and keep that in mind. today’s world with instagram…. screws up our perception and puts doubt in our minds. There is a price to pay to become Nigella etc. I look at RAchel Roddy and Emiko who have really crossed the sea. Again as English speakers in Italy.I actually haven’t bought their books. I just stay on my road. do my own research, traveling around Italy, cooking, buying books in Italian, usually older classics. I had a famous American chef, tons o books, TV etc.. tell me that Tuscan beans where cooked in chicken broth. When they come to research and don’t speak the language and don’t ask anyone… that’s what happens. ha ha
Their nonnas most likely had a very limited knowledge and very poor means - and used a lot of processed “new food” like Maggi because post-war Italy was a hellscape.
My mother-in-law used chicken bouillon cubes- for roasting chicken.
Exactly! One of my grandmothers used Maggi on everything!
Juls, thank you for sharing this. I hear you on all of this. I feel you on all of this. A brilliant article
and once more thank you for your feedback and support!
Wow, Giulia, you've surpassed your already high-quality writing standard, and made yourself - and us Italians – proud. Such a well-argued article, a passionate yet dignified, authentic voice. Keep on doing what you're doing, the way you're doing it. Bravissima!
I was thinking writing about Italian cuisine in one of my next posts. I'll quote your article, because there are many points I agree with, and you're giving me much food for thought (pun intended). Grazie di cuore.
Portia, your words mean so much to me. Writing this was not easy, but comments like yours make me feel truly understood and encouraged to keep sharing my thoughts openly.
I'm honored that my reflections have inspired your upcoming post. I can't wait to read it! Feel free to quote and share; I'm thrilled to be part of the conversation you’re building. Grazie a te!!
Ciao Giulia!
Here's the link to my last post: https://bppersio.substack.com/p/whats-cooking-part-1-italy, where I quote this great article of yours. You deserve all the accolades in this world. To more delicious cooking from Tuscany and Italy, and buona domenica!
Giulia! First, this is such excellent writing. I know this wasn't easy to write, and required bravery must research and contemplation. Brava for putting it out in the world--it's such an important topic.
This is one of the tragedies of our culture, that often the loudest/most famed voices get the assignment, so to speak, rather than the most qualified. You handled this argument so well. We need authentic voices. We need insider voices and we also need second and third culture stories with the wonder of outsiders looking in. All these voices working together to create a tapestry is vital, but one should never usurp the other.
There are too many experts in food, (culturally or topically) that never make it onto the prestigious panels or get the bylines or are overshadowed by the shiny package of entertainment. That's a loss for everyone.
Maybe articles like this will help that change in the future.
Sarah, thank you so much. Your words mean the world to me. You know how much thought, doubt, and heart went into this piece, and hearing your encouragement feels like a warm, steady hand on my shoulder.
If this article can help move the needle, even just a little, toward more inclusion and nuance, then it was worth every bit of the vulnerability it took to write it.
Grazie di cuore, amica mia
This is kind of like Chinese cuisine. As a child of Hong Kong immigrants, I used to make fun of Canadian/American Chinese food like chicken balls and chop suey. As an adult, I now believe that these foods tell their own story, one of adapting with the ingredients available to chefs at the time and adjusting to palates of the general public in the new country. It’s the same for Italian food here, and just about any other “ethnic” cuisine (basically anyone who isn’t Anglo-Protestant (or French-Catholic for those in Francophone communities). Cuisine outside of its original country tells a story of migration and immigration. And speaking of Italian cuisine and Asian cuisine, I recently found out that lasagna is referred to as “thousand layer noodles” in Hong Kong Cantonese.
Thank you so much, Cynthia. What a thoughtful and beautifully expressed reflection. I completely agree: food tells stories of migration, adaptation, and resilience. What may once have seemed like a “lesser” version often holds deep cultural and emotional meaning, shaped by the realities people faced in a new land.
And “thousand layer noodles” for lasagna? That’s poetic and absolutely delightful! Thank you for sharing that, I'll be thinking about it every time I layer lasagna sheets from now on.
Such a well written essay and perspective.
I’ve always appreciated your voice, and the way you share so genuinely. You are most definitely an expert! ❤️
thank you, Jennie! you know how much I admire your work, so your words mean a lot to me!
Giulia, I don’t even know who the pasta queen is. lol. I do know Giada and have some of her recipe books. I like to try different ways of making things. That being said, you and your original blog have the most print outs, written on, splashed on recipes of any food writer I follow. I have loved you ever since I found you. I judge recipes now by your method and I love how you always explain how it should look, smell, taste etc. Including all the senses. You have taught me so many tricks and tips I use in all my cooking! I am American but I prefer to hear from authentic Italians living in Italy! I love how you show your actual life, not glamorized, going to market, planting beans, cleaning your space. It makes me feel like I am truly a friend and part of your life. I also follow Enrica Monzani and her authentic work on Liguria. You can tell she loves her home and culture just like you. It all makes me want to transform my kitchen into a little Italy in Texas! Don’t stop doing what you are doing!
Lisa, your message made me smile from ear to ear. Thank you, truly! The image of my recipes printed out, splashed on, and written over is the highest compliment I could ever receive. That’s exactly how I hope they’ll live: in real kitchens, used and loved.
And yes, Enrica’s work is so inspiring. Her love for Liguria shines through in everything she does, and I continuously learn from her!
Sending a big hug to your little Italy in Texas. Yhank you for being here all these years!
This is a very important piece, brilliantly written. And of course, it applies not merely to food but to every aspect of the culture. It's something I worry about all the time as a NYer that writes about my experience in Italy. Even though I try to focus on my experience and perceptions as an outsider, it's often hard not to stumble into commenting on something for which I'm completely out of my cultural depth-- it's humbling and deeply embarrassing when it happens. Likewise, it's very hard not to romanticize the Italian life-- as an American, we all know that's what foreigners want to read. But what really irritates me is when someone like the so-called "Pasta Queen" doesn't have the good sense to point out a couple of Italian writers who should be part of her Marvel universe. Or at least to credit some of the work they've done that has influenced her. It's a bit like the British blues musicians of the Sixties. At least Clapton, Richards, etc. had the good taste to re-direct people to the black musicians who created the music in the first place. You're fortunate in that you have the ability to communicate in a way that touches an international audience. But many authors, in any culture, do not-- and they speak primarily to the culture in which they're based. It's up to others to direct attention to them and to give credit where credit is due. Thanks for a tremendously insightful piece.
Thank you so much, your words truly mean a lot. I really appreciate the honesty in what you shared. That sense of walking a tightrope between genuine admiration and unintended romanticization is so real, and I imagine it’s something many writers—especially those writing across cultures—can relate to deeply. It is also something I experience: it's very hard not to romanticize the Italian life, when you live in the countryside and you're the firs tone to be in awe every single morning in front of of the amazing view!
And yes, I couldn’t agree more: credit matters. It’s one thing to be inspired, another to pretend you invented the story. I love your comparison with the British blues musicians. There’s real wisdom in knowing where something comes from and having the humility to acknowledge it.
Hi Giulia, What a thought-provoking article! I'd love to share my experience. I came to Italy for the first time in 1992, a cento per cento Italo-Americana seeking the Baroque and Renaissance masters. Instead, I fell in deep love with a cuisine that had nothing to do with anything I had ever tasted in the States, either in restaurants or at my grandmothers' tables. That led to my leading small culinary tours to Rome and in the process, becoming educated by chefs and home cooks. I became such a convert that when returning to the States, the only thing I wanted to eat was a Nathan's hotdog. No Italian food could compare outside of Italy.
I eventually wrote small inconsequential books in an effort to explain the customs and culture of eating in Italy— the rules, the seasonal and regional aspect of it all. I led seminars in la cucina povera to groups preparing to travel to Italy for the first time, all the while knowing that some of them would be longing for a Big Mac at some point in their journey.
I too groan at the proliferation of items such as carbonara pizza or cacio e pepe bruschetta but have learned to accept it as a tribute, not an insult to the best cuisine in the world.
As for me, all these years later, eating in Italy is a pleasure in which I can now indulge at least once a year. In the meantime, there are people like you doing the real thing. And thank you for that! If my grandparents' hadn't emigrated, I think I might be right there with you.
Carol, thank you so much for sharing your beautiful story. It reads like a love letter to Italy and its food. I smiled at the image of your return to the U.S. craving only a Nathan’s hotdog! :D
Thank you for your kind words and for bringing your own story to the table.
So glad I came across this, you could change the word Italian for Indian and it would still be the same discussion. Much food for thought, thank you.
One of the reasons why I have written this newsletter was to find similar stories, so thank you for your comment!
Thank you for this courageous and poignant article. For writers like Stefano and myself, with one foot in both cultures, it is a reminder to be humble and honest in sharing our experiences with Italian food and culture while finding an opportunity to shine a light on authentic, expert food writers like yourself.
Thank you so much for your kind and generous words. It means a lot coming from someone who navigates both cultures with such care and thoughtfulness. I truly believe that voices like yours, rooted in both personal experience and cultural bridge-building, play an essential role in this conversation.
What a marvelously insightful and inspiring article. It certainly prompted some further insight.
As far as I see it, the "World of Italian Food [Culture]" (or plug in any ethnic cuisine) is presented at its best when it's at that intersection, the sweet spot, of a Venn diagram wherein three circles come together: (1) Heritage/Authenticity, (2) Expertise/Research, and (3) Entertainment/Popularity. Yes, I certainly may look at things a tad too logically sometimes but that's the teacher in me (formerly Culinary Arts instructor). Each of the three circles has their importance but I don't think any of the three are any more important than the others. I find this true of books, tv shows, speakers, teachers, and all other formats that are made to provide information. It's when they fuse, in whatever degree, that what is said becomes so much more valuable, almost synergistically. It could also be that when the three meet, they have a tendency to temper any arrogance of just one.
Don't get me wrong; I like all three voices, for what they each are (and I'd probably like whatever fourth and fifth voices there may be). I am sure that "foodies" find their favorites in just one or some combination of the three. Communication is most important and communication is about a voice matching an ear.
You've asked some very important questions. This comment was my first thought. Further thoughts would requre many hours sitting at a dining room table with food-loving friends.
Grazie per aver creato un dialogo culinario così provocatorio.
Joe, thank you so much for this beautifully structured and thought-provoking comment. It’s a perspective I hadn’t framed quite that way, but it resonates deeply.
I’d absolutely take you up on that long table conversation someday, with good food and better stories. Grazie di cuore per aver arricchito questo dialogo con il tuo punto di vista!
What a masterpiece of an article Giulia! Beautifully written and so well-put. And I agree with you and others that the question as to who is “authorized” to write about Italian (or any other) regional cuisine should simply be about honesty. Yes, we all have to find a way to relate to our audiences but being a local should not automatically disqualify you from relating to an international audience. I also believe that local voices are so important because I find that those who have only spent a short amount of time in the country tend to have (and present to their audiences) a romanticised view of Italy.
Thank you so much, Sophia, your words truly moved me. Being local doesn’t mean being biased or insular: it means bringing depth, nuance, and lived experience that can offer so much to an international audience.
And yes, the romanticised view of Italy is so pervasive. I understand the appeal, but I think there’s even more beauty in the everyday, in the stories that come from real life rather than postcard-perfect snapshots.
Thank you again for reading and for joining this conversation with such thoughtfulness.
I agree and it is a pity the romanticised view of Italy is so strong. It is an extraordinarily beautiful country with a rich history and rich culture, including its cuisine. But I agree that there is also so much beauty in the everyday. Plus there is also so much beauty in Italian dishes and culinary traditions outside the mainstream - eg why don’t we read about carbonara con asparigi selvati which was such a (delicious) staple of pasquetta when I lived in Lazio? And why aren’t we seeing recipes for mostaccioli in round-ups of Christmas cookies from around Europe? So in many ways I also think that if you want to get the full picture of Italian food you have to include locals.