I went from being a successful international model to a successful career as chef & bestselling author of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking and (winner of the Best Italian Cuisine Book in America for 2009 from the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards) The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Holidays & Special Occasions. My books and I have been featured in many national and international publications such as Cooking Light, Woman's World, Tastes of Italia, Healthy Cooking, The San Francisco Chronicle Magazine and others. My culinary education began when I was 4 yrs old shoping in the Italian Market in Philadelphia with my grandparents from Italy and then formally completed where my grandparents origins lie- in the mountains of Abruzzo, Italy...where I live now. My culinary programs throughout Italy have been in spectacular villas, vineyards and country residences. I create recipes that simply transform the freshest ingredients without changing their essential flavors. Recipes are created from my test kitchen in Italy. My shop like my books reflect my experiences- good food, great cooking, travel ,lifestyle, La Dolce Vita and more because great food should be more than just taste ..it should be a wonderful experience! All the products in my shop are products that I recommend to anyone that wants to experience The Basic Art of Italian Cooking. Whether it be to travel to experience the food..to cook the food, to enjoy life while enjoying great food or just plain enjoying the exprience of great food!