About me

I like to think of myself as a Renaissance man, I have lived in Florence after all.
I grew up with one foot in art and the other in science. My childhood in Sicily was spent splattering colors or sketching on anything at hand and getting dirty with clay or gypsum. Soon though, TV chefs motivated me to take advantage of the free kitchen in those few afternoons that I was left alone at home. I can still remember the first gooey meringues I prepared; perched on top of a silver presentoir, over a delicately embroidered white linen napkin, they waited on the kitchen table for my parents' return, a token of gratitude for what they did and will be doing for me.
It wasn't until I moved to Florence, in 1997, for University that I found myself in charge of my own food. The big city meant exposure to foreign food, new ingredients, new inspirations that fed my ever increasing curiosity. Soon all my house-mates relied on me for their dinners. A few years later, I obtained a Master's degree in Physics while the glittering world of jewelry design served me as main creative outlet.



The passion for cooking was furtively lurking just under the surface of everyday life, unrecognized.
In 2005 my scientific career brought me to Germany.
With a suitcase full of hopes and doubts I started my new life in Bonn. Along the way I met the best friends I could hope for, who helped me when I arrived at the dark crossroads of my life, who opened my eyes to the passion hidden inside me. I started my food blog. I started catering; I even rediscovered my love for books! I started taking food more seriously.

Soon I came to peace with the apparent incongruence of my life path; science has given me a common sense, a way to approach cooking, hard to get otherwise. The acceptance of my true vocation put me in direct contact with my Sicilian roots, denied and overseen for too long. So here I am, exploring new flavour combinations, ingredients and techniques; sharing my findings over "Recipe Taster".

What will the future bring? Stargazing wasn't enough to shed light on the misty path, crystal balls were just another thing to gather dust. Knowledge will help me, friends will save me. One small step at a time and as I travel the road of life I will do my best to share a smile, a laugh, a comforting thought and, why not, a spark of creativity... with whomever I will meet along the way.