Ciao & Welcome to Mangia With Michele!
I’m Michele and I’m so glad you’re here! My passion is to inspire you to cook and enjoy the flavors of the Italian and Italian-American cucina through recipes, anecdotes, stories and more from my kitchen to yours.
Let’s get cooking! 💚🤍❤️
About Me
I’m a professionally-trained chef, culinary consultant, cookbook author, food writer and the founder and chief (only) recipe developer behind this website, Mangia With Michele.
I’m also a proud Italian American, Georgetown grad, former Certified Public Accountant and sassy Jersey girl that recently returned to her old stomping grounds after years of living in New York City, Washington, DC and Geneva, Switzerland.
I’m happy as a clam to be back living in the ‘burbs amongst my paesani and my amazing summer veggie and herb garden!
There is nothing I love more than feeding people, creating recipes and cooking for others!
So, I created Mangia With Michele to share innovation, inspiration and nostalgia with you through my recipes, Italy travel experiences, old school upbringing, anecdotes and stories.
Because, let’s face it, the most interesting moments, conversations and memories in life happen in the kitchen and around the cutting board and table while breaking bread with family and friends and perhaps enjoying a glass of vino rosso.
Where It All Began . . . My Culinary Journey
Raised in an Italian American family in southern New Jersey, my culinary education began with a collection of relatives as teachers in a household where food and cooking were daily household activities.
With both Sicilian and Abruzzese roots, I experienced distinctive, regional cuisines of Italy in an American setting while growing up and fell in love with the act of giving of myself through preparing food for others.
On Sunday mornings, I could be found in the kitchen cooking eggs with my mom as young as age 5 or with my grandmom making traditional Italian comfort foods–fresh pasta, gnocchi, and homemade “gravy.”
Although I always loved to cook and often said as a little girl that I wanted to be a “chef” when I grew up, I was also very into academics and super-ambitious in the classroom.
I headed southward for college and earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Georgetown University (Hoya Saxa!) and began my professional career as a Certified Public Accountant at a top New York City firm.
But I eventually found my true calling as I worked and traveled in Europe, experiencing some of the world’s most delicious foods and a ubiquitous, strong culinary culture.
This international experience gave me the courage I needed to leave the financial world for the professional kitchen. I earned a culinary degree at The Restaurant School in Philadelphia, and embarked on what was to become a deeply satisfying career and love affair with all things culinary.
A large part of my professional foodservice experience was as a cook, recipe and menu developer and, eventually, the culinary director at natural foods retailer, Whole Foods Market–a role that strongly influenced my commitment to clean, quality ingredients and cooking from scratch.
After years of working in the retail food and foodservice industries, I decided to venture out on my own and started It’s All About The Food LLC Culinary Consulting, where I consult on culinary strategy, menu development and more for an eclectic lineup of food businesses.
The Beginning of Mangia With Michele
Throughout my busy professional life, I’ve also always been an avid and enthusiastic home cook with strong ties to my Italian roots and am most happy and satisfied when cooking for–and breaking bread with–family and friends.
It’s these sentiments, along with my passion for sharing both food and travel experiences, that led me to create Mangia With Michele on social media in 2017, the expression of my lifelong passion for Italian ingredients, foods, recipes, culture and traditions.
Through recipes, stories and my love of cooking, I aim to inspire others to enjoy and cook with the flavors of the Italian and Italian-American tables, often with a nod to nostalgia or an innovative twist and the beautiful ideas of “famiglia”–family of blood or by choice–togetherness and gathering at its core. My message is clear–food unites people and people unite over food.
And I’m a firm believer that the best way to get to know people is through food–ideally, around the kitchen table.
Press, Podcasts & Interviews
Please explore below for a variety of podcasts, interviews, articles and other media appearances in which I have been able to share lots about about Mangia With Michele, my cookbook, my Italian-American upbringing, my culinary passions and more!
What You’ll Find Here
Whether you’re looking for nonna’s signature dish, old school favorites, dinner party ideas, your next, best antipasto, holiday staples or basic cooking techniques, this is the place for you! While my professional culinary experience is technical, I am relentless about making every home recipe in the most simple way possible. Plus, you’ll find lots of pro-tips from me with insider secrets scattered throughout my recipes which are very helpful!
All recipes here at Mangia With Michele have been 100% developed, tested and photographed by me (unless otherwise stated) in my humble, rustic kitchen.
And, while I love a good, classic Italian and Italian-American dish as much as the next person, you’ll find that I often infuse my recipes with my own personal twist, a touch of innovation and/or an atypical ingredient to keep things interesting. Mangiamo! 💚🤍❤️
my food philosophy and values
- I’ve always believed that it’s better to cook than to not cook. Foods made from scratch are often more nutritious, less expensive, better tasting and more satisfying.
- For me, it has always been about using the best quality ingredients that you can find (and afford) and then not doing too much to them…letting their beauty, flavor and seasonality shine through and not be covered up by overly heavy or complicated preparations. Use ingredients and flavors that pair well with each other and that complement the uniqueness of each product. Build delicious dishes through a progression of proven techniques and balanced flavors, and don’t forget to taste along the way!
- Also, eating with someone else is always better than eating alone. But, as author M.F.K. Fisher pointed out, “Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.” I wholeheartedly agree!
my cooking mantra
Family-style innovation, inspiration and nostalgia are at the core of the recipes I share here on Mangia With Michele. I’m always aiming to keep things rustic and casual, interesting–whether through a twist on a classic dish or a nod to something very traditional and nostalgic–and always inspirational!
Some of my TOP COOKING TIPS:
- If you’re not sure, use the bigger pot, pan or bowl. There is nothing worse than cooking and prepping in something too small.
- Clean as you go! You will be much happier and cook more often if you do this. Trust me!
- Go with the flow! Mistakes will happen and not everything will work out. It’s ok. Don’t be afraid to mess up!
- If you think something is “missing” in the flavor of a dish, it is probably umami.
- Don’t overcook your pasta and don’t drain all of the pasta water!
- And finally, to take a page out of Julia Child’s book, “Never Apologize, Never Explain”. Meaning that the most important thing about cooking is being with others and no one is going to (or should) care if the onions weren’t caramelized enough.
I hope that you enjoy your time here at Mangia With Michele and that it provides you with lots of culinary innovation, inspiration and nostalgia to fuel your own personal cooking journey and to create your own memories in your cucina.
Please visit often, as there will always be something new to try. Mangia bene!
Come Together. Be Inspired. Cook. Enjoy
