Embracing Culinary Education with NonnaLive 

A group of people pose with fresh pasta after learning how to make it in a cooking class.

The Nonnas at one of their cooking demos!

Earlier this fall, we were thrilled to participate in bringing a special celebration of food, culture, and connection to the teams and guests at two West Coast corporate accounts. 

Chiara Nicolanti started her company NonnaLive, a live online (and in-person) cooking experience, with her grandmother in 2017. What started as a way share her nonna’s pasta-making expertise and recipes soon went viral, connecting people all over the world to the flavors and hospitality of the Italian kitchen.  

Nicolanti’s grandmother has since passed, but she and her business partner and childhood friend Chiara Leone have grown the business to include many more grandmothers from their Italian village outside of Rome, and more recently, they’ve taken the show on the road.  

Hospitality Meets Culture and Cuisine

This November, we welcomed NonnaLive to Seattle and San Francisco. For many of the women who joined us, this was their first time traveling so far from home, and for three of them, their first time ever on an airplane. Their courage, good humor, and genuine love of sharing their story touched every person they met.  

At both participating accounts, Bon Appétit teams welcomed the nonnas for two days of hands-on pasta-making workshops that honored the tradition and craft of these experienced Italian home cooks. Our teams transformed those lessons into one-of-a-kind guest experiences that felt personal and full of generosity and heart. Our Expedia team brought the nonnas on a tour of Pike Place Market; and at eBay, the team organized a station takeover, a family-style dinner, and even a dance party.  

This collaboration was a true showcase of partnership in action, between the Food Fleet gang, our regional and on-site teams, and our wonderful guests all coming together to share culture through food. Every element — from the kitchen prep and shared meals to the warm welcome our team extended to the nonnas — reflected collaboration and genuine hospitality. We talk often about creating moments that matter, and this was one of them.