At L’Arte our desserts and savory items reflect my food philosophy. Desserts must be handcrafted, approachable, fresh, artisanal and delicious. I really enjoy introducing to my friends and clients contemporary, traditional and yes, the occasional ancient Italian desserts. I am constantly pushing myself and those around me to explore various Italian desserts and to stay on top of the contemporary dessert and baking scene in Italy. I believe Italian desserts, in all of their diversity and wonderful forms, are worthy of study, promotion and most importantly, enjoying!

My culinary journey started in my home in Ragusa, Sicily. As a child I would sneak into the kitchen while my parents were preparing meals, and it was then that I first realized that I had a passion for the art of making food. Ragusa is a wonderful and ancient hilltop city not far from the sea. The food scene, like so much of Italy, is excellent, vibrant and sophisticated. I was very fortunate to learn about hospitality, savory foods and desserts while working and growing up in that food culture. It was during my teenage years I developed a strong interest in all types of desserts; baked and frozen. I was, and remain today, fascinated by traditional Sicilian and Italian dessert recipes as well as by the people, their origin, and associated traditions.

Although I initially attended the University of Catania to study political science, I decided to dedicate myself 100% to Sicilian and Italian dessert arts. I started studying baking and pastry arts on my own as well as gaining practical experience. I eventually sought out and obtained full time positions at some wonderful local places in Ragusa. I started at Gelateria Montalbano and then joined the teams at Pasticceria Crescente and Villa Fortugno spending nearly a decade working and developing my pastry and dessert skills. I was also very fortunate to learn, from several respected and generous master chefs, (both in Sicily and in mainland Italy specifically Bologna) traditional methods for making frozen desserts (gelato, granita, sorbetto) as well as pastries and cakes. I eventually came to the United States in 2018 and became a co-owner of L’Arte della Pasticceria in 2020.