Culinary Expert Rozanna

Hometown

Uptown New York

Chef Bio

Small town (southern Italian-American) girl dreams of Bright Lights, Big City. Answered Prayers. Moves to Manhattan. Becomes a student of life, culture, and style. Graduates from a real college. Becomes a professional slave to fashion. Think Devil Wears Prada. Moves to Milan to become creative director at fashion mag. Creates (and eats) her way through Barcelona, Brussels, London, St. Tropez. Moves to Paris. Creates (and yes, eats), the year away in extreme bliss. Gets bitten by film bug. Moves back to Big Apple. Attends NYU. Hello Hollywood. Gets hired by a producer. Makes bizarre movie with Helmut Newton in Berlin. Meets and falls for a handsome but nerdy PhD guy. Marries where JFK and Jackie O. honeymooned. Begins career as a screenwriter. Goes up, up, up. Writers Strike. Crashes and burns. Gets the best job ever. Mom to cool gender nonconformist kid! Starts digital creative content firm. Fave clients: Chefs, Bartenders. Interior Designers. After a decade of success and close friend’s battle with breast cancer ends, takes stock in life. Flies to NYC. Has lunch with high school best friend. Reminisces about countless hours spent in kitchen cooking as a teenager. This reignites love for food and learning. Makes the decision to return to roots and create community. Came up with the concept for a home entertaining lifestyle experience! Chance meeting at a cool supper club in downtown LA. Meets co-founder of Big City Chefs while on respective date-nights. Takes plunge. Could not be happier!

How long have you been working with Big City Chefs?

Since January 2020

If I were a spice, I would be…

Calabrian Chili Powder. Just like the Calabrian chili itself, I am small (barely 5 feet) but best known for my combination of warmth (aka spice), kindness (aka sweetness) with a hint of saltiness! I too originated draw my (family) roots from the soil of Calabria and Sicily and have always been drawn to two specific colors ~ black and blood red!

My favorite local purveyors, artisans, and farmers:

The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills DTLA cheese; Belcampo Meats Peads & Barnetts (Pork & Flowers) Schaner Farms Weiser Family Farms Kenter Canyon Farms Cold Canyon

What I love about cooking and hospitality…

I believe food is love! It’s how I nurture. Curating beautiful boards creates an instant community where you can forge new friendships, experience new tastes and enjoy beauty.

What are your top three go-to pantry items?

Good Olive Oil! Prefer fresh from the farmers market or imported from Italy, Calabrian Chili Paste and Castelvetrano Olives