ABOUT
Mariangela (or Mary for family and friends) was born and raised in the beautiful town of Matera. During her childhood she had many times the opportunity to watch her grandmother, her aunts and her own mother gather around the kitchen table and prepare traditional dishes and ancient family recipes. Sometimes she would sit at that table along with her cousins and learn the art of handmade pasta from the precious grandma. Food (its preparation and the meal itself) has always meant transmission of knowledge, family traditions and history and it is also a powerful way to enhance relationships, and that was particularly true in her amazing big family.
During her 1-year stay in the United States at the age of 17, she discovered a different kind of cuisine and had the opportunity to appreciate some great dishes her host “mother” used to make. This life-changing experience led her to love the English Language and to know and appreciate American people and the Anglo-Saxon culture in general.
During college, she spent 3 years in Milan and 5 in Parma, where she got to know and admire the excellent culinary traditions of this beautiful town. Here she started to discover and experiment the art of cooking, and thought she wanted to continue her southern-family traditions: friends from all-around Italy gathered at her dining table to enjoy good food, great company and a glass of wine.
Back in her beloved Matera, she decided to share her family traditions and recreate the same convivial atmosphere she experienced as a child with anyone interested in enhancing their knowledge of Southern Italy and its culinary tradition. She therefore puts her passion to use and offers a memorable and mind-opening experience to those who visit this unique town and wish to make the best of their stay, by taking part to a fun and relaxing activity steeped in culture and customs, in a real-family environment.
Cook’n Fun at Mary’s is a cultural association which aims at promoting our regional cuisine everywhere and, above all, the Italian culinary traditions abroad, by spreading the knowledge of the healthy Mediterranean Diet principles actualized in genuine traditional recipes. Our purpose is also to get you to know the wholesome local ingredients, unique flavors and typical dishes that typify our regional cuisine and recall our cultural roots. We truly believe that the understanding of a place and of a people goes through the understanding of their food too.
Join our cooking session to become part of our club and expand your knowledge of the Italian and regional cooking traditions! You will also receive our newsletter and updates on recipes, menus, tips and secrets of the Italian cuisine!
