Ciao!

I’m so thrilled to have you here! Thank you for being part of this mission, to preserve Italian culture and celebrate Nonni (Italian grandparents)!

My name is Chiara Barbera and it’s such a pleasure to be sharing my story with you because I know that if you’re here, we’re going to do great things together.

I never want to live in a world where traditions are forgotten and our Nonni are no longer here to share them with us.

My four beautiful Italian Nonni instilled a love of Italian culture in me, and while I was born in Australia, being at home was very much like being in Italy. In fact, on my first visit to Italy, I felt right at home.

In our family, it was the traditions that kept the Italian culture strong. They were an accumulation of old stories, the way things were done ‘come una volta’ (like in the good old days), and the memories and flavours of the loved ones that my grandparents had left behind.

My love affair with ‘Il bel paese’ (the beautiful country) only grew stronger when I lived there. I adored being surrounded by “my people”, the language, and above all the rich culture.

What makes this culture so special to me is the Nonni, the people who continue traditions that have been kept for centuries and who are so rich in knowledge. I believe we have so much to learn from them.

We can’t let them leave this world, only to be left wondering exactly how they made that specific recipe or not knowing how they made those tomatoes grow so perfectly.

One day, I found myself wondering what I could do to protect this incredible culture and its traditions. So, I prayed and that’s when God showed me why I have such a strong love and passion for Italian culture (and why I love befriending new Nonni) — and this, my friend, is why we’re here!

I’m on a mission to keep Italian traditions alive, so that the culture they create will forever remain and never fade away. To make our Nonni feel valued for the incredible knowledge and stories they have to share with us. To shine a spotlight on the people who sustain our rich Italian culture and to create a legacy for future generations to come.

Assaggio is a way to capture and preserve traditions. A way for you to experience a taste of Italy, to enjoy the beautiful stories, lessons and traditions of our Nonni, while together, we keep traditions alive, one experience at a time.

Thank you for joining me on this journey, thank you for believing in the vision and thank you for sharing a beautiful love of Nonni with me.

I’m so excited to welcome you to the Traditions Table! We’re going to have a blast!

May God bless you, amico mio (my friend)!

Enjoy & Buon Assaggio!
Chiara xx