Nancy Silverton: Culinary Icon on Cooking and Travel

In today’s episode of Flavors Unknown, I’m delighted to sit down with the iconic Nancy Silverton—Los Angeles-based chef, award-winning baker, restaurateur, and celebrated author. Known for co-founding Pizzeria Mozza, Osteria Mozza, Mozza2Go, and Chi Spacca, Silverton is a James Beard Foundation Award winner for Outstanding Chef, an honor she received in 2014 for her remarkable contributions to the culinary world.

Join us as Nancy reflects on what ignited her passion for the kitchen, her love-at-first-sight experience with cooking, and how she shaped her career path by learning from strong female mentors in California kitchens. We also explore how her yearly retreats to her home in a medieval village in Umbria, Italy, have profoundly influenced her style—both culinary and personal.

What you’ll learn from Chef Nancy Silverton

• Discovering her Umbrian sanctuary (3:26) – Nancy shares why her heart returns to Italy every year and the role her charming Italian village plays in her life.
• Savoring Umbrian produce (7:58) – The vibrant, local ingredients from nearby farms that inspire her dishes.
• Cooking for family (10:15) – How her grandchildren’s simple tastes bring joy and keep her connected to family.
• Embracing tradition in Italy (11:50) – Insights into community ovens and her first (and hilarious) pizza party attempt (13:04).
• The essence of travel (17:29) – The two things about travel that continue to inspire her approach to cooking and life.
• New culinary adventures (20:00) – What she’s discovered about the flavors of Marseille and how it informs her cooking style.
• Finding her culinary calling (21:57) – How a college crush inspired her first steps into the world of cooking.
• A California culinary exception (24:57) – Why California kitchens gave her a rare experience in a traditionally male-dominated field.
• Career-defining milestones (27:14) – From Campanile’s inception to her “bread-ucation,” Nancy discusses the challenges and pivotal moments that defined her career.
• Italian roots meet California innovation (32:24) – The story of “Cal-Ital” and how she reimagines classic Italian salads in her unique style.
• Travel and transformation (36:48) – How travel, especially in Italy, continues to shape her culinary expression.
• Her latest book, The Cookie That Changed My Life (42:37) – Inspiration behind the book, the “life-changing” cookie, and reflections on her writing journey.
• The connection between fashion and food (49:15) – Nancy’s take on how her clothing style is as integral to her identity as her food, along with a look inside her “clothes pantry” (50:48).
• A culinary tour through LA (52:21) – Her favorite spots in Los Angeles, and a taste of her guilty food obsession (54:13).
• Future aspirations (55:18) – Nancy’s dream collaborations, culinary lessons, and the two food destinations she still wants to explore.

Key Takeaway:

Chef Nancy Silverton embodies passion, resilience, and innovation. Her journey is a testament to the transformative power of dedication and travel, shaping not only her flavors but her life philosophy.

I’d like to share a potential educational resource, “Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door”, my new book that features dialogues with accomplished culinary leaders from various backgrounds and cultures. It delves into the future of culinary cre