I grew up in Jersey City, NJ in a neighborhood full of Italian families where Sunday dinner
was a tradition. Taught by his mother and grandmother during summers spent with family in Italy. Through this formative experience
I developed a lifelong connection to Italian cooking.
About The Chef
From Calabria to your kitchen.
Hands-On Southern Italian Cooking with Joey Romano. Cucina Calabrese offers private, hands-on Southern Italian cooking experiences designed especially for singles and couples. This is not a demo — you cook, you taste, and you learn in a relaxed, welcoming environment that feels like a Sunday in an Italian kitchen.
Mom and Nonna 1960
My mother and grandmother are from Marcellinara, a small town in the province of Catanzaro in Calabria, southern Italy, with a population of around 2,000 people. It’s the kind of place where everyone knows each other and traditions run deep. Like many towns in Calabria, the recipes and cooking weren’t written down — they were passed from one generation to the next, standing side by side in the kitchen.
Marcellinara, Calabria
About The Chef
I grew up in Jersey City, NJ in a neighborhood full of Italian families where Sunday dinner was a tradition. Taught by his mother and grandmother during summers spent with family in Italy. Through this formative experience I developed a lifelong connection to Italian cooking.
The Jersey City Heights N.J.
Momma and Nonna circa1960
Marcellinara, Calabria
My mother and grandmother are from Marcellinara, a small town in the province of Catanzaro in Calabria, southern Italy, with a population of around 2,000 people. It’s the kind of place where everyone knows each other and traditions run deep. Like many towns in Calabria, the recipes and cooking weren’t written down — they were passed from one generation to the next, standing side by side in the kitchen.
The Town of Marcellinara
Marcellinara, located in the middle of the narrowest strip of Italy.
TRADITIONAL HANDS-ON CLASSES
Cooking Experiences
In my classes, you’ll learn how to cook real Southern Italian food — fresh pastas, classic sauces like marinara, ragù, and Sunday sauce, along with staples like meatballs and cutlets. It’s a mix of hands-on cooking and guided instruction, so you’re doing the work without feeling overwhelmed. Wine pairing is included along the way, giving you a feel for what works best with each dish. And if you’d rather skip the cooking, I can come to your home and cook for you, or deliver a hot, ready-to-enjoy meal so you can simply sit back and enjoy it.
My Services
4 hr
250 US dollars
Loading days...
$150 per person
1 hr
Free
“The classes at Cucina Calabrese are life-changing. I walked in as a novice and left with the skills and confidence to cook genuine Calabrian dishes that my grandmother would be proud of.”
MARIA ROSSI, MARTINEZ CA