05/30/2026
I was sad to learn of the passing of Italian food journalist and activist Carlo Petrini last week. In the early 2000s when I was settling into culinary school I somehow got connected to his mission and dove into what inspired his activism. He was the man who founded Slow Food, a direct response to the opening of a McDonald's in a historic piazza in Rome, which he felt was an attack on Italian culinary tradition.
When I look back on how I got to this place of growing food, supporting farmers' markets and CSA farms, teaching people about seasonal eating and cooking as well as food preservation, I realize that this man as a huge inspiration.
Before there was a Slow Food chapter in metro Milwaukee, I would regularly drive to Madison where Tami Lax, owner of Harvest restaurant on the capitol square would host us for dinners--most memorable was the "Spargel" (German white asparagus) dinner circa 2000. Slow Food moved me to make connections with other food enthusiasts and local farmers/producers in southeastern Wisconsin and completely changed my perspectives on healthy eating, agriculture, and economics.
This momentum eventually took me to Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in East Troy, WI where I was the Chef Intern in their culinary/ag-literacy program for 8 months in 2003 during which I lived the city mouse-country mouse lifestyle. That position brought me into close touch with farmers across central and southeastern Wisconsin, some who became close family friends and provided local meats, vegetables, and flowers for both our rehearsal dinner and wedding reception. During that stint I also co-founded Slow Food W.I.S.E. (WIsconsin SouthEast) with food professionals and local food activists Deb Deacon, Gail Kahovic, and Jan Jensen.
Since then I've continued to share local food and preservation knowledge, teach people how to be efficient and frugal in the kitchen, support local food entrepreneurs, expand my ability to sustain myself on what I grow, and focus on low-waste/no-waste cooking.
Thank you Carlo for paving the way, taking a stand, and inspiring me to stay slow when it comes to what I choose to put on my plate and in my body.
Rest is Power!
Italian activist, author and pioneer of the Slow Food movement
