Anna Maione doesn’t frequently travel outside of Sorrento, but every morning when she takes a short walk to work at Nonna Flora Cooking School in Sorrento, she knows she’ll be seeing the world through the culture and stories of her students—all over handmade pasta, tiramisu, pizza and other traditional Italian recipes.
“I can say that I travel making this job because I can know different cultures, different stories,” she said.
Nonna Flora Cooking School isn’t just about food—it’s also about family
Nonna Flora Cooking School, which Maione owns, is named after her grandmother, Flora. She passed her culinary talent and appreciation to Maione’s mother who then taught Maione herself. Her passion for cooking, then, has always been a family thing.
In school, Maione studied food and wine communication at a university, and as she worked for food companies and restaurants, her dream of one day opening a cooking school formed. Her father designed and built the building; her mother passed down recipes from Maione’s grandmother Flora; her husband helped too.
In 2019, Nonna Flora Cooking School finally opened.
“This is why it’s a family kitchen,” she said.
Nonna Flora over the years
Over the years, she has adapted some of her grandmother’s recipes—creating gluten-free versions and studying how to improve and specialize some recipes. They all remain inspired by Grandma Flora.
“I use to do typical traditional recipes, but, of course, you know, that same recipe always can change a little bit from family to family tradition,” Maione said.
For example, she has her own family recipe for making tiramisu that differs from the traditional way.
The ingredients have an origin back home as well. Maione buys most of the ingredients—cheese, vegetables, etcetera—from Sorrento locals. The lemons used in her recipes come directly from her garden.
She is also always implementing changes and adding to the business, constantly seeking improvements.
The ultimate goal is to bring the authentic, Nonna Flora way of cooking, which Maione said isn’t just about the recipes but also about the welcoming atmosphere and hospitality.
“I hope that they feel like they are cooking with a friend,” Maione said. “I don’t like the idea of the school, the teacher. I like the idea that people here feel like you are in your friend’s house, in my house and your friend and your family—we are cooking together.”