Transforming grandmothers' cooking into a cultural and tourist experience: this is the goal of Nonna’s – Pasta with Grandma, the project conceived by Chiara Nicolanti, a cultural entrepreneur and storyteller, who combines flavors, traditions, and storytelling to narrate communities through gastronomy. The initiative stems from Chiara's personal desire to share with the world the culinary knowledge passed down by her grandmother, Nonna Nerina, turning moments of home cooking into memorable and cultural experiences.
Today, the project represents grandmothers from different cultures – Italian, French, Greek, and Spanish – and develops through itinerant cooking experiences, video productions, and international collaborations. The experiences do not involve the sale of fresh products: it is always the grandmothers' cooking that becomes the protagonist, with show cooking and pasta lessons bringing tradition directly to the world. The only exported product is the extra virgin olive oil from Sabina, a symbol of the territory and the brand.
Chiara Nicolanti says: «The idea of transforming grandmothers' cooking into a cultural and tourist experience has been successful because it intercepts a deep need of the contemporary traveler: they no longer seek just places, but stories, relationships, and authenticity. Grandmothers represent memory, identity, and cultural transmission. Sitting down to cook with them means truly entering the culture of a territory, not just observing it from the outside».
Regarding Italian villages and the value of authenticity, Chiara adds: «Italian villages are certainly among the most fertile contexts for experiencing authenticity, as they preserve rhythms, traditions, and human relationships often less filtered by mass tourism. However, authenticity does not depend solely on the place: it is born primarily from the encounter with those who live that territory every day. It is the community – the “authentic resident” – that makes the journey meaningful».
The project also has a social value: «One aspect that I find important to emphasize is the social value of these projects: it is not just about experiential tourism, but also about inclusion and the enhancement of the elderly. Giving space to grandmothers means recognizing skills, stories, and dignity to a generation that still has so much to transmit. This creates a positive impact both culturally and humanly».
The initiative took shape starting from a personal context: «This project was born with my grandmother, who unfortunately has not been around for a few years but whose legacy is very strong. It was born in a moment of need when I returned to her home and saw her making hand-rolled pasta with a rolling pin, and I thought it was important to share it with others. Now it represents not only Italian culture but also other cultures, with grandmothers in Paris, in Greece, and soon in Spain».
Nonna’s has also developed an online dimension, with lessons and cooking experiences in live streaming, designed especially for large companies and B2B clients, bringing the experience of grandmothers' cooking directly to offices around the world and creating a bridge between tradition and technology.
At BTM Italy 2026, Nonna’s will be the protagonist of a dedicated panel, a unique opportunity to discover how food storytelling can become a lever for experiential tourism and territorial promotion. Participants will be able to attend show cooking and meet the protagonists of this unique gastronomic narrative, experiencing firsthand the charm of grandmothers' traditions and the cultures they represent.
