Frank Iovine was born and raised in New York City, where food has always been a massive part of his upbringing and life. His love for cuisine started when he was very young in his Nonno and Nonna’s kitchen and continued to grow when he started working in a German deli owned by a man named Bruno, a chef who escaped from East Germany.

Bruno taught him how to use a knife, and everything else was self-taught by observing his grandparents and others who specialize in Italian regional cooking. This led to the creation of his new cookbook, “Meals and Memories with Nonno,” a hardcover about living a healthy lifestyle with delicious Mediterranean foods. 

"This cookbook is a tribute to my grandfather, Angelo Iovine, whose 101 years were a testament to the power of food as tradition, nourishment, and love,” he said. “His journey from Italy to America brought with it the wisdom of the Old Country—a way of eating that shaped his long life and the happiness and health of everyone who shared his table. As his story crosses the ocean again, I hope this book carries forward his legacy, one meal at a time."

Angelo ate food from the recipes in this book.

“He was a remarkable cook who used techniques from the Old World and the freshest ingredients, usually from his own garden or local market, to create delicious meals for everyone he loved,” Iovine said. “His philosophy regarding food was to keep it fresh and keep it simple.”

Angelo overcame and conquered every challenge, including never seeing his family in Italy again after he came to the U.S. and almost losing his leg in a trolley car accident. Stories like this encouraged Francesco to write a unique book that weaves personal narratives with recipes that matter in their lives.

The book was published by Graus Edizioni in Italy and available in English and Italian.

Iovine is receiving an Italian Excellence Award at Georgetown University on October 18 in recognition of his work with the book.

Learn more about Frank, his family, and their meals: https://www.mealsandmemorieswithnonno.com/about