We were thrilled to welcome our amica and talented food writer Domenica Marchetti to the Gustiamo warehouse in the Bronx. Domenica has been a champion of authentic Italian ingredients for years, promoting and using them in her cookbooks, and in her newsletter. Finally, she came to see us in person. In her piece Catching Up with Beatrice Ughi, Domenica beautifully captures the values that drive Gustiamo and the people behind it all.
After a tour of the Gusti warehouse, zigzagging among shelves stacked with jars of anchovies and artichokes, cans of tomatoes, boxes of pasta, and freshly milled flour from Sicily, and all the precious Italian foods she calls “meticulously sourced, top-notch ingredients from every region of Italy, made by dedicated artisans and producers,” Domenica sat down with our very own Beatrice, for a heartfelt conversation on how Gustiamo was born more than 25 years ago and where the company is going. Here are some highlights from their conversation:
“A very lucky accident”
Beatrice shared how her journey to becoming an importer of authentic Italian food began:
“I started out knowing nothing about agriculture, about Italian politics around agriculture, about what is good is what is bad. After two years, the Italian entrepreneurs who hired me wanted out. They asked me if I wanted to continue and I said yes… In two years I was hooked. And I’m more and more hooked every year.”
Growing with Italian artisans
“Beatrice doesn’t speak much about herself, but she loves to talk about her small kick-ass company, the Italian farmers and producers with whom she has formed strong bonds over the last 25 years, and new artisans she continues to bring into the fold.” Sabatino, Corrado, Maida farm in Cilento, Marco Colzani, and the Testa family populate Domenica’s pantry as well as the conversation. One of the most important parts of Gustiamo’s work has always been building lasting relationships with small Italian producers:
“It’s almost like we were kids together, we grew up in our work together. But mainly it’s a process of staying connected. We talk to our producers all the time, we are connected to restaurants and journalists. And we travel around Italy looking for new sources, for farms and producers who are committed to respecting the traditions of the land and to growing the highest quality foods.”
A fight against fake Italian food
For 25+ years, Beatrice has spoken out about what Domenica describes as “the bane of her existence”: the damage caused by fake Italian and “Italian-style” products in the U.S. market.
“Competition from fake Italian and ‘Italian-style’ products has become increasingly strong and sophisticated. It’s been seriously hurting us and our small producers—more and more over time.”
This is why Gustiamo’s mission has never changed: to bring real Italian ingredients to the U.S., and to protect the artisans and farmers who make them.
What every consumer should know
Beatrice also offered some advice to home cooks and chefs who want to shop responsibly:
“Stay away from cheap ‘Italian food.’ It’s often fake—and possibly even harmful to your health and to the planet!”
At Gustiamo, we are proud to be part of this ongoing conversation about Italian food authenticity. Grazie mille, Domenica, for visiting us in the Bronx and for shining a light on the people and products that make Italy’s food culture so extraordinary.
You can read Domenica’s full interview in her Buona Domenica newsletter.
