Marcella's Italian Dinner

SIFF invites you to a one-night-only dining experience celebrating the legendary Marcella Hazan. This intimate four-course wine dinner, crafted by Sonoma’s award-winning female chefs—Domenica Catelli (Catelli’s), Tracey Shepos-Cenami (Jackson Family Wines), and Chef Gia Passalacqua (Chef and Winemaker)—promises an exquisite journey through Italian flavors paired with exceptional wines. Adding to the magic of the evening, Marcella’s son, Giuliano Hazan, along with renowned Rancho Gordo founder Steve Sando and Emmy and Peabody Award-winning director Peter Miller, will share personal stories and insights, making this a truly immersive tribute. The evening will also feature classical musicians playing a selection of compositions from Marcela´s favorite composers Verdi and Vivaldi. 

VIP guests will be treated to an exclusive swag bag, including a copy of one of Marcella’s iconic cookbooks from Knopf. Additional books will be available for purchase through our partners at Reader’s Books the night of the event. Secure your early-access tickets now for an evening of culinary excellence, storytelling, and celebration.

Wines provided by Jackson Family Wines, Brooks Wine, Gloria Ferrer.

Olive Oil provided by Lucini´s Tuscan Premium Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

MARCELA´S ITALIAN DINNER PARTICIPANTS:

Chef Domenica Catelli

Domenica Catelli is a celebrated chef, restaurateur, and TV personality known for her healthy, innovative cooking. Owner of Catelli’s in Sonoma County, she’s judged Iron Chef America, authored Mom-a-licious, and worked with top brands. A champion of organic cuisine, her dishes attract stars like Oprah and Julia Roberts. Her commitment to health, sustainability, and community involvement continues to shape her culinary journey, making Domenica Catelli a standout in the food industry.

Chef Tracey Shepos-Cenami

Tracey’s culinary journey began in her family kitchen and led to the Culinary Institute of America. She became Executive Chef de Cuisine at Stark Reality Restaurants before joining Jackson Family Wines. A Guy’s Grocery Games champion, she co-authored Season and specializes in wine-country cuisine and cheese pairings.

Chef Gia Passalacqua

Chef Gia Passalacqua has lived and worked in Italy and elsewhere around the globe, pursuing her passion of food and wine. She apprenticed to the Simili sisters in Bologna who were assistants to the famed Marcella Hazan.

Guiliano Hazan

Giuliano Hazan, son of Italian cooking icon Marcella Hazan, is an award-winning teacher and author. His Classic Pasta Cookbook was a global bestseller, and he’s taught worldwide, including at the Smithsonian and on luxury cruises. With his wife, he runs a top-ranked cooking school in Italy.

Steve Sando

Steve Sando, founder of Rancho Gordo, revolutionized heirloom beans, preserving traditional varieties since 2001. Frustrated by poor-quality produce, he began growing beans, leading to his company's success. He introduced the “Marcella” bean in honor of Marcella Hazan, bringing heirloom beans into modern kitchens while safeguarding culinary traditions.

Joanne Weir

Joanne Weir, a James Beard Award-winning chef, author, and TV host, trained at Chez Panisse and studied in France. She teaches worldwide, leading acclaimed Culinary Journeys. Her PBS shows, including Plates and Places, showcase her passion for Mediterranean cuisine and hands-on cooking instruction, inspiring home cooks everywhere.

About Marcella Hazan: Prolific and revered, cookbook author Marcella Hazan is considered one of the foremost authorities on Italian cooking. Julia Child valued her as her “mentor in all things Italian,” and for millions of Americans, she is the definitive source for Italian cooking wisdom.

Born in a small fishing village in Emilia-Romagna and trained as a scientist, Marcella never cooked until she married and moved to America with her husband, Victor. There, she worked tirelessly to recreate the Italian dishes she and Victor craved from home. She soon abandoned her career as a biologist and embarked on a career of teaching Italian cooking — eventually, in collaboration with Victor, authoring six landmark cookbooks that have become go-to references for home cooks and served as inspiration for professional chefs. Marcella transformed how American cooked Italian, introducing millions to authentic ingredients and traditional techniques. As uncompromising as she was beloved, Craig Claiborne wrote in the New York Times, “No one has ever done more to spread the gospel of pure Italian cookery in America.”

When it made its nationally acclaimed appearance in 1973, The Classic Italian Cookbook established Marcella Hazan’s place in gastronomic history. Her cookbook opened wide the doors through which Italian culinary culture subsequently entered and transformed American life. She changed the way people thought and spoke about Italian food, and shopped, cooked, and ate it. This Fall sees Knopf's reissue of Marcella's Italian Kitchen where, with imperishable recipes, she renews her call for fresh ingredients and simple cooking.

Marcella proclaimed, “Cook not from the head, but from the heart!” Hers was the voice that started a major gastronomic revolution and that continues to be a clear, persuasive call. It was Marcella’s example that first released people from the intimidating tenets of gourmet cooking, that trail-blazed the road of simple cooking with fresh ingredients that millions now travel on.

Marcella's manuscripts and kitchen tools were recently acquired by the Marcella Hazan Collection at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington. In 1986, Marcella was inducted by the James Beard Foundation into its Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America. In May 2000 she received the James Beard Foundation’s Award for Lifetime Achievement, her seventh James Beard Award.