Constantly curious and hungry, I spent many days with my Grandpa, asking him questions about his time in Italy, listening to his “stories,” stirring the sauce he was “watching,”, and eventually sitting down together to enjoy some pasta followed by a Fig Newton cookie he kept stored in a tin can. I would ask him to repeat the same story about Italy, but he was more than a storyteller. My grandpa is the inspiration to continue exploring my curiosities, seeking understanding, and connecting to the Italy I am in a constant daydream of.

For the last ten years, I have found a second home working at Matthew’s Italian Restaurant in Clifton, New Jersey. Matthew, my friend and owner opens the door for our guests as if you were entering his home. Inside those four walls he has built a place for people to share their stories, enjoy their friends and family, relax, and sit down to enjoy some pasta. At work, I have been fortunate to combine my passion for family and food. 

After college and then following a culinary school hospitality degree, I was finally able to travel to Italy. My lifelong friend Kelly Shami and I planned an elaborate itinerary we referred to as the “Cannoli Tour.” I went to Italy skeptical that I could have the experience of living “la dolce vita” that I had seen depicted in the movies. But, landing in Venice and arriving at my hotel by water taxi through the dream worthy canals, I quickly realized that what I was experiencing was better than any movie I had ever seen. 

Italy, and my time spent there has shaped me into the woman I am today. If it was not for planning that trip, and Kelly insisting we end in Positano, “Body by Rigatoni” would not exist. I built many life long connections on that trip and left Italy a new version of myself. A version in love with her Italian roots, the culture, the people, the passion, the humor, the pride, the views, the sea, the rocky beaches, the fast driving, the mastery of enjoying the moment, appreciating the life, doing things with a purpose because you respect tradition, the food, the family, the art of taking an espresso, the lifestyle of the aperitvio, and the sweetness in doing nothing. After all those years asking my Grandpa to repeat the same stories, I had finally created my own relationship with the Italy I always imagined as a little girl.  

The cultivation of Body by Rigatoni is a product of life’s up’s and downs. In December 2020, I lost my Mom. She was the one who kept pushing me to follow my heart and continue traveling to Italy. She inspired Body by Rigatoni, and created the first apron sample which is now being sold in honor of her name, “Vera.” Life has a way of keeping us challenged. The down’s prove our strength while creating empathy and vulnerability. While, the up’s motive us to keep going and remain grateful. My goal with Body by Rigatoni is to be able to share my love for Italy, the people I meet, and the Italian way of life with others. I also value a simple thought that sometimes all we need is quality time with our loved ones and some pasta.

Body By Rigatoni, “Influenced by culture. For Pasta Lovers Enjoying Life”

Un grande abbraccio per te,

Nicole Ponti

-BBR