Ciao! My name is Nico, The founder of Nonna Lia. Follow me on this journey back to my family roots to the start of it all.
The Beginning
It all began in a small village called Cuneo. Surrounded by fresh water springs, picturesque mountains, and some of the World’s best vineyards, this is where Nonna Lia grew up.
Small in stature, big in heart, Nonna cultivated her culinary mastery amidst the serene simplicity of her surroundings. Renowned for her remarkable culinary prowess, she crafted dishes infused with love and tradition which have been passed on in our family for more than 100 years.
The Secret Recipe
From narrating the tales of World War II to her many “adventures” as a worldly young lady, our great grandma Lia always had a new story to captivate the audiences around the kitchen table. One in particular, we will never forget.
One day, seeing that Lia had no formal background in cooking, our family friend asked Nonna what was the secret behind her incredible recipes. After the slightest hint of indignation, she turned around and distilled it into five secret ingredients: serve the finest, respect the tradition, have some fun, listen to what people want...and make them smile!
A simple, incredibly powerful formula that never ceased to impress our guests and garnered Nonna quite the reputation in the city.
The Journey
Three generations later, a 17 year-old member of the Marchisio family decided to pack his bags and move to Canada. Young, and perhaps a little too confident for his age, Nico struggled to find the same family connection that he was accustomed to growing up at Nonna’s house.
With little more than a campus stovetop, Nico started gathering people around the kitchen table just like Nonna used to. Mindful of Nonna’s secrets, he traveled far and wide to find the same ingredients Nonna would have used to craft her recipes.
Slowly but surely, the smiles came, the connections developed, and wonderful memories started to materialize for the years to come. Among the many creations, one was always the most requested: Nonna’s Tiramisù.
The Innovation
Thirteen years later, Nico and his group of artisans, continue to honour Nonna’s traditions while adding a pinch of innovation. Nonna’s processes, ingredients, and passion remain a core component of our culture at Nonna Lia with an added touch of fun inspired from our lifelong friendships and worldwide travels.
Whether it was developing a Matcha Tiramisú inspired by a month-long trip in Japan, or creating flavours without alcohol and caffeine that could be enjoyed by the whole family, we continue to be inspired by our surroundings to create products that will make people smile.
That is because behind each of our desserts lies a story, behind every story is an unforgettable memory that we are so proud to share with you today.
Humble beginnings to sweet rewards
2020
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2024
