May I introduce you to….. Rita!

Hi, my name is Rita and I work in a take away restaurant in Cutrofiano, (Italy / Puglia)I love to cook and eat, even though as a child I ate very little or almost nothing, my mother was so worried about me that she even send me to a pediatrician. My passion for food started when I was 12 years old, I started making my first few baby steps into the kitchen during my summer holidays, I was very lucky back than as my mother encouraged me to do anything I want. Eventually about 12 years ago I started working professionally (before that I was working in a shoe shop, however I had to stop as I was allergic to the shoe material), after I was offered my current job, where I have been working since than; at first as a trainee chef and after as a full time chef.

I adore cooking, I cook with passion and even taught myself to cook. The only bad point about this job is that I have to work on festivities and bank holidays, where I rather would like to be with my family. When I eat…. I feel satisfied, happy, it makes my soul and heart feel good, I enjoy to savour and taste food and especially I love to see the satisfaction with whom I am sharing my dishes with. To me food is a symbol of sharing, socializing and pleasure. I cook because I like to eat well and cooking is another way for me to relax, it stimulates my creativity and helps  to release stress.

My favorite food is spicy food, hence my favorite spice is the hot chilli because it hones my appetite, it adds flavor and depth to food, it really gives a real kick to food. I also think it reflects a lot my myself.

I believe to be full of live, very lively, always ready for action but also very warm, for a good friend I would do anything.  At times however I can be quite short tempered if things don’t go my way. My favorite dishes are all from the Salento (Puglia Region) area, such as: potato gnocchi, potato focaccia, pasta alla pizzaiola, meatballs, lasagne, orechiette, home-made pasta, wheat bread, basically I like dishes with strong flavor; I also use many vegetables and like odd combinations of food.

I am not sure what else I can tell you about myself; I think I am a normal girl with healhy values, usually happy and sensitive. I would love to see a world without racism, discrimination, I would love to meet more sincere people, my motto in life is live and let live, accept other people as they are, although they may have a different ways of life. I would love to see more people like me.  Regardening to my future and how I’d like to spend my days  is a little bit difficult to predict, everything seems too difficult and uncertain but I suppose I want to  keep cooking as a chef and have my own family, with children which I can spoil and grow up with, that’s it… that’s me!

Have you got a friend or do you want to talk about your passion for food and  tell us what is in life important to you? You don’t have to work within the industry, just have something to say, have a story to tell. Why don’t you get in touch with us, we would like to hear your story!