Today we’d like to introduce you to Carla Pellegrino.
Hi Carla , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Carla Pellegrino, once Carla Madeira, was born in Rio de Janeiro to a Portuguese father and a second-generation Italian mother. As early as age 10, Pellegrino was cooking daily, helping run her mother’s catering business. At age 16, the chef moved to Liguria, Italy. In 1997, traveled to the United States, where she attended the French Culinary Institute in NYC, and graduated with honors
In May 2000, she and Frank Pellegrino Jr opened and successfully established Baldoria Restaurant on 8th Avenue and Broadway; in 2006, Carla Pellegrino led the culinary team as the executive chef to open Rao’s Las Vegas. She took the ten (10) original recipes from the legendary East Harlem Italian restaurant, added her own traditional North Italian cuisine, and built a high-volume menu concept.
Followed by other successful concepts such as: Bratalian, Bacio by Carla, Meatball Spot, and Touche Miami,
Chef Carla Pellegrino has been the Chef host at the James Beard House in NYC 6 times, and honored at the James Beard Award of 2009, with the theme “Women in Food”.
Pellegrino has been featured on Top Chef 10, Today Show, CBS Morning Show, Fox News National, Throwdown with Bobby Flay, Christmas Special (which she won), Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, and multiple other national and local news outlets.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being a female in a masculine industry, where female Chefs still make less their male Chefs, and are mostly expected to stuck with pastry arts. Although this is a reality that is slowly changing, it is still challenging for a female to thrive in the food industry
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a passionate Italian Chef and have been for the last 25 years, having opened 5 restaurants of my own and another 2 for third parties; I love what I do, and cooking for others translates my mission on earth. I love to work with fresh ingredients, salt, pepper, heat, and the right techniques.
I am all about old traditions and classic food; my culinary formation is French, but I am half Italian and grew up in the old country, which made me choose working with the food that feels close to my heart and will never make my days in the kitchen feel like work.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
To never give it up, and capability combined with hard work and good intentions actually pays off; in every way
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theurbanitalia.com
- Instagram: @cpellegrino1
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carla.pellegrino.1257/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-pellegrino-67391a167/
- Twitter: https://x.com/chefcarlapelleg
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@carlaskitchen-chefcarlapel7056
