Meet your host & chef, Emilia Strazzanti

Discover your personal Concierge with Emilia Here

Where it all began for Emilia

Born in the UK to Sicilian & Neapolitan parents who left Italy during the Italian diaspora, her passion for food started at just 10 years old when she began experimenting and cooking with her Neapolitan and Sicilian grandparents the traditional dishes of their homeland. Driven by this passion, Emilia trained in the UK Professional Food Cookery & classical french cuisine at the young age of 16 and later went on to study Hospitality Management and Business Development gaining a Bachelor of Science in her field as well as specializing in consultancy within the industry she then went and continued working as a chef for the next 18 years as well as opening her first food business in London at the tender age of 26 years old and her second food business in Sicily at the age of 33 years old.

Travelling & Cooking for Celebrities

Emilia now has over 20 years of experience, starting her career specialising in pastry and learning under the watchful eye of leading, inspirational chef Anton Mossimann, cooking for Her Royal Highness in London and other members of the Royal family. She went on honing her culinary skills as Pastry Chef at renowned, luxury hotel The Dorchester in London.

She then travelled and worked at one of Paris’s most iconic restaurants and 5 star hotels Le Maurice,  with 3 Michelin stars. Then she moved to Milan to the 5 star Principe di Savoia hotel. Emilia worked for the Planeta family at their boutique hotel in Sicily and one of Sicily’s most prominent Michelin starred chefs, Accursio Craparo before returning to London to lead one of  London’s top Pastificio and chef for a luxury event caterer cooking for the likes of Elton John and royal families.

Continuing on the legacy

During her time in Sicily Emilia was captivated by the island’s ingredients and their history and the desire to continue forward the legacy and heritage of her nonni through food, the recipes and the land. Inspired by this and to maintain her heritage that her grandparents instilled in her, Strazzanti was born, set up by Emilia and her sisters in 2015.

Strazzanti produced and will again produce their own line of premium Sicilian ingredients and products inspired by the Sicilian land and their grandparents’ family recipes, importing these products to the UK, soon Europe and the USA.

Strazzanti supplied the likes of Selfridges, Sotheby’s art gallery Bond Street, Bar Termini and Harvey Nichols in London and is well known for The Sicilian Supperclub their Sicilian convivial dining experience which was a sell out and featured on Channel 4 Sunday Brunch along with their cooking classes in the UK.

After the pandemic Emilia returned back to Sicily where she set up Strazzanti Sicily Experiences, working with her local knowledge of Sicilian produce, land and the people of the land Strazzanti culinary Sicilian experiences take you on a thoughtful journey of Sicilian traditions, cooking classes, culture and lifestyle told directly through the generations of recipes, ingredients & wine. Immersing yourself into the heritage of Sicilian cuisine and exploring the roots of Sicily with your foodie travel experience. 

Emilia’s Career & specialities 

• Classically trained professional Chef, specialising in patisserie, fresh pasta and event catering for the luxury market including Loro Piana
• Event consultant for food experiences with Saatchi &  Saatchi, Campari & Peroni
• Food product development including all legal requirements for labeling & import/export
• Food & beverage sourcing in Italy 
• Logistics for import & export in Europe pre and post Brexit
• UK distribution B2B & B2C
• Creative marketing director for Strazzanti and consultancy for other F&B and tourism businesses
• Brand partnerships in the UK & Europe