In the close-knit waterfront coastal community of San Pedro, home to the largest Italian-American community in Southern California, four sisters have become local legends for their infectious smiles, generosity, and Italian cooking: their names are Josephine, Maria Grazia, Lia and Anna Maria Ciolino.
The Ciolino sisters, who trace their roots back to Sicily, are deeply involved in the local community and are especially known for bringing homemade cannoli and traditional Italian sweets to any event. Whenever there is a family gathering, a life celebration, a festival, a fundraiser, or a neighborhood party, one thing is certain: the Ciolino sisters will always show up on time and carrying trays of home-made delicious treats in quantities suitable to feed crowds.
Their warmth and authenticity recently drew international attention. Last May, they were featured by Pasta Grannies, the renowned TV show whose mission is to preserve traditional Italian recipes made by nonnas worldwide.
The Ciolino sisters were hired by Pasta Grannies and Team USA and for an entire week they shared their family recipes for making perfect cannoli and handmade macarunia pasta with Team USA at Universal Studios, delighting the athtletes and their teams.
Their celebrity momentum continues and they continue to receive with multiple requests from TVs and newspapers and lately they hosted another memorable evening in Los Angeles. The Ciolino sisters were hired by the Italian restaurant De La Nonna, whose chef and owner, Italian native Patrick Costa, had been searching for months for the perfect nonna to embody the mission of his kitchen.
After all, a restaurant named “De La Nonna” which means “From Grandma” , absolutely needed a true grandmotherly presence!
The search proved long and challenging. No single nonna Chef Costa interviewed felt like the right fit, until he met - and was instantly charmed by them- the Ciolino sisters.
Instead of finding one grandmother, Chef Costa found four. On International Women's Day, the Ciolino sisters stepped into the kitchen as honored guests and collaborators, helping to create a special dinner celebrating women, Sicilian tradition, and the power of food to bring people together. The evening featured their signature handmade macarunia pasta and their beloved arancini, presented in collaboration with the Little Italy of Los Angeles Association and Biite Club.
The event sold out almost immediately, and the lucky guests who were able to snatch a ticket experienced the full impact of four Italian nonnas ready to welcome them with a smile, a hug and the warmth of their loving hearts. There were smiles, there were cheers, an abundance of hugs, some happy tears and some more smiles. Everyone joined their famiglia and the living legacy of Italian family cooking.
Grazie, Nonne and Chef Patrick Costa, for an unforgettable evening. We can’t wait to see what you all cook up next.
