Welcome to our “Get to Know” series! Each Tuesday (for the next year), we’re going to introduce you to a creator in the wellness space that we think you NEED to know. The creators we feature are of various backgrounds. Whether they’re an online content creator, coach, or owner of a product-based brand, they each have their own niche in the wellness world and contribute to the space, as a whole, in an incredibly meaningful way. We’re setting this up Q&A-style so that you can learn more about each creator’s why, the content that they’re most proud of, and exactly how you can be a part of and contribute to their journey. We hope you enjoy our conversations with these wonderful people and brands. We know they’re going to enrich your lives!
This week, we’re interviewing Nadia Munno (aka The Pasta Queen)! Nadia says this about pasta: “You can’t hate it. You can’t attack it. You can only love it. It has no party affiliation, it transcends cultures and, interestingly, is the same word in every language of the world.” Pasta is her way of bringing happiness to the world! Follow along as we learn more about Nadia:
Why did you start your business?
Nadia: I grew up in a very traditional, southern Italian experience. Courtyards, chickens and wine barrels and endless pasta dishes. Looking back it was almost stereotypical movie scene. My love of cooking the classic Italian recipes never ended, and one day, while browsing TikTok, I saw a video of a lasagna being made with spaghetti and said, “oh noooooo you didn’t!”.
So I took out my phone, baking tray and whipped out a head scarf and got going. After posting just a few videos I received such an incredible response, that within a few months I quit my job and have never looked back.
What’s your mission/purpose statement?
Nadia: I want to bring happiness to the world by showing people that we can make simple changes which make life beautiful and gorgeous.
So how do we do this? I found that there’s one thing we can agree on — Pasta.
You can’t hate it. You can’t attack it. You can only love it. It has no party affiliation, it transcends cultures and, interestingly, is the same word in every language of the world.
Empires were forged over food. Emperors and Queens celebrated over it. Artists to executives have dreamed their dreams with it. Every personal relationship has included a special moment with it. Food is something we all want and love.
What 2 (or 3!) pieces of content are you the proudest of?
Nadia:
- Ricotta “Meat” Balls — This was a relatively unknown and is a classic recipe of a small region in South Italy. After sharing the video, it exploded online.
- The Lemon Pasta — Originally a digestive food remedy created near the Amalfi Coast. I love making this recipe and it was one of Drew Barrymore’s favorites so we did it on her show.
- The Panzanella — Probably one of the easiest recipes my Auntie Pina taught me. We had some dry bread and I almost through it out. She showed me how to save the bread and make a delicious snack!
Where are you going next? What’s your goal for the next year?
Nadia: The next year is going to be full of surprises. I’ve got a photo-heavy, Italian culture cook book in progress. Concurrent to that I am working with a company called Ruffoni to create The Pasta Essentials: Kitchenware — the style will be out of this world.
Many have asked me for a Master Class video series covering the lost art of Italian cooking. So that’s in the works.
Then… we may even see a TV show. More to come on that! Oh and p.s. If anyone knows Quentin Tarantino, let him know I am waiting for his call 😉
How can we (and the Fed and Fit community) best support you?
Nadia: I’d love to share with you. So if you like fast recipes, fun and some spicy humor, find me on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
You can also signup for The Pasta Queen newsletter and get my direct email. I take hours out of my evenings to answer people directly. It’s so important to me.
Thank you for letting me share my story with you.
