Students swapped notebooks for aprons as they filed into tiny Room 210 at the Crown Center. The smell of fresh tomatoes, garlic and herbs transformed the place into a cozy Italian kitchen.

The Italian Department hosted a cooking class led by private chef Rossella Martinello. The class brought the essence of Italy to Loyola students, and Martinello showed them how to create a spectacular meal from simple elements.

“A lot of people travel to Italy, try a food, love it, but when they get home they don’t know how to recreate it,” Martinello said. “My goal is to show them how to make these dishes at home. It’s not complicated; anyone can recreate it by simply enjoying the process and being simple.

Martinello demonstrated how to knead the dough and shape it into different shapes with two simple ingredients: flour and water. He also explained how to make sauce from olive oil, garlic and fresh tomatoes.

The tactile experience of kneading dough and slicing it into strips can be therapeutic, as Martinello says pressing certain shapes and the right sizes can help students de-stress. Italian Professor Antonio Romano also said that students are busy with school every day, so the chance to rest while cooking can make a difference.

“Students are driven by technology; it’s refreshing to be engaged in something that’s done manually,” Romano said. “The simplicity of making pasta connects you to your true self, a tactile experience that has become rare in our daily lives.”

As students twirled their freshly made pasta on their forks, Martinello’s message floated through the air; Sharing food is what improves society.

According to Romano, the simplicity of the dishes is intentional and reflects Italian culinary history. Residents of poor regions of Italy have historically used staple ingredients to fuel their daily routines.

“Poverty often fuels creativity in Italian cuisine,” Romano said. “Most traditional pasta dishes are simple because they were created out of necessity. The challenge was to make something delicious with very few ingredients, and that’s the beauty of it.”

As students rolled out their dough, Romano shared the cultural significance behind the tradition and enriched the experience by highlighting how hands-on activities deepened students’ understanding of Italian culture and language.

Beyond the cooking demonstration, students also learned about cultural exchange. Romano talked about the various influences in Italian cuisine that reflect Italy’s history of colonization and cultural blending.

By introducing students to lesser-known regional dishes, Martinello said he aims to highlight the diversity in Italian cuisine, as each region has different tastes and traditions.

“Italy has been invaded and influenced by many cultures over time, and it is this fusion that makes our food so rich and eclectic,” Romano said. “It is important to look at cultural exchange as something productive and not just negative. “We gain so much from integrating different practices and contexts into our traditions.”

Martinello said he wants students to understand the rich culture of Italian food beyond generic and popular items like pizza; unique foods have a special taste in them.

“A lot of people think Italian food is just pizza and spaghetti with meatballs, but it’s so much more than that,” Martinello said. “When I cook for customers, I love giving them a taste of something different, dishes they may have never tried before. “I want them to understand that Italian food is not just limited to what they see in American restaurants.”

Through simple culinary experiences, students gained a broader appreciation of the true richness of Italian food culture, which prioritizes fresh, simple ingredients and vibrant regional specialties.

“I want them to leave a great memory and feel confident enough to try it again at home,” Martinello said. “Food brings people together in a special way. Sharing a meal means you care about the person sitting next to you; It’s a sign of love.”

Featured image of Isabela Gomez | phoenix