About Mary Ann Esposito

Authenticity, history and tradition.

Mary Ann Esposito is the creator and host of the PBS series, Ciao Italia, seen nationally and internationally. This year the series celebrates its 23rd year, making it the longest running cooking series in America.

Mary Ann holds a masters degree in food history from the University of New Hampshire; her thesis work was on Renaissance Italian foods. She also holds an Honorary Doctorate degree in Humane Letters from St. Anselm College in Manchester, NH.

Mary Ann honed her skills in regional cooking schools throughout Italy and got her start in Perugia. She continues to teach classes in cooking schools throughout Italy each year.

Mary Ann is the author of 12 cookbooks including the best-selling Ciao Italia and her most recent book Ciao Italia Family Classics. Her bread book, What You Knead, won the International Cookbook Revue award for best in its category, and was also named one of Food and Wine's top cookbooks. The International Cookbook Revue nominated Mangia Pasta as one of the three best cookbooks tied to a television series.

Mary Ann has appeared as a guest chef on the Today Show, Regis and Kathy Lee, Discovery, Food Network, QVC, FOX, Pax, Martha Stewart Radio and a host of others. She has been featured in print in newspapers and magazines including People Magazine, TV Guide, Family Circle, Yankee and USA Today. She has been honored by numerous organizations for her work in preserving traditional Italian foods and culture. The Sons of Italy in America presented her with their Lifetime Achievement Award in the Culinary and Cultural Arts of Italy.

For more information, visit Ciao Italia or find her on Facebook »