Maria Filice, an author and food stylist, is a first-generation Canadian-American Italian. Born and raised by immigrant parents from Calabria, Maria grew up following her family’s old country, old-school values. She learned from the best—her mother, grandmother, and aunts—whom she watched from the time she could barely walk. While she observed her relatives mixing together a little of this and a little of that, she listened well. As in many Italian homes, the kitchen served as both the confessional and the center for storytelling. This had a lasting impact on Maria. Today, her relatives and friends are delighted as she entertains them in her kitchen, both with her storytelling and her cooking prowess. They’re consistently amazed at how relaxed she is while preparing dishes, often created from a few simple ingredients from the pantry, and how comfortable she still is with the language of her ancestors.
When Maria married Telos publisher Paul Piccone in 1997, she moved from Toronto to New York. Almost immediately after her marriage, her apartment became the Grand Central Station of philosophical debate. It was then that she dove into her kitchen and honed her natural skills as home cook extraordinaire. Maria’s flair for entertaining was her way of welcoming a diverse and eclectic circle of intellectuals into her home. When Paul died in 2004, she took over as publisher for Telos Press, even though she had no previous literary experience. Known in those circles as Mary Piccone, she continues in this role today.
In both her kitchen and her professional life, Maria’s philosophy is to live life to its fullest. She recognizes that neither her lack of experience in publishing nor in formally trained cooking could diminish her passion or dissuade her from taking risks. In truth, her fresh eye has allowed her to excel. Now, in her first cookbook, her natural flair for food styling reflects her personal style and demonstrates how, with creative plating, a simple recipe will look beautiful. Maria’s warmth, humor, and gregarious personality always make people feel welcome, relaxed, and motivated to discover their own style in the kitchen.
Today, Maria Filice resides in upstate New York, as publisher of Telos Press, as well as publisher, author, and food stylist for Food & Fate. Breaking Bread in L’Aquila is her first book, but she promises to share many more with us in the years to come.
Maria is also honored to be featured on Cookstr, a cooking site dedicated to providing great recipes from the best chefs and cookbook authors. Take a look here.
