Marcella lived an improbably eventful life. An immigrant woman trained as a scientist, she never set foot in a kitchen until she married and moved to America in the 1950s. A childhood injury
had left her with an injured right arm, a challenge for the physical work of food preparation. But before long she was not only preparing the Italian dishes she remembered from home, but
writing the definitive cookbooks that introduced millions of Americans to the glories of authentic Italian cuisine. Julia Child called her “my mentor in all things Italian.” Marcella’s life story is interwoven with visits to chefs preparing her most iconic recipes, and commentary by food stars Jacques Pépin, Danny Meyer, April Bloomfield, Shola Ulunloyo, Lidia Bastianich, Rancho Gordo's Steve Sando, and a passionate chorus of friends and admirers. Her widower and writing partner, Victor Hazan (now 96 years old) and her son, the cooking teacher and cookbook writer Giuliano Hazan, join in recounting Marcella’s story.