Priyanka Darsi wrote it in Italian, revealing once again the respect she has for our country.
This is the letter he gave me yesterday, at the end of his course:
Translation:
Dear Marcella, thank you so much for sharing your passion, experience, and creativity with us. More than just recipes, you reminded me why I love the culinary arts so much: the way food unites history, culture, tradition, and joy. This was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life, and I feel truly blessed to have been able to learn from you. I can’t wait to return home and prepare these dishes for my family and friends. Thank you for creating a space where we could learn, express ourselves, and deepen our appreciation for Italian cuisine. I hope to return to Florence soon. With love and gratitude, PryanKa Darsi
I think there are few words to add: Priyanka hit the nail on the head, she understood—she knew it even before arriving in Florence: I believe the philosophy of sharing is the foundation of her life—that cooking means NOT competing, but learning from one another. We learn even from small gestures, and I don’t mean that we learn only cooking techniques: Asians and Westerners have different, yet equally effective, ways of holding a knife, for example. I often hear people say, “I never imagined using this ingredient this way.” Even listening, at the end of each lesson, to everyone’s preferences is a way of learning. These details broaden our range of culinary knowledge, but also broaden our perspective on the cultures of Others.
This is Priyanka, who is American of Indian origin. In the class with her were a Brazilian girl, a Chinese girl living in Germany, and an Italian-American girl: the world at our fingertips.
Thanks Priyanka, I hope to see you again soon too.