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Renato Poliafito is a James Beard-nominated pastry chef, cookbook author and bakery owner. The youngest child of Italian immigrant parents, Poliafito became an art student, learning about his culture through paintings and sculpture. Later, he launched a career in advertising.
Though he embraced his Italian heritage, he says he always felt like an American looking in. So when he decided to leave advertising to open a bakery, it was American pastry he paid homage to. And then, the Italian influences started creeping in.
His Ciao, Gloria bakery in Brooklyn, New York, marries those cultures, and so does his new cookbook “Dolci! American Baking with an Italian Accent.” Readers will quickly note that many are Italian with an American accent.
Poliafito joins host Scott Tong to talk about the book, which includes tips, Italian history, beautiful photographs, and recipes.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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