Former high school history teacher Mary Ann Esposito became an internationally-renowned chef, television host, and cookbook author. Photo Credit: pdaspeakers.com
Many talented teachers can boast of successes outside of the classroom. This is true of Mary Ann Esposito, a former high school teacher who became an internationally-renowned chef, television host, and cookbook author.
Mary Ann was born on Aug. 3, 1942, in Buffalo, New York. As a young girl, she spent her childhood in the kitchens of both her Italian grandmothers—one from Sicily and the other from Naples—learning their techniques for producing delicious and nutritious Italian dishes.
After her 1960 graduation from St. Mary’s High School in Lancaster, Mary Ann earned her Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education in 1964 from what was then Rosary Hill College in Amherst, New York. The school is now known as Daemen College. She then taught history at the high school level for a few years. After she discovered her passion for Italian cooking, Mary Ann earned a Master’s degree in Food History with a specialty in Italian Renaissance cooking from the University of New Hampshire. That was in 1991.
Mary Ann inaugurated her career as a teacher-chef when she accepted a position to instruct cooking courses through the Continuing Education Department at the University of New Hampshire. In the mid-1980s, she submitted a proposal for a cooking show to New Hampshire Public Television. In 1989, the accomplished educator launched Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito, a thirty-minute cooking show produced for the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). The show, which ultimately ran for 30 years, featured Mary Ann’s recipes and cooking tips and visits from guest chefs. Mary Ann has also appeared on The Today Show, Regis and Kelly, Martha Stewart Radio, the Food Network, the Discovery Channel, FOX, Pax, and RAI International (Italian television). And as if that whirlwind of appearances were not enough, she has also published 13 cookbooks, plus she maintains several social media accounts plus her Ciao Italia website, which features nearly 2,000 recipes, instructional videos, commentaries, cultural facts, and personal stories.
Ever the educator, Mary Ann has taught in numerous cooking schools throughout Italy over the decades. She has also taught an online credit course at Boston University’s Metropolitan Campus, and she has been part of the Seminar in the Arts program for close to 30 years. She is a regular contributor to Boston University’s School of Lifelong Learning program, as well as a Board Member of Cordon Bleu, the Atlantic Culinary Academy, and she is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier.
For her work in the culinary industry, Mary Ann has earned many accolades. She received Johnson and Wales University’s Distinguished Author Award, and in 2006, St. Anselm College awarded her an honorary doctorate for her dedication to teaching and preserving authentic Italian cuisine. She received the Order of the Star of Italy Cavaliere from the President of the Italian Republic, and the Premio Artusi award for her work in promoting Italian food. The Italian Trade Commission named her a Hall of Fame honoree, and The Order Sons of Italy in America presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Culinary & Cultural Arts of Italy.
To learn more about this remarkable teacher-chef, click on this link to an article published in 2020 by the St. Anthony Messenger. You can also check out her website, Ciao Italia.
