The Italian Radio Hour

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - Italy is not just as a place of beauty, but as a way of thinking.Today’s guest invites us to rethink something we often take for granted: the true power of Italy - the way it creates beauty.Luca Cottini is an Associate Professor of Italian Studies at Villanova University, a scholar of literature and culture, but also something more unusual… a storyteller of innovation.As the creator of Italian Innovators, Luca explores a fascinating idea: that Italian excellence is not accidental but comes from a unique way of thinking—where even an object, a product, a simple everyday thing can carry meaning, memory, and imagination. From the story behind Nutella to the philosophy of design, from literature to business, he shows us how Italy doesn’t just produce things… it creates stories that last.And perhaps most beautifully, he reminds us that innovation doesn’t always mean moving faster— sometimes, it means going deeper.So today, we’re not just talking about Italy.We’re exploring a mindset… a way of seeing the world.https://www.youtube.com/@ItalianInnovators

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - With the NFL Draft just around the corner, today, we’re crossing the ocean—but not leaving Steelers Nation. Because believe it or not, thousands of miles away in Italy, there’s a passionate, growing community of fans who wake up at 2 in the morning… just to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers. How does that happen? Why the Steelers? And what does it mean to love a team from a place you’ve never been? Today, I’m joined by Mauro Giusti and Nicola Lucchi, founders of Italian Steelers Nation—a group that has turned fandom into community, culture, and identity. And with the NFL Draft just a week away… we’ll also find out what Italy thinks the Steelers should do next.

#ItalianSteelersNation #SteelerNation #NFLDraft2026 #PittsburghSteelers#ItalyMeetsPittsburgh #AmericanFootballAbroad #NFLInternational#BlackAndGold #TerribleTowel #SportsCulture #ItalianAmericanJoin the Italian Steelers Nation FB Group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/880571820848120/

Read about the "5 e 5" sandwich mentioned by Mauro at: https://www.lacucinaitaliana.it/gallery/panino-5-e-5-toscana-specialita-livorno/

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - There is a moment—quiet, almost sacred—when someone stands in front of a small stone house in a village they have never seen before… and yet, it feels like home.For millions of descendants of Italian immigrants, that moment is not tourism. It’s not sightseeing. It’s identity.Today we explore the powerful world of “Rooting” — a movement that goes beyond travel and into ancestry, language, memory, and even dual citizenship.My guest, Letizia Sinisi, founder of Rooting Experience and Italy Rooting Consulting, has helped redefine what it means to return — not just to a place, but to yourself.To learn more, visit: http://www.italyrooting.com/#ItalyRooting#TurismoDelleRadici#ItalianDiaspora#ItalianCitizenship#ItalianLanguage#GenealogyJourney#RootingExperience#IstitutoMondoItaliano#ItalianHeritage#IdentityAndBelonging

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - Macaroni and cheese—creamy, comforting, and deeply American… or is it? What if this iconic dish actually tells a much older story—one that begins in ancient times, crosses continents, and reveals how food carries history, identity, and even myth? Today, we uncover the surprising journey of mac and cheese.We are joined by food historian Karima Moyer-Nocchi, whose work explores the deep connections between food, culture, and history. In her latest book, The Epic History of Macaroni and Cheese from Ancient Rome to Modern America, she traces the journey of this beloved dish across time and geography—uncovering not just recipes, but the myths, migrations, and cultural forces that shaped it. Through what she calls ‘historiphagy,’ or eating history, she invites us to experience the past in a deeply human and sensory way.Learn more about Karima's work at: https://www.theeternaltable.com/#MacAndCheese#FoodHistory#ItalianCuisine#CulinaryHistory#FoodCulture#HistoryThroughFood#ComfortFood#ItalianAmerican#Gastronomy#FoodStories

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - We sit down with Brooklyn-born Italian American artist John Avelluto, who with his work playfully and provocatively explores Italian American identity, memory, and culture through painting, trompe-l’œil, and multimedia installations.
John’s latest exhibition, “AI e IO: Recent Works by John Avelluto,” curated by Dr. Caterina Pierre at the Kingsborough Art Museum, examines the intersections of artificial intelligence, storytelling, and memory, presenting viewers with fictionalized narratives of Italian American life that are both whimsical and thought-provoking.From his earlier explorations in Impasta Handbags and his contributions to the book and project Italianità, to his reflections on food, gesture, and diasporic identity, John combines humor, history, and hyperrealistic artistry to engage audiences in questions of culture, heritage, and belonging. In our conversation, we’ll dive into his process, his inspirations, his ongoing work, and his new initiative, Piace, a progressive Italian American group shaping community and conversation today.To learn more about John Avelluto's work, visit: https://john-avelluto.com/#JohnAvelluto#Italianita#ItalianAmericanArt#ContemporaryArt#DiasporaArt#AcrylicArt#FoodInArt#CulturalIdentity#ItalianAmerican#Piace#ProgressiveItalianAmerican#BayRidge#CalandraInstitute#ArtAndIdentity