My husband, Giorgio Deluca, is one of the founders of a high-end grocery called Dean & Deluca. Dean & Deluca was founded in Soho, New York in 1977. Although the American stores closed in 2020, there are more than 50 stores worldwide.
My first encounter with Dean & Deluca was when I was in middle school. My second sister won a trip to New York City in a lottery when she was a college student. Because it was a trip for two, she asked my older sister to join her for the journey. Lucky them- off to New York City. Upon their return, they gifted me a Dean & Deluca souvenir.
It was a set of four tin boxes. I don’t remember what was inside, but for me at the time, that wasn’t what was important. I still remember being very impressed by the sophisticated package. These lovely tin cans beautifully decorated my room until I graduated from high school and left my parents’ house.
Now my husband is the founder of Dean & Deluca, and I myself work as a graphic designer designing packages and more. Synchronicity!
Giorgio has a really rich knowledge of cooking and ingredients, and what I’ve been taught by him is countless. It has brought such joy to my life. I used to only cook the bare minimum, but knowing the roots and background of food made me fall in love with cooking… and enjoy eating all the more. Through HI(NY)LIFE, I will share with you all the delicious food-related lessons and recipes I learned from Giorgio.
[Photo and styling by Hitomi Watanabe Deluca]
