Marcella Hazan was one of the most influential figures in bringing authentic Italian cuisine to American kitchens. Born in 1924 in Cesenatico, Italy, she trained as a biologist and moved to the U.S. in 1955 after marrying Victor Hazan. Though she had no formal culinary training, Marcella became a self-taught expert in traditional Italian cooking, driven by a desire to recreate the flavors of her homeland. She would go on to transform how Americans understand and cook Italian food.

Marcella’s breakthrough came with her first book, The Classic Italian Cook Book (1973), followed by others like More Classic Italian Cooking (1978) and Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking (1992), a compendium that remains a definitive resource on Italian home cooking. Her recipes emphasized simplicity, seasonality, and technique—core tenets of Italian cuisine that were largely unfamiliar in America at the time. Dishes like her famous tomato sauce with butter and onion exemplified her philosophy: no unnecessary ingredients, just clean, bold flavor.

Victor Hazan played a critical role—not just as Marcella’s husband but as her translator, editor, and advocate. Though Marcella wrote her books in Italian, Victor translated them with poetic clarity and fidelity to her voice, shaping the narrative and helping to contextualize her approach for American readers. A gifted writer in his own right, Victor helped bridge the cultural and culinary gap between Italy and the U.S., making Marcella's work more accessible and influential.

Together, the Hazans demystified Italian cooking, steering Americans away from the heavy, red-sauce dishes that dominated Italian-American cuisine and introducing a regional, authentic approach rooted in Italian tradition. Their partnership was both personal and professional—deeply collaborative, passionate, and grounded in a shared mission to elevate the understanding of true Italian food in America.

Marcella Hazan passed away in 2013, but her legacy lives on through generations of home cooks and chefs she inspired. Victor continued to write and advocate for Italian food after her death, preserving their shared legacy as architects of modern Italian cooking in the United States.