Cesare Casella is an Italian chef, restaurateur, writer, consultant and educator. He is the owner and executive chef of two Italian restaurants in New York City and an expert in Tuscan Italian cuisine. He currently holds the position as the Dean of Italian Studies at the International Culinary Center in New York City, which is also home to The French Culinary Institute. Casella is the founder of the Italian Cooking School by Cesare Casella that strives to teach about the true meaning of Italian culture and cooking. He owns and operates the Republic of Beans, which imports Italian heirloom beans. He also serves as a consultant to upscale distributing companies for salami and Italian food trattorias. Casella?s signature style includes a piece of fresh rosemary in his shirt pocket. [More at Wikipedia]

March 1st, 1960 in Lucca (Age 64)