PINO RAGONA
Born in Catania, Sicily to an aristocratic family, Pino began his love of cooking from an early age whilst watching his mamma Maria and his nonna Rosa prepare and cook dishes for the family and visiting friends. Centuries of cultivating methods and recipes were intertwined with daily life using the seasonal produce of their fertile land. An understanding for food was nurtured, listening to the bodies needs and respecting its nature and order. Entertaining guests was an established practice. Pino absorbed these traditions into his subconscious just as generations before had done so. Genetically this was destiny.
Pino is immensely proud to be Sicilian. His roots have been imbedded in Sicilian soil for centuries. Stemming from the Crown of Aragon, Ragona is a direct branch from the Royal family who ruled Sicily for many centuries. The original name, d'Aragona, was modified to Ragona at some point in the 15th century during which Pino ancestor Giacomo was living in Vicenza, Veneto where he was part of the noble council of Vicenza. During this period in 1436 the Holy Roman Emperor Sigmund bestowed upon him the prestigious title of Count Palatine, a Count who exercised royal authority within his own domain. This title has been passed down through generations by which Pino has inherited and endeavoured to honour and use it as a kind of moral compass, respecting his history, respecting others and treating people as his family did, with warmth, kindness and humour using food as the passage. Continuing on, Giacomo's grandson son, Girolomo was friends of Andrea di Pietro otherwise known as Palladio and commissioned a villa to be built in Ghizzole di Montegaldela, Vicenza. This seemingly was never built but the plans of Villa Ragona can be seen in "The four Books of Architecture" by Andrea Palladio.