Fredi Magazine Winter 2016 / Volume 2 Issue 2 | Page 67

Photo courtesy of Francesco Lastrucci David Rocco lives in Toronto with his wife and business partner, Nina and their three children: Emma, Giorgia and Dante. His new book Dolce Famiglia is available now at local bookstores. For more information on the book or recipes visit DavidRocco.com it changed my life.” After bantering back and forth about some common interests we got caught up. He can still ham up a conversation injected with a few jabs in Italian, waving his hands around making his point all the more dramatic. It’s not difficult to smile and laugh in his presence while he breaks his contagious smile. All the while I noticed a thread of maturity and soulfulness being carried throughout our conversation. In two hours of casual conversation, David Rocco reminisced of his recent travels to Naples, Italy and India. The burning question for me was, why India? For the next half hour, we talked about India, his spiritual growth, his expanded palette for all things Indian, and how important it was to share this experience with his wife Nina and their three children. “I like that my kids can remember the markets and the people we met,” says Rocco. “These memories will last a lifetime for them. India is full of colour, spices, amazing people and I was immersed in their culture.” There was a little more to the story explaining how it all began. “Because Dolce Vita airs in India, I was asked by one of the broadcasters there to consider doing a series,” - DAVID ROCCO says Rocco. After much deliberation and investment on his part, he accepted. He tells fredi Magazine that he had to do something different. Not that he didn’t love going to Italy, but it was time to think outside the box. While he was apprehensive and almost afraid of going, when he got there, he almost came to regret his decision. After several painful hours doubting his decision, the Universe aligned. He was recognized and welcomed by people in his hotel making him feel at home. In that moment he knew this was meant to be and all his fears and doubt dissipated. Dolce India is currently in its second season. I asked David Rocco what was the most profound lesson that he has learned while travelling. “Geez, that’s a deep question.” He paused. “You know; we are all the same. It’s interesting because I went to India with an open mind and heart and I was there almost very raw. But I saw how similar Indians are to Italians – on a lot of levels, from food, family to the matriarchy of the family to a lot of their customs; India is a magical place. Literally, it was the easiest, smoothest, most enjoyable experience of my life. Powerful.” Equally as exciting is Rocco’s new book Dolce Famiglia. His approach to this book is not quite what it appears to be at first glance. It transcends the traditional definition of family and goes beyond it. He defined family to include work family, people in your community and the many families he has met during his travels. Aside from some traditional recipes, there are some introductions to families in Italy who have been sharing their passions for generations. This part of the book really added traditional and historical nuances that otherwise would have made the book just another recipe book. fredi winter 2016 • 67