TASTE AWARDS CLOSEUP: Ornella Fado of Brindiamo!

Ornella Fado of Brindiamo! is multiple TASTE AWARDS Nominee, as well as a winner and awards honoree. Ornella is also an Italian entrepreneur and Television personality, known for her brand and TV show. She was born and raised in Italy and moved to New York in 1995, where she presently lives.

TASTE AWARDS CLOSEUP

• Ornella, what have the TASTE AWARDS meant to You?: I truly like the concept of recognizing people for their good and hard work in a “tasty” way.
• Where are you from originally?: Italy
• Where are you based now?: Manhattan
• Why?: I moved to New York City about 25 Years ago. In 1992 I was performing in a Broadway show in Italy “A CHORUS LINE” and I met the person that eventually become my husband and the father of my child. He was American and so we moved to New York, a city that I truly love because of the amazing energy.
• What is your Favorite Vacation Spot?: My favorite spot is the Amalfi Coast, included Capri and Ischia, but the truth is that Italy is a gorgeous country so any spot in Italy is be a perfect spot for a vacation.
• What is your favorite food or dish?: I love ” SPAGHETTTI ALLE VONGOLE”
• What is your favorite restaurant?: For the past 13 years thanks to my TV show Brindiamo! I had the pleasure to visit many great Italian restaurants, it’s hard to pick only one, but I am going to say RAFELE Ristorante in Manhattan.
• Name Your Favorite: Wine, Beer, Cocktail, Juice or Water?: Prosecco, (I don’t drink beer), Sgroppino, Orange Juice and San Pellegrino Water
• What is Your Favorite Item of Clothing or Designer?: I love dresses, I love bags, Italian designers are of course on top of my list.
• What is your Camera of Choice?: Canon
• What is your Computer of Choice?: Apple
• What is your Favorite City?: New York City – Naples
• What is your passion?: My passion has been always performing and creating something that makes me fulfilled and happy.
• What was the inspiration for your TASTE AWARDS project?: My inspiration was to share my work with many other fantastic producers and hosts in America and meet the people behind the TASTE AWARDS.
• How did you come up with the name?: Brindiamo! in Italian means ” Let’s Toast“, the theme song of my TV show is from “LA TRAVIATA” the scene of the Brindisi ” LIBIAMO”. I love Giuseppe Verdi (the composer of the Opera ) and my very first show as professional dancer was in La Traviata at the age of 14. Also my TV show is about toasting to life, toasting to great Italian food and amazing Italians around the world.I felt that the name Brindiamo! was the perfect title for my TV SHOW
• What do you love about it?: I love the meaning of the name Brindiamo! I love the mission of my tv show, I love the spirit and the approach always organic, fresh, honest and authentic.
• What is the most challenging part?: Probably the financial aspect for funding the TV series is the most challenging part of my business, everything else come pretty natural to me, I love to create original contents and writing new shows, I enjoy the productions aspect, and of course I love to host my own TV show, discover new Italian restaurants and interviewing upcoming chefs, and it’a great to interview Italian celebrities.
• How did you go about getting involved or even starting this endeavor from a business or professional standpoint?: I have been involved in show business all my life. I was only 17 when I start to dance in well known Televison shows in Italy and I was 22 when I start to host a 2 hours live talk show in Italy. When I moved to New York I felt the need to create something that would fulfill me as an artist and as a business woman and I realize pretty soon that Italian food was loved by everyone but often misconceived, so I felt it was my responsibility to showcase the new Italian cuisine and the upcoming Italian chefs and new Italian restaurants. So Brindiamo! become the first and only show featuring Italian restaurants and Italian chefs and it was the only show featuring Italian celebrities in America. Sharing my culture, my traditions and culture and erase any negative stereotypes about Italians has been my mission for about 14 years.
• Has it reached your goals for it?: I do feel that in the past 14 years I have been working toward a goal, I am keeping working and smiling and get inspired by life to improve and grow bigger and stronger.
• What kind of trends are you seeing now in this space?: I believe the new trend is: organic and authentic, people likes REAL at least I DO !
• Anything you wish you had known in this industry when you first started?: I am sure that knowing the American system better would help me more ,I moved here as an adult so I needed to learn everything from scratch.
• Any tips for those aspiring to do better in this media space?: I feel the passion is a big element to succeed and of course you must to have a lot discipline, knowledge and not forget the talent.
• How much do you use Social Media as part of the business or project?: I am aware that social media plays a great role in the media industry and I know I should take more advantage of all the social media avaiilable out there.
• Any tips for those aspiring to do better in social media?: I am looking for those tips as well, I have been more interested in creating the product to broadcast than talking about it on social media.
• How do you get your ideas for the project?: Everything started because there was no show that would highlights Italians in America and authentic Italian cuisine, Brindiamo! has been the first TV show that would GUIDE and suggest where to have an authentic Italian experience in America, with many specials from Italy, Canada and Bermuda as well. Each show features 4 recipes (antipasto, primo piatto, secondo piatto e dolce), interviews with the chef and the owner and a bit of history of the restaurant, and the area where the restaurant is located, and time to time we are featuring Italian celebrities visiting New York for pleasure or for business.
• Who is doing work in this space that you really admire?: There are many people that are doing a wonderful job, and have respect for all those proactive individuals that are passionate about their work, I love Lidia also because I see her often and she was actually guest at one of my event last month.
• Do you find that people recognize you on the street?: Yes very often! even in places outside New York City , like in Bermuda and Italy.
• What’s next for You and this Project?: I am happy that Brindiamo! ‘s old favorites and many new show will be streaming on Amazon Prime Video soon. Very excited too about my new Guide about Fine Italian restaurants around the world and my mission to support the slow food mission 10.000 garden for Africa.