We were lucky to catch up with Sheryl Ness recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sheryl, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
I’m a nurse by training and have worked at Mayo Clinic for over 30 years. At the mid-point of my career, I felt a longing for something more from life. I had a great career, but my personal life was missing something. My marriage had ended after 10 years, and I felt I had missed out on having my own family. For this reason, my life plan unexpectedly changed. Instead of dwelling on what I was missing, I decided to focus on the positive aspects of my situation. I was free to do things that others at this stage in life did have the opportunity to do.
I had a strong interest and love for the appreciation of other cultures. This has been a strong influence in my life and inspired me to travel to other areas of the world—always curious for knowledge of cultural traditions of places and how this influence defines a person’s world. This passion drew me to Italy with a girlfriend where we embarked on an immersion-style trip experiencing the hilltowns and little villages of Tuscany. Let’s just say, it was love a first sight. I wanted to know more, I wanted to experience more, and I couldn’t wait to return one day. As soon as I returned to Minnesota, I started planning my next adventure that would change my life forever.
One of the people I had met on our travels was Pam Mercer- the tour organizer (tuscanytours.com). She and I instantly connected as kindred spirits. She invited me to return 6 months later to work part-time with her travel business and part-time as a nanny for her two girls, Emma and Siena. I felt like this was a chance I had to take. So, I boldly asked my boss for an unpaid leave of absence for 6 months and took a risk that my job would be waiting for me when I returned.
During my time in Italy, I discovered what it was like to be a second mom and rediscover who I was as a person. It was an incredible (and sometimes difficult) experience. I loved living in the little village in Chianti where Pam and her family lived and instantly found a second family. I enjoyed the simple lifestyle and genuine way of life.
My time in Tuscany was about to end when I decided to ask for a recipe for a hot chocolate cake one day at a restaurant that I had eaten at often during my time in the village. The chef invited me into his kitchen to get the recipe, and we both felt a strong connection that we could never explain. It was fate that brought me into Vincenzo’s kitchen that day. Over a few weeks, we fell in love and this is where our story started. I later returned to Italy to live in the village and we were married two years later.
We lived in a small medieval village in Chianti where Vincenzo had his restaurant for 7 years together before deciding to transfer our lives back to Minnesota for my family. This is when I decided to write the story of this powerful experience I had during those years. Love in a Tuscan Kitchen: Savoring Life Through the Romance, Recipes, and Traditions of Tuscany was published in 2018 and has brought us such joy as we share our story (and our favorite recipes) with others. My dream for the book is to inspire others to take action on the feelings in their heart, as the reward can be life-changing.
My story about finding love mid-life after facing divorce and heartbreak was one of life’s surprises for me. I found the experience of being in her 40s a time when I felt free to discover exactly what I was looking for — a life of love, a chance to be a mom, and the experience of living in a little village in Chianti where life was simple and meaningful every day.
My husband and I are back in Rochester, Minnesota most of the year, where he prepares traditional Italian cuisine as a chef for specialty restaurants. Together, we present Italian cooking classes and events as well as host private dinners. We travel back to Italy at least once a year to connect with friends and family and have a dream to return one day to live part-time in Tuscany again. I feel as if I left a piece of my heart there that is calling me back.
We would love to hear from readers. Share your stories, try the recipes, invite us to come and cook with you, and send a note if you want to be in touch at [email protected]. Follow on Facebook @loveinatuscankitchen and Instagram at @love_in_a_tuscankitchen.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Love in a Tuscan Kitchen: Savoring Life Through the Romance, Recipes, and Traditions of Italy Author: Sheryl Ness
In 2007, Sheryl traveled to Italy and fell in love with the people, the culture and the food. She was mesmerized by the experience she had, so she traveled back a few years later where she met a local chef, Vincenzo after asking for his recipe for a hot chocolate cake. Fast forward to 2010 when they were married and living in a tiny village in Chianti.
This enchanting memoir will transport you to the cobblestone streets, lush hillsides dotted with grapevines and olive trees, and unique characters that create the backdrop for Sheryl’s Italian love story. The story of the hot chocolate “love” cake was the moment that started it all.
Vincenzo says it was fate that brought Sheryl into his kitchen that day. Sheryl says it was also her instinct to keep following her heart back to Italy that changed her life forever. Sheryl wrote her story to inspire others to listen to their heart and not be afraid to keep dreaming and seeking out what you need in life in order to nourish your spirit.
Love in a Tuscan Kitchen is sprinkled with 38 recipes she collected along the way and flavored with rich accounts of how her dreams were fulfilled many times over while living in a picturesque village in Chianti.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I love being an author and sharing my story with others. I enjoy meeting kindred spirits who are also seeking more out of life and love to encourage women especially to follow their heart.
How did you build your audience on social media?
For me, social media is a way to connect our story and recipes with others who have the same passion. I love connecting with others who especially have a love for the food, wine, history, and traditions of Italy. If you are genuine with your social media posts, you will find the followers you need to grow your following and business. It takes time and patience as you get started. Keep going and you will find others along the way who you can collaborate with on promotions and posts. It’s been so fun to also meet others in person (often in Italy) after connecting online. This is also the way that I have been able to connect with publishers in Italy who can potentially help me publish the book in Italian (we have been working on the translation and it is ready!).
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.loveinatuscankitchen.com/
- Instagram: @love_in_a_tuscan_kitchen
- Facebook: @Loveinatuscankitchen
- Linkedin: Sheryl Ness
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJZsvxmu3PZS5PSRtKI0YKQ
Image Credits
Sheryl Ness and Vincenzo Giangiordano