Celebrity Chef Nick Stellino

Nick Stellino grew up in Palermo, on the island of Sicily, and came to the United States in 1975. In 1991, he decided to leave his lucrative career as a Wall Street stockbroker in order to follow his dream of becoming a chef. He apprenticed with the best Italian chefs in America, including Celestine Drago at Drago, rated by Food & Wine magazine as one of the 10 best restaurants in the country. "I was in heaven working at Drago," says Nick. "But I wanted to share my enthusiasm for Italian cooking with more people. I decided a cooking show was the answer." Employing the energy and dedication that had taken him from Palermo to Wall Street, Nick began calling television production companies. His efforts culminated in the highly successful series, Cucina Amore and Nick Stellino's Family Kitchen I through 5, and the PBS specials, Nick Stellino's Dinner Party and Nick Stellino: Food, Love & Family.

Nick is the author of seven cookbooks: Cucina Amore, Nick Stellino's Glorious Italian Cooking, Nick Stellino's Mediterranean Flavors, Nick Stellino's Family Kitchen, Nick Stellino's Passione: Pasta, Pizza, and Panini, Mangiamo! Let's Eat! and now with recipes from the fifth season of Nick Stellino's Family Kitchen, his latest release Dine In. For recipes and more about Nick's books and television shows, visit here.

Nick makes numerous appearances at popular food festivals around the United States and is an annual participant in the Aspen Food & Wine Festival. He was Grand Marshall of San Francisco's 1999 Columbus Day Parade, the first time a chef had ever been accorded that honor. In May 2000 and 2001, Nick appeared as a presenter at the prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards held in New York. He also is one of the few chefs who have been selected, three years in a row, to cook at the Grand Gala Dinner for the James Beard Awards.

Nick has been a guest on numerous national shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Today and CBS This Morning, as well as programs on the Pax Network. He has been featured in national publications including TV Guide, The New York Times, The Magazine of La Cucina Italiana, Bon Appétit, In Sync, Home Magazine and Primo. He recently was honored by the Red Cross of Santa Monica at their "Red Tie Affair" at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel where he was the gala's "Celebrity Chef."

Nick lives in Los Angeles with his wife Nanci.

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