This week, I’m thrilled to share my conversation with the super-talented Olivia Cavalli — chef, food stylist, and author of the beautiful cookbook Stagioni, which celebrates seasonal and regional Italian cooking.
Olivia’s Italian roots run deep: both her grandparents are from Emilia Romagna — and in the episode, she tells the outragiously romantic story of how they ended up meeting in Wales. We talk about her journey into the world of food, from writing and photographing recipes for The Telegraph, to working with the beloved Pasta Grannies, cutting her teeth in the kitchens of Carousel, Pophams and Social Pantry, and ultimately becoming a private chef.
She also lifts the curtain on what it was like to create her first cookbook — the things she loved, and the things she might do differently next time.
If you enjoy this conversation, make sure to tune in next week for a Bonus Sip, where Olivia shares the people she looks up to in the food world — and her Nonna’s Piggy recipe, a deeply personal family favourite which also appears in her book.
You can find Sips every-other week here on Substack, available exclusively for paying subscribers.
And if you’re enjoying Spilling Tea, it would mean so much if you could show a little love — by following the podcast, leaving a quick review, or sharing it with a friend who’d enjoy it too. It helps more people discover the show — and keeps the kettle on for the next round.
On this episode, we drink:
Avantcha’s Superior Qian Tang Long Jing
With notes of Roasted Chestnut, Asparagus and Fresh Grass with Nutty Sweetness and Rich Umami
Get it at 15% off using the code Spillingtea15
We mention:
Adriano Celentano’s “jibberish” Rock & Roll song
“Prisencolinensinainciusol” is a 1972 song by Italian singer Adriano Celentano, written entirely in made-up gibberish meant to sound like American English. Celentano created it to mimic the rhythm and melody of English speech — a satire on how music can communicate emotion even when the words mean nothing. Decades later, it went viral online for its uncanny, energetic delivery and surreal choreography.
Carousel
Carousel is a London restaurant and creative hub in Fitzrovia, known for its ever-changing chef residencies and collaborative approach to food. Founded by brothers Ollie, Ed and Will Templeton, it hosts an ongoing line-up of guest chefs from around the world, alongside its own modern European menu — making it one of the city’s most dynamic spaces for culinary creativity.
Pasta Grannies
Pasta Grannies
Pasta Grannies is a much-loved YouTube series and cookbook project created by food writer Vicky Bennison, which documents Italian nonnas making traditional handmade pasta in their own kitchens. Each episode captures a different region, shape, or family recipe — preserving Italy’s disappearing home-cooking traditions and the stories of the women behind them.
