Slow Food NYC Board

  • Anthony Fassio (Chair)

    Anthony is a food professional with experience throughout the food supply chain. Growing up on a farm he understands what it means to be a producer of wholesome food. As a manager for Pepsi and Frito-Lay Anthony gained a breadth of knowledge - processing, warehouse, distribution, quality, and procurement. Finally, graduating from Le Cordon Bleu Paris - with relevant restaurant experience - he gained professional culinary depth. Understanding how chefs and consumers transform ingredients is a critical component to the food supply chain. Anthony has served as an executive in operations, procurement, finance, human resources, and strategic planning, emphasized by MBA and undergraduate degrees in operations and strategy. He has also served as a board member for a national commodity trade association, Future Farmers of America, and school districts. He joined the board in 2011.
    Contact: anthony@slowfoodnyc.org

  • Branka Ruzak

    Branka has been a Slow Food NYC member and volunteer since 2010. In her capacity as a volunteer, she has helped organize events for Slow U. She joined the SFNYC board in 2013. A writer, editor and sales person, Branka has more than twenty years experience as a film/video producer, most recently specializing in health and wellness issues. A passionate cook and greenmarket enthusiast, she studied at the Natural Gourmet Institute. She has also served as a guest curator of readings for Brooklyn Reading Works.
    Contact: branka@SlowFoodNYC.org

  • Cristina Sciarra

    Cristina is a writer and a cook. She holds an MFA in Fiction Writing from The New School University and culinary degrees from Le Cordon Bleu, in Paris, and The Institute of Culinary Education, in New York. She works as a personal chef where she has the opportunity to share her enthusiasm for seasonal, well-sourced foods with her clients. Cristina also writes for print and online publications, as well as for her own website, TheRoamingKitchen.net, home to original recipes and culinary yarns. In her spare time, she makes custom ice creams using only the best ingredients and local dairy. She joined the board in 2013.
    Contact: cristina@SlowFoodNYC.org

  • Daniel Del Coro

    Daniel has been pursuing a career as the Sales Director of New York City Accounts for Fossil Farms since 2009, which has enabled him to create markets for sustainably raised meat and wild game while connecting producers and consumers to an articulated vision of regionally based sourcing and the ethics associated with value chain modeling. Daniel has been pursuing his interests in the production and consumption of food through multiple professional and academic channels including an internship with the New Amsterdam Market in 2011 and earning a MA in Food Studies from NYU in 2012. Daniel joined the Slow Food NYC board in 2013. 
    Contact: daniel@SlowFoodNYC.org

  • Dee Dee Tiller

    Dee Dee served as an enthusiastic volunteer for Slow Food NYC before joining the board in 2013. Passionate about the healing properties of food, she attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, becoming certified in holistic health coaching. Her interest in food policy, hunger issues, and nutrition therapy were strengthened through this program. Among other responsibilities at Slow Food NYC, she works on Urban Harvest, an educational program in NYC schools as well as a summer urban farm. She has been an active member of her local CSA for years and enjoys the rewards of cooking and eating local, seasonal food. Her professional background has been wildly diverse from marketing professional, event programming, non-profit arts, and live music venue manager to entrepreneurial designer and beyond.
    Contact: deedeertiller@gmail.com

  • Edwin Yowell

    Ed Yowell has been a member of Slow Food since 2000. He is the Slow Food Regional Governor for New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. He also serves on the advisory committee of the New York City Greenmarket and is co-chair of the Food Systems Network NYC.
    Contact: eayowell@hotmail.com

  • Emily Stone

    Emily was previously a member of Slow Food in Melbourne, Australia. During the past ten years, she has also lived in Guatemala, China, and Portugal (as well as the US), always writing about the origins and destinations of the agricultural and processed foods surrounding us. She pays particular attention to cacao, a crop produced almost exclusively in the developing world and processed, traded, and consumed overwhelmingly in the developed world. She teaches creative writing at universities at home and abroad and her blog is Chocolate in Context (www.chocolateincontext.com). Emily joined the Slow Food NYC board in 2013.
    Contact: emily@SlowFoodNYC.org

  • Holley Atkinson

    Holley has been a member of Slow Food NYC since 2004. A digital media pro with 20+ years experience, she is passionate about local food, and applies her energy and expertise to broaden awareness of Slow Food NYC. Holley also consults to a range of food & tech-related companies through Making Food Work and serves as Vice Chair of Culinary Historians of NY. She is a graduate of Brown University, and holds a Certificate in Advanced Culinary Techniques from the French Culinary Institute. She joined the board in 2010.
    Contact: holley@slowfoodnyc.org

  • Jacqui Kauffman

    Jacqui Kauffman is a marketing professional with years of experience in the natural foods, fitness and wellness industries. Inspired by her active interest in great food, holistic nutrition and sustainable local food systems, Jacqui joined Slow Food NYC in 2012. Volunteering for the Snail of Approval committee, Jacqui publishes the committee's industry newsletter, Snail Mail and is actively involved in the production of the 2013 Farmer Forums and Slow Summit NYC, a series of events developed to connect NYC chefs and local producers. Jacqui joined the board in 2013.
    Contact: jacqui@SlowFoodNYC.org

  • Jennifer Goggin

    Jennifer is a co-founder and CEO of FarmersWeb, an online marketplace that connects local farms and wholesale buyers. Jennifer got her start in the food industry as the Director of Operations for Basis Farm to Chef, a New York City-based distribution company specializing in locally grown products. At Basis, Jennifer managed the day-to-day operations of the business and focused on farm procurement. She has spent time as a WWOOF volunteer on family farms in Italy, learning the basics of growing and preparing produce as well as the community needs and models of small-scale local food systems. Jennifer joined the board in 2013 and enjoys working to further all aspects of the Slow Food mission.
    Contact: jennifer@SlowFoodNYC.org

  • Kate Ferranti (Treasurer)

    Kate Ferranti works for The Cleaver Co./The Green Table, a farm-to-table catering company and restaurant focused on regional, seasonal cuisine.  Kate has taken food systems/policy courses at The New School and through the University of Gastronomic Sciences and spent several months in Italy, living and working on organic farms.   Previous to her career in the food movement, she spent a decade working in communications and public relations for labor unions.  Kate is a member of the Park Slope Food Coop and loves to spend time at the farmers market, in the kitchen and around the table.  She has volunteered with Slow Food for several years and joined the board in 2012. 
    Contact: kateferranti@gmail.com

  • Maggie Shi

    A Slow Food member since 2008, Maggie has been a food-focused writer and editor for various websites for the past 15 years. She graduated from culinary school in 2007 and has been active in organizing the monthly Slow Food NYC happy hours (The Slur). Maggie loves shopping at food markets, entertaining, cooking, and, most of all, eating real, delicious food. She joined the Slow Food NYC board in 2013.
    Contact: maggie@SlowFoodNYC.org

  • Maria Cerretani

    Maria has been a member of Slow Food since 2008 and joined the board in 2013. Her interest in joining Slow Food stemmed from a love of cooking for others and an increasing awareness of the consequences of a globalized food system. Maria was honored to be selected as a delegate to Terra Madre in 2012 and appreciated the exposure to the international Slow Food movement and Terra Madre network. Previously, Maria volunteered with Just Food and The Edible Schoolyard, and blogged for Edible Queens. She works in television production on projects ranging from comedy to educational children's programming.
    Contact: maria@SlowFoodNYC.org

  • Martina Rossi Kenworthy

    Martina is the co-founder of Gustiamo, Inc., a successful Bronx-based company representing Italian food artisans in America. She is in constant conversation with chefs, journalists and leading food professionals.  Gustiamo's mission includes fostering better, healthier eating while promoting food producers who work with the utmost integrity. She joined the board in 2011.
    Contact: martina.k@gustiamo.com

  • Rachael Mamane

    For years Rachael has been active with farmers markets and regional farmers in the Northwest as a private chef and advocate for the Slow Food mission. She recently came to New York as an artisanal entrepreneur and food activist. Rachael is the owner of Brooklyn Bouillon – an endeavor that builds relationships with local farms to create sustainably produced stocks and demi-glace for the home cook. She is also the private chef for Bonhomie Supper Club, a seasonal multi-course, farm-to-table affair that pays respect to responsible farmers and food organizations. She joined the board in 2011.
    Contact: rachael@slowfoodnyc.org

  • Ramona Xu (Vice Chair)

    Ramona is passionate about making a meaningful difference in the American food landscape, particularly with respect to reaching out to children in underserved communities. She has been involved with Slow Food NYC since 2009 and joined the board in 2010. She has been actively involved in organizing and promoting the chapter's events and programs and she continues to search for new opportunities to address the pervasive problems of food equity in our society. Since 2013, Ramona has served as Vice Chair of the SFNYC board. 
    Contact: ramona@SlowFoodNYC.org

  • Roberto Gautier

    Roberto manages an Italian-style stanza in famiglia (B&B) getaway to southern Vermont, gives cooking classes and visits cheesemakers and organic farms, including a working rice paddy. He worked with food critic Mimi Sheraton in Sicily, consulted for Fauchon of Paris, cooked at 3-star Coco Pazzo Ristorante, owned Roberto Cappuccino Caffe/Creperie and sold cheese at Murray’s and farmers’ markets. He studied the marketing of artisanal products and agritourism in Italy and received a certificate as Vermont Ambassador. He wrote customer service guides for schools and NYC agencies. He bakes bread & pizzas domestically, writes about food, teaches ESL and conversational Italian. He joined the board in 2012.
    Contact:  Hermacinda@aol.com

  • Sunil Kumar

    After finishing culinary school and spending some time working in New York City restaurants, Sunil left the food industry and switched careers to become a web developer.  He remained active in the food and wine world, however, and soon became involved with Slow Food NYC.  His interest in where our food comes from and the quality of food available quickly drew him into the chapter's activities and has inspired his contributions since then. Sunil joined the NYC board in 2008 and has been involved in the development of much of the chapter's online communications and outreach since then.  From 2009 till 2011 he served as the chapter's treasurer.  He also oversees the monthly happy hour, The Slur, and assists in other community engagement activities whenever possible.
    Contact: sunil@SlowFoodNYC.org