We are husband and wife chefs who have split their time living and working in Italy and the U.S. over the
past 25 years. We return often to some of the most remote towns for culinary research in order to share their passion and knowledge with guests. We are based in Philadelphia , PA and Tuscany but host year-round culinary adventures & workshops all over Italy.
You can visit our upscale Italian restaurant, Cicala and our Neapolitan pizzeria, Sorellina both located inside of the historic Divine Lorraine Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Chef Joe Cicala
Chef Joe Cicala began his culinary career in Chef Pietro Rispoli’s Michelin-rated restaurant Al Cenacolo, on the Amalfi Coast in Salerno, Italy. After two years with Chef Rispoli, Joe returned to the states and worked with James Beard Award-winning Chef Roberto Donna at Galileo, specializing in the cuisine of northern Italy. Joe later went on to become Sous Chef at Georgetown’s esteemed Cafe Milano, and made the move to New York where he worked at the Michelin-Starred Del Posto under another James Beard winner, Chef Mark Ladner.
Joe is a multiple James Beard Award Nominee, Star Chefs award winner for charcuterie, and appointed as a chef for the State Department's culinary initiative in Washington DC. He has been featured in Philadelphia Magazine’s “Best of Philly” issues, Food & Wine, GQ, The Washington Post, Zagat, and many print and online publications.
Chef Angela Cicala
Angela Cicala is a pastry chef has cooked in some Philadelphia's most acclaimed restaurants such as Le Virtu, Vernick Food and Drink and The Waterworks, and has worked with one of Cape May’s premier French pastry chefs, Chef Michel Gras. Growing up in New Jersey, as a young girl, she learned to make traditional Italian pastries with her mother and grandmother, which they sold at markets and fairs. In 2022 Angela was nominated as a James Beard Semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef.
Of Abruzzese descent, Angela has spent extensive time not only in Abruzzo, but working and traveling throughout Italy, researching food and culture over the past 25 years. Her passion for preserving the history, folklore, and family traditions of the Italian people are reflected in her dishes.
Her work has been celebrated in numerous print and internet publications including the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Magazine “Best Desserts 2014”, Zagat, Eater Philly, The Washington Post, and National Culinary Magazine. She has a love of teaching and sharing her knowledge of pastry and all things Italian, and hosts a variety of hands on culinary experiences in Philadelphia throughout the year.
Cicala At The Divine Lorraine, Philadelphia PA USA