Who We Are
SARA
Meet Sara — Co-founder of Origins Italian Cooking Classes
My name is Sara, I was born in Liguria, a beautiful coastal region in northern Italy.
In 2017, I moved to Brisbane for love — a brave (and wonderfully crazy) decision, perfectly in line with my nature.
Many people told me I was courageous for leaving behind my family, friends, and the familiar comfort of Italy.
My answer is always the same: life is like a wave — if you want to enjoy the show, you need to follow it.
I’ve always believed in listening to my instincts, embracing change, and never being afraid to reinvent myself.
I love to laugh, play, cook, eat, dance, walk in nature, enjoy live music, art in all its forms, and surround myself with children and animals.
I am sunny and lively, passionate and engaging — fragile and strong at the same time — and cheerful by default.
Food, Family and Love
Food, for me, has always been connected to cuddles and love.
Some of my earliest memories are in the kitchen, watching my mother and grandmothers cook:
the sounds of knives slicing, wooden spoons stirring, pots simmering gently,
and the warm scents of traditional Italian food filling the house.
In our family, cooking was never just about food —
it was a moment of being together, sharing everyday life, stories, laughter, and love.
As I grew older, I understood something clearly:
Cooking for someone is one of the greatest acts of love.
When I cook, I feel the presence of the women who came before me.
In my gestures, I recognize theirs — confident, joyful, passionate, rooted in tradition.
My hands become theirs — creative, playful, tired but tireless —
guided by something deeper than technique: my roots.
How Origins Was Born
Origins was born during a challenging time in my life, when a series of injuries forced me to stop working and spend months at home.
It was a time of silence, reflection and self-discovery — but also of inner nourishment, creativity, gratitude, and the rediscovery of what truly matters.
In that quiet time, a dream began to grow —
a dream to share my heritage, my culture, my food, my love for people,
and the stories that live inside every recipe.
I created Origins to honour those who gave me life, who taught me love and resilience,
and to honour myself — for how I choose to look at life: always smiling, always grateful, always cooking with love.
Origins Italian Cooking Classes
Where food is love, tradition comes alive, and every recipe has a story.
ANNA
Meet Anna — Co-Founder of Origins Italian Cooking Classes
My name is Anna, and although I was born in Melbourne, I have always felt deeply and proudly Italian — in my thoughts, my language, my gestures, and in the way I see life.
My Italian roots run deep.
My paternal grandfather was taken prisoner of war by the Allies during WWII and transported to Australia, spending time in the internment camps of Myrtleford, Murchison and Tatura in Victoria. When he eventually returned to Italy, he carried Australia in his heart. He made an extraordinary decision: two of his children would stay in Italy, and the other two would emigrate to Australia — the land he had unexpectedly grown to love.
So in 1960, my father, the youngest of four boys, and one of my uncles left Italy and settled in Melbourne.
And in an almost poetic twist, my father and his brother both married two sisters — my mother and my aunt. So two Italian brothers married two Italian sisters — one big, noisy, beautiful family.
Italian at Heart
I have always felt Italian — in the way I think, in the words and gestures I use, in my love for beauty, tradition, and for sharing food with people I love.
For me, “Italian” means hospitality, elegance, culture, and the joy of sitting around a table with family and friends.
Since childhood, I had the privilege of watching my mother and maternal grandmother — of Maltese and Libyan background — create food with patience, care, and soul.
Cooking wasn’t just cooking. It was transformation. Creation. Celebration.
Christmas, Easter, birthdays, anniversaries — all became moments of deep connection, laughter, tears, songs, and shared memories.
Cooking as Love, Memory and Soul
For me, cooking for others is a privilege.
Every time I cook, I feel excited — because a part of me blends with the ingredients, becoming a powerful vehicle of love.
The kitchen has taught me to respect raw ingredients: to understand where they come from, and to value the people who work the land, grow the produce, fish, and raise animals.
This is why I deeply dislike waste — food should be honoured, not simply used.
I was blessed to share life with a very special person, my late husband Silvio — a talented chef, a mentor in the kitchen, and in everyday life.
After his passing, I stopped cooking, because I felt lost without him.
But over time, I realised that through cooking, I could keep his memory alive — by passing on the traditions, flavours, and values he had given me.
Why Origins Exists
Origins is my way of honouring Silvio, and everything he shared with me about food, nurturing, and the beauty of cooking for others.
It carries the soul of our life in Tuscany — the sea, the sunflowers, the culture, the joy, and the emotions that shaped who I am.
I hope Origins becomes not just a cooking school, but a place where love, memories, ingredients, and traditions blend — just like they do in a true Italian kitchen.
Origins Italian Cooking Classes
Where food becomes memory, cooking becomes love, and traditions are passed from our hearts to your hands.
