We’ve got some amazing judges to help us judge who has the best bombolone!
2025 Judges
Rosella Rago is an award-winning Italian-American cookbook author and entrepreneur. She is the author of The Cooking with Nonna Cookbook, Cooking with Nonna: A Year of Italian Holidays, Cooking with Nonna: Sunday Dinners with La Famiglia, as well as host of online cooking show and food webisode series, “Cooking with Nonna”, and a member of the Italian-American Power Hour podcast. Rossella was the winner of the Food Network’s 24-Hour Restaurant Battle: Italiano Battle. She designs and curates apparel, cookware, and retail products all available at bottegadellanonna.com and has led annual culinary tours to Italy.
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Rossella Rago
Sara Maranzana
Sara Maranzana is a pastry chef with over ten years of international experience, having worked in cities such as London, Shanghai, Turin, and New York. After graduating from Arte Bianca in Neive in 2013, she honed her skills by collaborating with world-renowned chefs, including Gordon Ramsay and Alain Ducasse. In 2022, she fulfilled her dream of moving to New York, where she founded “Un’amica a New York,” a travel agency offering personalized itineraries and dedicated assistance to visitors of the Big Apple. Despite her commitment to the tourism industry, her passion for pastry remains strong, continuing to shape her professional and personal journey.
CHIARA CARFI
As Vice President of Marketing & Brand Strategy, Chiara has been a driving force behind Calvisius' success in the luxury culinary world, elevating the brand to sparkle in a highly competitive industry. Born in Italy and raised across Italy, Central, and South America, Chiara launched her career in New York City in the early 2000s. For nearly a decade, she has been at the helm of strategic marketing and communications for Calvisius Caviar.
Chiara thrives on forging meaningful connections. She specializes in curating bespoke experiences, crafting tasting journeys, and sharing her passion for beauty with like-minded tastemakers. Through her leadership at Calvisius, she has championed the brand's efforts in the U.S., creating unforgettable tasting events that engage, inspire, and educate select audiences eager to explore the extraordinary nuances of taste and aroma.
Sam Silverman
Sam is the Founder & CEO of BagelUp, the producers of NYC Bagel Tours and the New York BagelFest. Known as New York’s “Bagel Ambassador,” Sam has dedicated his career to celebrating the bagel industry, earning recognition as one of Brooklyn’s 50 Most Fascinating People by Brooklyn Magazine in 2023. While bagels are his first love (everything with scallion cream cheese, untoasted), Sam believes the best foods come in circles. Follow his passion for all things torus-shaped on Instagram
Leslie Polizzotto
Leslie Polizzotto is a former litigation attorney and Founder of The Doughnut Project brand. She is currently publishing a cookbook for the brand which is expected to be released late February 2025. She is also publishing Personal and Opinion Essays on Medium and LinkedIn.