About

Being Italian and an athlete, I have a big appetite, am passionate about food but short on time. My cooking process has evolved from a desire to make simple, no fuss recipes that require minimal ingredients.

I grew up in a family where we would cook every night and eating out was a luxury, so I always ate really filling and balanced meals. My mum and dad are both incredible cooks and my two older brothers and I were very blessed to always have tasty meals on the table.

The greatest lesson I’ve learnt from being in and around the kitchen with my family is that nothing beats simplicity!!! 

I never had to cook growing up as there was always plenty of food in the house! When I moved out of home, I had to fend for myself and started to develop my cooking skills. Over the years, I have found a direct correlation between healthy eating and my on-field performance. My understanding of nutrition has developed as I’ve become aware of what my body needs to perform at a high level. 

As I began to understand my body better, I have identified the foods that help me to perform at my best and the optimum times to eat them – whether it’s fuelling pre-game or recovery, the needs are different but equally important.

Through my football career, I have learnt that reducing carbs in order to lose weight didn’t improve my performance and actually decreased my energy levels. It’s important for me to maintain a high carb, high protein diet, as I burn so many calories throughout the day. I have also found that moderation is key and having a balanced diet is really important.

My body has responded well to this regimen and my metabolism has increased significantly over the past few years.