For years, you’ve asked the question: Is Vincenzo really a chef? Today, for the first time ever, I’m sharing my untold story. From my childhood growing up in Italy to the challenging moments and relentless hard work that shaped me, this is the real Vincenzo’s journey.
Join me as I open up about my life, a journey far beyond just cooking. You’ll hear about my early days in Italy, what it was truly like growing up in an Italian family, and the unexpected twists and turns that led me to where I am today. I’ll share candid details about difficult family health issues, how my bad school behavior impacted my path, and the grueling but formative years working in restaurant kitchens. These experiences, both good and bad, were the foundation of my culinary passion and entrepreneurial spirit.
This isn’t just about food; it’s about life, perseverance, and the truth behind Vincenzo’s Plate. Many of you know me for my authentic Italian recipes and my love for real Italian food, but this video goes deeper, revealing the personal story and the struggles that made me.
If you’ve ever wondered about my background, my true connection to the kitchen, or wanted to hear the definitive answer to “Am I really a chef?”, this inspiring story is for you. It’s a raw look at my Italian upbringing, the hardship and heartbreak, and ultimately, how I found my true plate in life.
What part of my life journey surprised you the most? Let me know in the comments below! 👇
💯 Follow this link to read the article about my life and how I got to where I am now:
https://www.vincenzosplate.com/vincenzos-untold-story/
#vincenzosplate #cheflife #vincenzo
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⏱️⏱️TIMECODES⏱️⏱️
0:00 Introduction to Vincenzo’s Untold Story
1:45 My Early Life in Italy
3:00 Challenges That Shaped Me
5:07 Growing up
7:33 How I Found My Passion for Food
8:46 Starting Over: My London Years
11:17 A New Adventure: Falling in Love with Australia
13:28 The Birth of Vincenzo’s Plate
16:45 How COVID Changed Everything
23:00 New Website, Cookbook, and What’s Next
24:21 Am I a Chef or a Cook? My Perspective
26:23 The Difference Between Chefs and Cooks
28:34 Final Thoughts and Pearls of Wisdom
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🎬 #VincenzosPlate is a YouTube channel with a focus on cooking, determined to teach the world, one video recipe at a time that you don’t need to be a professional chef to impress friends, family and yourself with mouth-watering #ItalianFoodRecipes right out of your very own kitchen whilst having a laugh (and a glass of vino!).
36 Comments
I am doing this because my wife told me to. If it wasn't for my wife this channel would have never existed.
Do you want me to keep going and share more recipes with you?
You'we always been a great inspiration and I like this channel very much. I think many internet cooking channels mistake the nomenclature and call every skilled cook "a chef" (out of the respect perhaps). The difference is (at least in my perception) that "a chef" is a chief-cook, not only skilled in preparing dishes, but also skilled in organizing the work of the whole kitchen (more important than actually being amazing cook himself). And you do have that experience, thanks for sharing your story.
Drink to your bravery, your parents' love and your wise and loving wife 🥰 wish you the best, just listen to your wife 😁
Who made tje business plan and accounting for your present project? Outsoursing to fiduciary or your wife?
I so appreciate your work Vincenzo. As a third generation Italian, I know that, although I try, I don't always cook authentically so I love learning more about some of the authentic Italian dishes that my southern Italian heritage that neglected a lot of the rest of Italy's cuisine. I'm very proud of my Italian heritage and I LOVE that Italy protects the authenticity of its cuisine. It's wonderful! Hope to some time go on one of your tours! Wishing you all the best!
Thank you, Vincenzo, I can finally make a good cacio e Pepe thanks to you! I loved hearing your story and how you got to be where you are.
You beautiful man. Hopefully those who call you a phony now stand corrected and can just – er – enjoy your channel and its contents? 🤞
I love your channel! I learn stuff all the time!
Thanks to your channel Vinchenzo, I've learned so much about cooking Italian food! I cook Italian recipes from your channel at least once per week. You've been a huge inspiration, and my family love when I cook your recipes. Your love for Italian food reminds me of my family's love for southern food and how a good meal brings the family together. Also, you have a cookbook? That'll have to be my next purchase!
Wow Vincenzo, brought it all in you truly are an inspiration. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. Keep pursuing your passion
Thanks Vincenzo, it is great to get to know your history. You are so passionate about italian food. I learnt a lot with you. Many of your advice I took on and applied in my pizza. My wife and I run a food truck in Melbourne where we make neapolitan pizzas. We just went to Italy. Your videos on italian food helped to guide my tour in Italy. Thanks again. You are a true legend.
My great, great grandparents on both my mother and fathers side immigrated from Calabria, Italy, through Elise Island. They wound up settling and farming in Colorado, I remember growing up with huge family celebrations and massive feasts. If you went to an Italians home, you were fed whether you were hungry or not! I learned to cook from a very young age, and I have always enjoyed cooking. I think that the only reason my wife married me was because I always cooked for her. I don't only cook Italian food, I enjoy cooking and learning all cuisines. Food is the way to experience many cultures without traveling the world. It is always good to experience and learn different traditions and cuisines.
What a great video! I'm one of those who discovered you during covid and I'm very glad I did. I've picked up bits and pieces of your story over the years but thank you for sharing your story.
Chef or Cook theres no difference if you love to put smiles on faces with food.
Vincenzo. I feel like this is a critical point in time – a launching point into the next phase of your life’s adventure.
Your strengths are your experiences and your passion. Both which come through in your videos. That makes you authentic as a person and when combined with your authentic dishes – that’s a winning combination
As I’ve mentioned before – I like when you are in teaching mode and particularly when you talk about the history of the dish or its region.
And finally, yes, you’ve made me a better cook. Just last night we were indecisive about what to eat for supper. I looked in the pantry… olive oil, spaghetti. I looked in the refrigerator…. Beefsteak tomatoes, mozzarella, Parmesan, balsamic vinegar. So we made a caprese salad, pasta olio with Parmesan cream!!! Prior to your channel I would NOT have had the confidence to whip that up
Thank you
Bravo Vicenzo, your story is truly inspiring!
🥰 😍 🤩 🙂 🙃 che benedizione hai avuto sia i nonni che i bisnonni. Mia madre siciliana era una cuoca fantastica e adesso, anche i miei 4 figli e mia nipote lo sono … e spero che la mia pronipote erediterà il suo talento. My youngest son is a fan of yours and he told me about 'Vincenzo's Plate' …so now I am a fan too. Grazie Vincenzo – and please do keep on going. PS: I love this video. Ciao bello.
e, grazie anche a tua moglie per averti incoraggiato 😊
Hi Vincenzo I liked you before but I didn't know why
After watching this video
I understand now
Thank you for sharing your beautiful life story
Bravo Vincenzo! One of your best videos without even cooking ❤ 🤍 💚
If you don’t want to cook proper Italian food then it’s ok it’s your life you do what you want… Should add but please don’t share it on the internet
I originally saw this video recommended to me on Bilibili! I wanted to say thank you there, but then realized it might be quicker to comment here on YouTube hahaha. Really appreciate your videos—love how you explain everything from choosing the right pasta to using the proper cheese and ingredients. Thanks for sharing your passion with us!
Fascinating! Thanks for sharing Vincenzo.
What an inspiration you are Vincenzo!
Thank you for your life story moving & motivating , you’re so right we can make mistakes in life but we learn from them. I’ve learnt and laughed a lot from your video’s. Wishing you continued success for you and family 🥰🥰.
Being a chef or no doesn't really say that much. I've eaten bad food at restaurants which is made by a chef, and I've eaten very good food made by non chefs; friends, family (and me:)
Vincenzo, I cannot thank you enough for all you have done and all you will do. You've helped me prepare dishes that would have died with my Nonna, where it not for you!
thank you for your story, now i love you and your channel even more. Looking forward for the cookbook and hope it will also be published in German. Greetings from Austria.
good job Vincenzo! now I will start to use italian, our english speaking friends will understand and use the translators. Secondo te, avresti avuto le stesse possibilità, adoperando lo stesso impegno, in Italia? io credo di no. te lo chiedo da emigrato in UK (4 anni) e in USA (2 anni) e che poi è cascato di nuovo nella malinconia italiana, ma è tragica qui.. Infine ti chiedo un consiglio, perchè abbiamo possibilità in famiglia di muoversi di di nuovo: USA, NZ e AU (ovviamente tralascio le possibilità UK). Un abbraccio virtuale e grazie per questo video che può essere di ispirazione per le nuove leve… mai mollare!
Well done bud. Been with you for years now.
Another wonderful video – thank you for sharing your story. I'm of Italian descent and had a nonna who cooked for us once or twice a year until I was about 12 years old – infrequently enough that I never had the opportunity to learn her recipes or techniques. As an adult, I tried hundreds of times to make Italian food, but all my pasta attempts – even when I made really tasty homemade sauce – tasted so bland on top of the pasta!! By 57, I had stopped even trying; if I craved pasta, I'd just to go to a restaurant. Then, six months or so ago, I came across your videos. I previously had NO IDEA that the pasta needed to 'make love with' the sauce, emulsifying via pasta water and cheese… The more I watch, the better my pasta gets! Now that I am comfortable with 'pasta basics', I can make delicious pasta dishes with all kinds of variations! Thank you, Vincenzo!! Next I'm going to try some of your other dishes, maybe the arancini… As for your 'reaction' videos, they're anything but negative. Don't let anyone get you down: your kindness always shows through, even when you don't like the recipe, the food, or the methodology. I learn something every time. It's also beautiful to hear you consistently and emphatically credit your wife's encouragement for your current success. All of this makes you my favorite 'personality' of all time.
Vincenzo, thank you for the traditional, real Italian cooking ! I’m Italian ,my wife is Italian and her mother had 3 sisters so i know Italian cooking . People who do not respect Italian food in a traditional way are imposters to the honor of the past miracles that were created.
Love you Vinny!!! ❤ Enjoyed your story. I've always been curious about your history, upbringing, past etc.
Love your critiques -all well done !
Loved learning a little about your life!❤
Your blended sofrito powered up my sauce game. You're a massive champion, Vincenzo! You're the best cook out there! If you want to be a chef, just go to culinary school. You'd be unstoppable.
Thank you for sharing your story. I thoroughly enjoyed it😊