"My first act in Austria? Making carasau bread." Barbara Marras smiles as she describes it: an electric oven, semolina flour and water, and the scent of Sardinia filling a corner of Lower Tyrol.
"It wasn't the wood-fired one at home, but here it was welcomed as a marvel. " Behind this passion for cooking, however, lies a lifetime of twists and turns. Until she was 45, in Assemini, Barbara did something completely different. Then came the decision that changed her destiny: moving to Valencia with her Cuban husband and two children. In Spain, she earned qualifications, learned techniques, and worked tirelessly until she became executive chef at an Italian restaurant.
But the economic crisis knocked on the door, and the family had to choose: stay or leave again. So they arrived in Austria, in the heart of Lower Tyrol. There, Barbara found an Italian restaurant that gave her confidence and the opportunity to continue her project: spreading Italian cuisine, and especially Sardinian cuisine, around the world .
Today, she's a member of the Italian Chefs Association and the World Chefs Association, but most importantly, she was appointed president of the Italian Chefs Association in Austria. In April, she received the prestigious 5 Star Award for Italian Cuisine, an accolade that confirmed her as one of the most authentic and passionate voices of our gastronomic tradition. Her next goal? The Culinary Olympics in Arezzo, where she'll bring a bit of Sardinia to every dish.
His signature dish is the Sardinian fregola and the ravioli made with a typical dough of semolina and water, which he fills with products arriving directly from the island, such as the pompia from Siniscola .
"Outside Sardinia, our cuisine is often more highly regarded," he explains. "I want anyone who tastes it to feel the warmth and history behind it."
You can leave and change your life, you can face uncertainty and take your roots with you, and for Barbara Marras , cooking is more than a job: it is the invisible thread that holds her family together and ties them to their land, even miles away.
