NINA CLEMENTE

Nina Clemente was born in Italy, and raised in New York City. After graduating from Brown University in 2003 with a degree in Anthropology, she searched for her true passion. Her first trip to a Los Angeles farmer's market in 2007 was a revelation. The tastes, scents, and vibrancy of the local, seasonal produce blew Nina away. Tapping into the Southern Italian fare Nina grew up watching her mother make, she began cooking for friends' dinner parties, which spurred bookings for catering jobs. Before she knew it, Nina was catering 60 person events by herself. At this point, Nina wanted more kitchen experience and over the course of a year worked at the Curious Palette and Osteria Mozza. She was completely inspired by the array of new skills instilled by the professionalism of the restaurant kitchen. Yearning to create her own dishes, Nina ventured back out on her own, and has been cooking ever since.