Since its Netflix debut on May 9th, Nonnas has captured the hearts and attention of worldwide viewers. Ranking as the #1 film on the streaming site for over 1 week, the movie depicts the story behind a one-of-a-kind Italian restaurant based on Staten Island, NY, where real-life nonnas, not professionally-trained chefs, are in charge of the kitchen.
At Enoteca Maria, the nonnas prepare dishes they’ve been making for their loved ones for years, using recipes passed down generation after generation to facilitate unique cultural and familial experiences that are hard to replace in the restaurant space. The owner, Joe Scaravella, always found comfort in a home-cooked meal, especially when it was cooked by his grandmother. Inspired by his passion for food and its ability to unite people, he decided to open the restaurant shortly after his mother passed away to provide that same feeling of comfort and belonging to those who needed it.
The film details the background of how Enoteca Maria came to be. Starring Vince Vaughn as Joe Scaravella, he recruits four Italian nonnas to run the kitchen, played by Lorraine Bracco, Brenda Vaccaro, Susan Sarandon, and Talia Shire. Despite their clear cooking skills acquired from years of experience in their own kitchens, the establishment initially struggles to gain traction, but eventually gains the community’s support after hosting an Italian-style Sunday dinner that draws a noteworthy review from a high-profile food critic.
While the dishes served at Enoteca Maria and the nonnas that prepare them alternate on a nightly basis, there is one meal that has always graced the menu – Capuzzelle. A Sicilian dish consisting of seasoned, stuffed, and baked lamb’s head, the poverty-driven dish is featured prominently in the film as part of Roberta’s “identity” as a chef, and reflects how each main course on the menu instills a sense of “family, culture, history, and generations worth of traditions and stories.”
In the food critic’s own words, “If you want just great food, don’t go to Enoteca Maria. But if you want great food that not only fills your stomach, but will lift your soul, then run, don’t walk, to a little slice of family where you can let the one person who loved you most in life cook for you again.”
To stream the hit film directed by Stephen Chbosky, visit Netflix today!
