Is the pizza Margherita the original Mexican pizza? Join us to discuss the Indigenous contribution to Italian cuisine and the deep connection found in two of the world’s most coveted cuisines. Guests will enjoy a slice of Mexican mole pizza and Italian wine—limited quantities.
Guest speakers
- Chef Danielle Duran Zecca of Amiga Amore
- Chef Roberto Alcocer of Valle
- Chef and Culinary Anthropologist Amanda Lanza
- Moderator: Bill Esparza, Food journalist and author of L.A. Mexicano.
Gaucanagaríx was one of five Taíno caciques, or tribal chieftains of the island named Hispaniola by Christopher Columbus (Haiti and Dominican Republic today), following his arrival in 1492. He is the cacique that primarily dealt with Columbus and his crew.
It has taken decades to correct the historical record surrounding Christopher Columbus, shifting the narrative from portraying him as the discoverer of America to recognizing his role in the exploitation and genocide of Indigenous peoples. Still, Columbusing and the colonizer narrative persist in the food world. Italy, Spain, and France are often credited with influencing dishes in Mexico, Latin-America in general, and Asia. Even in Mexico there’s a tendency among academics to call Mexican cuisine a fusion of Indigenous and European cultures, but seldom do we speak the same about European cuisine. In Italy, New World ingredients—tomatoes, potatoes, hot and sweet peppers, cornmeal, beans, green beans, and chocolate—are not merely substitutes but essential to dishes all over Italy.
Chef Danielle Duran Zecca, of Amiga Amore
A two-time James Beard Award nominee, most recently recognized in the Best Chef: California category. Amiga Amore is a culinary love story—between two friends who became lovers and between two rich, vibrant cultures brought together on a single plate. Founded by Chef Danielle Duran Zecca, a proud first-generation Chicana from Northeast Los Angeles, and her husband Alessandro Zecca, a native of Verona, Italy, Amiga Amore is the delicious result of a decade-long romance—both in life and in the kitchen.
Roberto Alcocer is the Executive Chef of Valle
Alcocer is the Executive Chef of Valle, the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Oceanside, California, and Malva. With more than 20 years of experience cooking across Mexico and in kitchens in France and Spain, Alcocer has been at the forefront of Baja Mexican cuisine, crafting vibrant, playful fare that has become a hallmark of his work. At Valle, Alcocer lends his distinct perspective on the region’s food and wine to a seasonally inspired, California-sourced tasting menu served in an elevated setting, creating a juxtaposition of modern Mexican dining against the carefree energy of Oceanside’s surf and skate community. In 2023, Alcocer led Valle to earn its first Michelin star, which the restaurant retained in 2024 and 2025. In 2025, he was named a James Beard Foundation Best Chef: California Semi-Finalist.
Chef Amanda Lanza
A Los Angeles–based chef and culinary anthropologist exploring Italian foodways through cooking, travel, and storytelling. Rooted in her Italian upbringing and California’s farmers’ markets, her work takes a playful, nostalgic, and curious approach when sharing how Italian food travels, changes, and finds a new home at the table.
Bill Esparza
A James Beard award-winning food journalist, author of LA Mexicano, and onscreen food television personality covering food in United States and Latin America. His bylines include Eater, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Esquire, Los Angeles Magazine, and more. Esparza has appeared on shows as Top Chef, Bizarre Foods, Somebody Feed Phil, Street Food, and was a fixer for the late Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown. Furthermore, he is a Mexican-American food writer traveling Latin America, establishing himself as trusted source on the ground for over 15 years.
This program is presented in partnership with the Italian American Museum.
The mission of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles is to foster understanding of the nation’s diverse heritage and create a more just and equitable society through education, the arts, research, preservation, exhibitions, and programs examining the history and contributions of Italian Americans in the United States.
