From Engineering to Curing Meats: Finding My Way Back to Tradition

I grew up in a family that made its own cured meats. Our home was always filled with the rich, unmistakable aroma of salami, prosciutto, and sausages hanging to dry. I remember watching my grandfather work with expert hands, seasoning the meat just right, knowing instinctively when everything was ready. It was more than just food—it was tradition, an art passed down through generations.

As I got older, I thought I needed to follow a different path. I studied engineering, believing it would lead to a better career, a more stable future. I spent years focusing on numbers, machines, and efficiency, but something was missing. No matter how much success I found in my field, I never felt the same fulfillment I had as a child, surrounded by my family’s craft.

One day, I decided to go back. I returned to the art of curing meats, applying the precision I had learned in engineering but with the heart and soul of my Italian roots. The first time I made salami again, the familiar scents and flavors instantly brought me back to my childhood. It was as if my grandfather was there beside me, guiding my hands just like he used to.

Traditional butchery and curing are more than just skills—they are a bridge between past and future, just like engineering. But this time, I wasn’t designing machines; I was preserving a legacy. And in doing so, I rediscovered not just the flavors of my past, but my true passion.