The cook, chef and gardener Carla Tomasi, who died in Rome last month aged 70, was a trailblazing chef, and a single minded and beloved teacher. The following is about her life.
Just a lovely tribute to her life and her life’s work . I cherish her voice messages on my insta messages , when every odd query would get a prompt , encyclopedic response .
Shopping with her at the market was a lesson in roman cooking , simplicity and deliciousness.
I only knew her late in her life meeting in that market one day , in 2019 , Rachel you rendezvoused there for a brief hello before we took to wander through the stands . After we had a lunch with her at Marigold , I met Francesca that day as well .
She declared “I never travel
I won’t travel .. “ she disclosed much about her likes and dislikes of cooking at that lunch and her wit was as acerbic as her criticisms .
I mourn the loss of her lessons , and knowledge .
It was a shock to read her open honest posts of some of life’s challenges , and so typical to read her posts on the state of the horrific hospital food , towards the end ..
Of course I don’t know it was the end .. I’m not sure what I thought , but the news of her death struck me hard .
Terribly saddened I’ve reacted in part by listening again to those messages she’d leave , and reading all these remembrances of her recounted by this large community of cooks and friends .
Thank you for detailing her life a bit and giving us readers a glimpse into the experiences that formed her brilliant perspective .
It took me a lot more than 12 minutes to read this as my eyes kept getting full of tears. I met Carla first online during the pandemic and we became close being the same age and backgrounds, both from Roma Sud, both strong headed and adventurous. We finally met in person in 2021 when I went back to Italy and because I insisted very much she allow me to visit her in person.
I felt even more close to her and during my
6months trip to Italy we visited many times. I felt privileged to be able to visit with her knowing her “fear” of all pandemic time.
We kept in touch almost daily and in 2024 when I travelled again to Italy she was one of the first persons I wanted to see… this was March… and April… and then she started her Calvary in and out the hospitals
And I had to go back to Canada again.
When you have a certain age it is difficult to make new friends.then Carla happens and I miss her so much.
What an incredible tribute, you knew Carla so well. You filled in so many gaps for me from Carla's early life and then I could almost hear speaking as you described the pink trolley era, the online lessons and voice messages. So wish that I'd managed to learn around the big table in her new Ostia kitchen but will always cherish her priceless bits of advice. Thank you for this xxxxxxx
Dearest Rachel, Carla would hug you for writing this lovely and historical homage to her life, cooking, teaching and being a friend to all. I will keep Carla in my heart, will look to you, Alice, Francesca Stefano and so many others who Carla cherished, to continue sharing their love of food, impacting us just as Carla has❤️🙋🏻♀️
Such energy and determination and no one could cook like she did unless they’ve a deep affection for their fellow man and a desire to spread joy. I have fond memories of her maritozzi and will now try to learn make them to honour her memory…
Wonderful, Rachel, so moving. I had no idea about much of Carla's life. She was someone I had a great deal of respect and fondness for, purely through our social media interaction. I remember her being very kind to me when I was dealing with people being snotty about pressure cookers and Italian food. Her attitude was "why would you not?". I have some lovely audio messages from her which I must download. She told me she loved hers but her mother thought they were an instrument of the devil! So everything you say about the pasta maker and the democratisation of food/cooking rings so true. I wish I'd met her.
I am only someone who began using Instagram at the same time as Carla and thus we became acquaintances there. Over the years we shared the odd reflection on pets and relationships and life in general & I will remain forever grateful for ‘getting to know her’ there. As fate would have it I lost my wonderful husband 8 days after Carla died and I thank you both for the privilege of feeling I now know Carla a little better, and for also providing me with comfort for my own profound loss. A piece of writing executed with such love and care is a healing thing, and I read it with deep appreciation and gratitude.
I actually downloaded my whole insta record, out of fear someone might close her account (in my experience a closed account deletes all the person’s posts but also their comments and messages).
I googled How to download your Instagram, and it’s not hard to follow the steps. In a few days IG emails you a download with lots of sub files. In one of them are all our messages including her voice DMs. Feels like gold.
Thank you so much for writing this tribute and putting Carla into a food and garden context. I was one of her Lockdown habitues! I made focaccia, morning buns and more during her zoom sessions and also loved being at her wide-ranging chats! Paying for some classes via Italian Amazon in cat-food was a highlight!
We also discovered that we were both in Soho at the same time. Me working as a sub-editor at Marshall Cavendish in Wardour Street and Old Compton Street. Her deep voice is much missed and I will be forever grateful for her Lockdown zooms. Am sad not to have been to a Market to Table with her and you.
Will you continue these? And how will her Instagram be preserved? You mentioned the importance of this in your article. I wish she has written a book… but these memories and recollections are welcome.
Thank you so much for this and welcome to Substack.
Perfection, Rachel. You have captured her completely here. I will miss her voice messages - especially the “Ciao Max” that always started the beginning of a conversation. She would always notice if I hadn’t posted on Insta for some time (especially during Lovkdown) and ask “Ciao Max, are you OK?” we had some marvellous conversations. Btw she loved her Marigolds (rubber gloves) and had some very glamorous ones! Can’t look at a pair without thinking of her! 💚
Just a lovely tribute to her life and her life’s work . I cherish her voice messages on my insta messages , when every odd query would get a prompt , encyclopedic response .
Shopping with her at the market was a lesson in roman cooking , simplicity and deliciousness.
I only knew her late in her life meeting in that market one day , in 2019 , Rachel you rendezvoused there for a brief hello before we took to wander through the stands . After we had a lunch with her at Marigold , I met Francesca that day as well .
She declared “I never travel
I won’t travel .. “ she disclosed much about her likes and dislikes of cooking at that lunch and her wit was as acerbic as her criticisms .
I mourn the loss of her lessons , and knowledge .
It was a shock to read her open honest posts of some of life’s challenges , and so typical to read her posts on the state of the horrific hospital food , towards the end ..
Of course I don’t know it was the end .. I’m not sure what I thought , but the news of her death struck me hard .
Terribly saddened I’ve reacted in part by listening again to those messages she’d leave , and reading all these remembrances of her recounted by this large community of cooks and friends .
Thank you for detailing her life a bit and giving us readers a glimpse into the experiences that formed her brilliant perspective .
Oh Rachel, this was perfect.
It made me smile, made me cry. ❤️
Such a lovely tribute to a wonderfully spirited woman. Thank you for introducing her to me. May she rest in peace.
It took me a lot more than 12 minutes to read this as my eyes kept getting full of tears. I met Carla first online during the pandemic and we became close being the same age and backgrounds, both from Roma Sud, both strong headed and adventurous. We finally met in person in 2021 when I went back to Italy and because I insisted very much she allow me to visit her in person.
I felt even more close to her and during my
6months trip to Italy we visited many times. I felt privileged to be able to visit with her knowing her “fear” of all pandemic time.
We kept in touch almost daily and in 2024 when I travelled again to Italy she was one of the first persons I wanted to see… this was March… and April… and then she started her Calvary in and out the hospitals
And I had to go back to Canada again.
When you have a certain age it is difficult to make new friends.then Carla happens and I miss her so much.
Oh Rachel,
What an incredible tribute, you knew Carla so well. You filled in so many gaps for me from Carla's early life and then I could almost hear speaking as you described the pink trolley era, the online lessons and voice messages. So wish that I'd managed to learn around the big table in her new Ostia kitchen but will always cherish her priceless bits of advice. Thank you for this xxxxxxx
Dearest Rachel, Carla would hug you for writing this lovely and historical homage to her life, cooking, teaching and being a friend to all. I will keep Carla in my heart, will look to you, Alice, Francesca Stefano and so many others who Carla cherished, to continue sharing their love of food, impacting us just as Carla has❤️🙋🏻♀️
Such energy and determination and no one could cook like she did unless they’ve a deep affection for their fellow man and a desire to spread joy. I have fond memories of her maritozzi and will now try to learn make them to honour her memory…
Thank you Rachel. She was absolute Tour de Force; her legacy will live on.
What a beautiful, lovingly written tribute to Carla, Rachel. Thank you for this. ❤️
Wonderful, Rachel, so moving. I had no idea about much of Carla's life. She was someone I had a great deal of respect and fondness for, purely through our social media interaction. I remember her being very kind to me when I was dealing with people being snotty about pressure cookers and Italian food. Her attitude was "why would you not?". I have some lovely audio messages from her which I must download. She told me she loved hers but her mother thought they were an instrument of the devil! So everything you say about the pasta maker and the democratisation of food/cooking rings so true. I wish I'd met her.
I am only someone who began using Instagram at the same time as Carla and thus we became acquaintances there. Over the years we shared the odd reflection on pets and relationships and life in general & I will remain forever grateful for ‘getting to know her’ there. As fate would have it I lost my wonderful husband 8 days after Carla died and I thank you both for the privilege of feeling I now know Carla a little better, and for also providing me with comfort for my own profound loss. A piece of writing executed with such love and care is a healing thing, and I read it with deep appreciation and gratitude.
such a moving beautiful tender tribute Rachel, thank you for sharing her story with us. ❤️🩹
Thank you so much for this moving tribute. Never deleting her voice messages xox
I actually downloaded my whole insta record, out of fear someone might close her account (in my experience a closed account deletes all the person’s posts but also their comments and messages).
I googled How to download your Instagram, and it’s not hard to follow the steps. In a few days IG emails you a download with lots of sub files. In one of them are all our messages including her voice DMs. Feels like gold.
Thanks for this information, Gabrielle. Much appreciated.
Thank you so much for writing this tribute and putting Carla into a food and garden context. I was one of her Lockdown habitues! I made focaccia, morning buns and more during her zoom sessions and also loved being at her wide-ranging chats! Paying for some classes via Italian Amazon in cat-food was a highlight!
We also discovered that we were both in Soho at the same time. Me working as a sub-editor at Marshall Cavendish in Wardour Street and Old Compton Street. Her deep voice is much missed and I will be forever grateful for her Lockdown zooms. Am sad not to have been to a Market to Table with her and you.
Will you continue these? And how will her Instagram be preserved? You mentioned the importance of this in your article. I wish she has written a book… but these memories and recollections are welcome.
Thank you so much for this and welcome to Substack.
Perfection, Rachel. You have captured her completely here. I will miss her voice messages - especially the “Ciao Max” that always started the beginning of a conversation. She would always notice if I hadn’t posted on Insta for some time (especially during Lovkdown) and ask “Ciao Max, are you OK?” we had some marvellous conversations. Btw she loved her Marigolds (rubber gloves) and had some very glamorous ones! Can’t look at a pair without thinking of her! 💚
lovely xxx