Even though — I confess — I don’t know how to cook, I like to hear my mother’s stories. Donna Imma has hosted a lively Neapolitan cultural salon for 40 years, in addition to being a passionate cook devoted to tradition, which is sacred in my city.

She is a powerhouse of ideas. She is beautiful and so infectiously enthusiastic that she once asked ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev to dance with her on the stage of Teatro Bellini, a historic performing arts venue in Naples. Here are some of her stories...