She traveled from the narrow stoned streets of Bari’s Old Town to the highrises of Hudson Yards, New York City. After a ten hour journey from her home in Puglia, Italy, Nunzia Caputo ,61, an outspoken defender of pasta grannies, arrived at the Jarvis Center ready to show off Puglia’s orecchiette to the visitors of the New York Times’ Travel Show.

For the occasion, her first trip to New York, Nunzia wore an apron, a leopard print shirt, and was accompanied by two helpers: her son and niece. Her hair was perfectly tied back with a rhinestone clip. Seated at the Puglia tourism booth, she looked just as she appeared in the 2017 Dolce Gabbana cosmetics ad. In her own words “all natural,” just like her ingredients.