ABOUT...

Toni Brancatisano was born and raised in Melbourne Australia, as one of four children and the younger of twins. Her father Giuseppe (Joe) was born in Calabria Italy to Vincenzo & Concetta and is one of nine children. The family emigrated to Australia in the 1950s.

Toni graduated from The Royal Melbourne School of Nursing in 1993, and in 1995 decided to have a 6 month working holiday in London. Six months evolved to an adventure lasting over three years as a nanny to two-year-old triplet girls. When visa restrictions forced her to leave London, she found herself in La Jolla, California, where she worked as a prep chef for 3 months in a friend’s Italian restaurant.

In August 1998, Toni arrived in Tuscany, intending it to be her last summer abroad. Life however, had other plans. A Tuscan wedding and two children later, her love of cooking and baking blossomed. What began as creating birthday cakes for her children evolved into a thriving cake decorating business specializing in cupcakes, celebration cakes, and tiered wedding cakes.

Toni’s culinary talent took center stage in 2009 when she competed on Italy’s first cooking reality show, La Scuola—Cucina di Classe on the Gambero Rosso Channel (Sky). After twelve intense weeks of challenges, she emerged victorious, earning her own cooking show.

In 2010, she launched Le Torte di Toni, a cake-decorating series co-starring her daughter, Annabella. Together, they filmed three series, followed by two additional series, Le Torte di Toni—Masterclass, where Toni invited guest decorators to join her in each episode. Her first book, La Torta Perfetta di Toni, was published in 2012 by Gribaudo Feltrinelli Publishing.

After nearly fifteen years in Tuscany, Toni moved to Rome, where she continued sharing her passion for Italian cuisine. She led group food tours and cooking classes with Eating Europe and expanded her repertoire by guest speaking, catering for Australian and New Zealand embassy events, and working as a food stylist for advertising campaigns.

Today, Toni focuses on leading daily food tours, offering a bespoke, personalized experience for visitors in Rome. While she still collaborates with Eating Europe, she also works directly with travel consultants worldwide to curate private, tailored tours.

Toni is the proud mother of two children, Annabella and Joseph.

Toni’s passion for cooking is a heartfelt tribute to her extraordinary mother, Roslyn. Renowned for her exquisite dinner parties, flawless table settings, and mastery of savoury and sweet creations, Roslyn was the epitome of culinary elegance. Her untimely passing left an indelible mark, inspiring Toni to carry forward her legacy of love through food.