Carlo Middione

May 14, 1936 - September 26, 2022

Carlo Middione, celebrated chef and beloved culinary personality, died in hospital in San Francisco on September 26. His restaurant, Vivande Porta Via, was a favorite of both locals and celebrities (Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro were fans) and inspired the creation of other important Italian restaurants in the city.

Middione began learning about food at home and in the restaurant opened by his Sicilian-American parents in Southern California, enabling him to boast that he had spent 70 years in the restaurant business. He is credited with putting the food and culture of Southern Italy on the food map. The San Francisco Chronicle Food editor, Michael Bauer, proclaimed him “…a giant in the food industry.”

Middione was also a radio host and television personality. He starred in 42 episodes of his own series “Carlo Cooks Italian” produced by the the Discovery Channel. He was an inspiring chef/instructor at the California Culinary Academy and at Tante Marie’s Cooking School in San Francisco.

His numerous awards include two James Beard Awards. In 1997 the Government of Italy recognized him as having one of only 18 “…true Italian restaurants outside of Italy.” Middione’s four popular cookbooks are The Food of Southern Italy, La Vera Cucina, Pasta, and Panini.

His wife, Elizabeth Derby Middione, predeceased him in 2018. He is survived by his sister, Dee Stonebraker, of Virginia Beach, Virginia.