A letter from the creatorNicole Ponti
Body by Rigatoni was born from a love of culture, family, and the beauty found in everyday rituals.
About Body By Rigatoni
At Body by Rigatoni, our mission is to celebrate Italian culture and Italian-American heritage through thoughtful design, storytelling, and everyday rituals. We exist to honor tradition while embracing modern life. Body By Rigatoni invites people to slow down, gather together, and savor the moments that matter most.
Inspired by the Italian way of life, Body by Rigatoni is rooted in connection, leisure, and authenticity. Our goal is to share culture not as a trend, but as a lived experience- one that values presence, purpose, and joy.
Brand Value
Culture First
We believe culture is something you live. Every piece we create is influenced by history, tradition, and the stories passed down through generations.
From the very beginning of Body By Rigatoni, it has been essential that the brand works hand-in-hand with creators and artists in Italy, honoring craftsmanship, community, and authenticity at the core of who we are.
Family & Community
Everything begins at the table. We honor family- chosen and inherited and the communities that form when people gather, share meals, and spend time together.
Tradition with Intention
We respect the past while designing for the present. Our work is guided by purpose, pride, and the belief that tradition should be preserved.
Leisure as a Lifestyle
Slowing down is not a luxury, it’s a value. We celebrate the beauty of rest, ritual, and the sweetness found in simply being present.
Authenticity Always
We create from personal experience, real relationships, and genuine love for Italian culture. Nothing is forced. Nothing is rushed.
Gratitude & Growth
Life’s highs and lows shape us. We lead with gratitude, resilience, and empathy- allowing both joy and challenge to inspire meaningful creation.
Body by Rigatoni was born from a love of culture, family, and the beauty found in everyday rituals.
As a child growing up in New Jersey, I was proud of my family’s Italian roots and dreamed of one day spending time in Italy. Curious by nature and always hungry for knowledge, stories, and food- I spent countless days beside my Grandpa. I asked him endless questions about his time in Italy and our family history. I listened as he repeated the same stories, stirred the sauce he was always “watching,” and eventually sat down with him to enjoy a plate of pasta, followed by a Fig Newton cookie he kept tucked away in a tin can.
My Grandpa was more than a storyteller, he was my first teacher. He inspired my curiosity, my desire to understand where I come from, and my longing to connect with the Italy I daydreamed about for years.
For the past decade, I’ve found a second home working at Matthew’s Italian Restaurant in Clifton, New Jersey. Matthew, my friend and the owner, welcomes every guest as if they are entering his home. Within those four walls, he has created a place where people gather to share stories, slow down, connect with friends and family, and enjoy a simple plate of pasta. There, I was fortunate to merge my passions for food, family, and hospitality.
After university and completing a culinary hospitality degree, I finally made my way to Italy. My lifelong friend Kelly Shami and I planned an ambitious itinerary we lovingly called the “Cannoli Tour.” I arrived skeptical, unsure if the la dolce vita I had seen in films could truly exist. But the moment I landed in Venice and arrived at my hotel by water taxi, gliding through the canals, I realized the experience was even more beautiful than anything I had imagined.
Italy- and the time I spent there, shaped me into the woman I am today. Had it not been for that trip, and Kelly insisting we end in Positano, Body by Rigatoni would not exist. I formed lifelong connections, discovered a deeper sense of self, and returned home transformed- more connected to my roots, the culture, the people, and the rhythm of Italian life.
I fell in love with the passion, humor, pride, the sea, the rocky beaches, the fast driving, the reverence for tradition, the art of espresso, the ritual of aperitivo, and the “sweetness” found in doing nothing at all. After years of asking my Grandpa to repeat the same stories, I had finally created my own relationship with the Italy I had always imagined.
The creation of Body by Rigatoni is shaped by both life’s highs and its heartbreaks. In December 2020, I lost my Mom. She was the one who always encouraged me to follow my heart and continue traveling to Italy. She inspired Body by Rigatoni and created the very first apron sample, now sold in her honor under the name “Vera.”
Life has a way of testing us. The downs reveal our strength and deepen our empathy, while the ups motivate us to keep going and remain grateful. Through Body by Rigatoni, my goal is to share my love for Italy, the people I meet, and the Italian way of life with others. At its core, the brand celebrates a simple truth: sometimes all we really need is quality time with the people we love and a simple plate of pasta.
Body by Rigatoni. Influenced by culture.
Un grande abbraccio,
Nicole Ponti