Hi, I'm Antonella, I'm 45 years old, and I'm from Italy.

I'm not a chef, I'm not an influencer, I didn't inherit wealth from my family, and I don't belong to any group that society supports (whether it's for orientation, physical conditions, or ethnicity). Yet, in September 2023, my husband and I boarded a plane and moved to Los Angeles in search of a new opportunity. If there's one thing that defines me, it's resilience, and my first 40 years of life are proof of that.

I shared my story in an autobiography, which I self-published. I'm not famous, so no publishing house was interested in me. But I have always had a strong community of women who saw me as a point of reference, and I wanted to thank them by sharing a message of hope through my troubled life. That book, along with my work, started to bother certain people, especially those who couldn’t stand the fact that their patients were coming to me for consultations on cosmetic surgery rather than going to them. And that's when I became the victim of a conspiracy, which I won’t go into for now, until the outcome of my lawsuits is known.

But my nature doesn't allow me to give up. I kept working despite everything to show that I wasn’t just a pawn in a game of power. However, deep down, I knew it was time for a change. In Italy, success often isn’t forgiven, especially if you don’t belong to any group or class.

So, I started thinking about the United States. I wanted a new life, a new challenge. One day, my mother-in-law showed me an article about culinary medicine and a new way of eating. That sparked something in me. I decided to bet everything on California. After visiting Los Angeles, I realized that it was the place where our new project had to start.

The truth? It hasn’t been easy. I fought for nearly a year between visas and licenses, doing everything on my own to keep costs down. After three visa rejections, I finally managed to get one that allowed me to begin. It was an intense year, full of challenges that I’ll surely tell in my next book, but one thing is certain: FaBene was born.

FaBene is my project to create ready-to-eat, healthy, and tasty meals, to be kept in the fridge or freezer, designed for people like me who don’t have time to cook but want to eat well. It’s also a help for American mothers who fight every day against the junk food offered to their children.

How is it going? Not well, I admit. I’ve come up against a massive wall. In the Farmers Markets, I’ve faced a lot of resistance, especially from those who arrived before me and fear competition. But I won’t give up. I’ve already found new paths: restaurateurs who want to expand their offerings and have agreed to place our products on their shelves, and the idea of opening our own store – but not a restaurant, because everyone should do their own job.

For now, between events, a few Farmers Markets that are giving us space, and collaborations with retailers, we’re hanging in there. I know there’s someone out there just waiting to talk to me and get behind this wonderful project because healthy eating is a right for everyone.

Oh, and don’t forget the shirt I proudly wear: I don’t speak English, but I’m the Boss.