Photo via DeFrancescos Kitchen Instagram | Vicki DeFrancesco (center) has hosted clients in her kitchen and in their very own homes, sharing culinary education, techniques and smiles through her business, DeFrancesco's Kitchen.

What began as a social media hobby born out of tragedy has developed into a full-time calling for Vicki DeFrancesco, who aims to share the knowledge and legacy of her late husband through culinary education, new friendships and, of course, delicious cuisine.

Following the sudden passing of her husband, Mario, in 2020, DeFrancesco turned to her passion for cooking to help heal. Encouraged by her friends and family, after some time, she launched a boutique cooking school — something she always dreamed of doing — out of her home in Firebaugh.

After about two-and-a-half years working out of Firebaugh, DeFrancesco decided to relocate to Fresno.

“I moved into Fresno to be closer to my children and grandchildren,” she said, adding that she worked with her friend, Nick Marziliano, who owns Sam’s Italian Deli.

Eventually, the interest outgrew the space, forcing DeFrancesco to think outside the box.

Or, in this case, the kitchen.

DeFrancesco opted to offer culinary classes inside clients’ homes, something that she initially balked at because of the variance of clients’ homes and environments; she said her experience since going into clients’ homes has been very fulfilling and rewarding.

“It’s a new season for me,” DeFrancesco said. “It’s becoming something that it was never intended to be.”

 

DeFrancesco now travels throughout the Valley and beyond, going as far as to provide service in Colorado for a client; she offers cooking classes for events including baby showers, corporate gatherings, private dinners and more.

In addition to her private lessons, DeFrancesco offers recipe development for companies and influencer content. She said her most popular classes feature hands-on pasta making, something that she had to overcome emotions to carry out.

Before his passing, Mario made ravioli for the family each Christmas. A family tradition for years, DeFrancesco found the tradition too painful to continue in the two years following her husband’s passing.

But after her son-in-law inquired about the recipe in order to pass along the family tradition, DeFrancesco found new joy in the creation of ravioli, going from teaching her family, to passing the tradition along to 400 people that year.

Since then, she has passed along the recipe to over 1,000 people, using the culinary tradition to speak to the healing and communal power of food.

“It’s such a joy to me,” she said. “They’re making it with their friends or their neighbors or their family and they’re creating these meals…that is everything for me because it’s so healing. That is exactly what the classes are intended to do.”

DeFrancesco brings all equipment and ingredients to her events, ensuring the participants can focus on the experience without the worry of their own collection of culinary tools. While she uses her own tools, she also offers guidance on everything from cooking to the tools and appliances and ingredients needed for recipes, helping her clients feel comfortable in their own kitchens.

DeFrancesco’s Kitchen, she said, is more about the food — it’s about creating lasting memories.