San Diego 's ROMAN HOLIDAY Band Featured
In First Episode of PBS National Series,
The Meaning of Food

Millions of PBS viewers across the country will have the opportunity to experience an Italian American wedding unlike any other when they tune into the first segment of the 3-part PBS series, The Meaning of Food, scheduled to air nationally on Thursday, April 7, 2005.

The series highlights the significant role the preparation and presentation of food plays in the lives and activities of ethnic groups across the country. It seeks to explain how we define ourselves as members of a particular culture or community through food, emphasizing the power of the kitchen to celebrate, to unite, to nurture and to heal.

PBS viewers will feel that power, and more, when they witness the process leading up to the creation of a traditional Italian Wedding reception, complete with 9 dinner courses, as it unfolds in the backyard of the Piancone family home. The “stars” of this segment include Michael Piancone, owner of the Piancone Deli & Bakery in Vista, California (San Diego County), his daughter Michele Piancone and her husband Gary Foley, family and guests, as well as the band and dancers of Roman Holiday's Italian Wedding Ensemble.

Together, this cultural combo created an Italian Wedding scene that can definitely compete with any Hollywood version of its kind and win out with its authenticity and genuine portrayal of the Italian American wedding experience.

How did PBS “find” this perfect combination for their series? Enter the power of the Internet. The PBS producers typed in “Italian Wedding” on a Google search engine and hit upon San Diego entertainment group, Roman Holiday, who had recently launched their Italian Wedding CD . Contact was made via email and in a matter of weeks, the PBS segment was born.

“When I received the first email communication from PBS asking for an authentic Italian wedding scenario with emphasis on food, I didn't think I could fulfill their request,” said Giovanna DiBona, director of the Roman Holiday Ensemble. “I immediately emailed all my contacts in the San Diego Italian American community. To my great surprise, and most serendipitously, Michele and Michael were planning a wedding that fit perfectly into the PBS requirements.”

Michele's father Michael, is an accomplished Italian chef as well as owner of a successful Italian deli and bakery. Above all, his wish was to recreate a wedding for his daughter as it might have been held in his native town of Corato, Bari, Italy, complete with dozens of dishes with roots in the Italian culinary culture.

“I couldn't believe how everything came together so effortlessly to create this incredible documentary. As the Italians would say, it was “La Forza del Destino,” the power of destiny,” she added.

Giovanna was especially pleased that her bid won out over several Italian wedding options on the East Coast that were under consideration by PBS. “It's time that the nation recognize that the West Coast also has a vibrant and extremely active Italian American community. . . and that our Italian American heritage is not confined to neighborhoods in Brooklyn or Boston alone.”

The PBS Italian Wedding segment is a fascinating, behind-the-scenes tour of Michael Piancone's loving, hands-on preparation of the food for his daughter's wedding. It highlights all manners of the food preparation and segues into the actual wedding ceremony, reception, and presentation of the meal. And what a meal is is, featuring a wide variety of traditional Italian antipasti, main courses, and desserts.

Viewers will marvel at the results of this labor of love. As one guest put it, “It is an Italian feast for the eyes …..and stomach.”

The segment highlights all aspects of food preparation using the recipes and customs that have been passed down within the Italian American community over the decades. The music of the San Diego-based Roman Holiday Ensemble, as well as some scenes of their lively, traditional Italian Tarantella dance, provides the musical background to this Italian “feast of the senses.”

For more information on Italian Wedding music and customs, contact www.romanholidaymusic.com or Giovanna DiBona at 619.283.1898. The Piancone Deli and Catering Company, located at 203 Main St., Vista, CA 92081, can be reached by calling 760.724.8840.

Please check local listings for actual airtimes.