The Italian Country Table at

History and Vision

In Italian, Nostrano translates as “local,” but it comes from the root word “nostro,” meaning “ours.” When an Italian uses the term “nostrano,” they mean locally grown, but more than location, it conveys an emotion that lays claim to food. It says “this is from my land, my home, my kitchen — and most importantly, I want to share this with you.”

Nostrano is a place where Frank Pendola shares his passion for Italian cooking. He is dedicated to the process of growing his own ingredients, using them to create authentic Italian dishes and sharing the results with friends and family.

What began years ago as an effort to surround himself with the tastes and smells of his old New York Italian neighborhood, evolved in 2004 into the creation of Nostrano, a Tuscan-style kitchen built in the lower level of his home. Nostrano was designed as the place where Frank could use his garden ingredients to prepare extensive meals in an open, interactive setting. Here, guests could relax, enjoy good food, learn about the origin of each dish and even help make their own pasta. Soon after Nostrano was completed, those that had enjoyed Frank's cooking for years began to schedule evenings there with friends and family. What was a life-long passion soon became a fulfilling new career. In December of 2005, Frank's success led him to leave his 15-year position as a molecular biologist to pursue his culinary endeavors full-time. Nostrano is, and will continue to be, a place to cultivate and share the age-old traditions of Italian cuisine. Read more about Nostrano in the Bangor Daily News article “The Fire Down Below”