Chef and author Biba Caggiano has died

September 1, 2019 by
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California chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author Biba Caggiano died last Thursday. Caggiano, who emigrated to the US in the late 1970s, and her husband opened an Italian restaurant simply named ‘Biba’ in Sacramento in late 1986, which quickly set the standard for fine dining and exemplary service in the state capital.

Caggiano had no formal culinary training, almost no experience running a business, and was a woman in a male-dominated world. Yet she not only survived, she almost single-handedly elevated the Sacramento dining scene. Staying true to her roots, she cooked only foods from her native Bologna, Italy, although she did take pride in using local ingredients.

While she was not a celebrity outside of the Sacramento area, Caggiano also wrote several well-regarded cookbooks, many of which are popular with EYB Members. Caggiano, who suffered from Alzheimer’s in her final years, was 82.

Category: Food Biz People

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5 Comments

  • vickster  on  September 2, 2019

    I loved her books and have cooked from them for many years. Never made it to her restaurant. She was an inspiration. Thanks for telling us about this.

  • lean1  on  September 2, 2019

    I met her many years ago at a cooking class to promote her book. She was a warm and generous person. Sorry for her loss.

  • finnsmom64  on  September 3, 2019

    I remember watching her on t.v. 26+ years ago,so enjoyable. I would write down recipes as I watched her cook, no DVR then. I still use her gnocchi recipe. She seemed so warm genuine.

  • rspoonbill  on  September 12, 2019

    Mom insisted I had to have her Northern Italian Cookbook, and the pork loin braised in. Ilk is still a favorite.

  • mkbala  on  October 16, 2019

    Sad news. I remember watching her TV show and being entranced by her personality and recipes.

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