For Pecoraro—whom you’ll recognise from the pages of Vogue and high-end fashion shows—a perfectly cooked plate of pasta might be the ultimate expression of love. It’s why, in between photoshoots and runway appearances, you’ll likely find her in her Sydney kitchen, hosting her nearest and dearest with a home-cooked meal (often made using Providore’s premium pasta sauces, of course).
“I love cooking for my friends and my family,” Pecoraro says. “Seeing their reaction when they eat your food it's such an intimate moment. There's nothing quite like it.”
Growing up in Sydney’s inner west, Sicilian-born Pecoraro inherited her passion for food from her Nonna and mum—it’s in the blood, she says. She’d stand elbow to elbow with her mum Rosie in the kitchen, soaking up every step of the process—the peeling, the pickling, the mixing. Along the way, she picked up secret family recipes, happily testing them on her cousins.
“When I was about 12, I’d walk home after school with my cousins while my mum was at work, and I took it upon myself to feed everyone”, she recalls. “I would make them pasta boscaiola, following every step my mum would—even adding the red wine,” she laughs.
As an adult, hosting and feeding loved ones remains one of her favourite pastimes.
Meet Roberta Pecoraro, Model And Creator
Of Heartfelt, Home Cooked Moments
FEATURE
by Morgan Reardon
12 June 2025
But for Pecoraro, it’s not just about the meal—it’s about the ritual. There’s always a playlist (she flips between R’n’B sing-alongs and mellow, tranquil vibes), incense burning (currently obsessed with Tasmania by This Is Incense), and the table is always set—even if it’s just for one.
I'm not an ‘eat-on-the-go kind of girl’. Everything is so fast-paced nowadays. I think it’s important to sit down and take a moment to really enjoy what you’ve created.
Saluti to more mid-week heartfelt moments with Providore d’Italia’s range of authentic artisanal tomato sauces here.
This article is sponsored by Providore d’Italia and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.
We all know the five love languages: words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch. But if you ask international model and passionate home cook Roberta Pecoraro, there’s one missing from the list—cooking.
When it comes to setting the table, Pecoraro prefers to let the food do the talking. “I think we tend to over-clutter tables,” she says, explaining that she’d rather invest in quality tableware than overstyle a setting. At family gatherings, she happily stays in the kitchen, leaving the decorating to her sister, celebrity stylist Jess Pecoraro.
It’s no surprise, then, that outside of a photo shoot, her kitchen is where Pecoraro feels most at ease. Renovated three years ago and shaped by countless Pinterest boards, it’s her sanctuary, revealing she spends more time there than in her bedroom.
For me, cooking is therapeutic.
I know some people find it stressful, but I couldn't think of anything better than just going to the grocery store and being inspired by the ingredients.
Her pantry staples? A good quality olive oil, ricotta, za’atar (she loves Middle Eastern flavour) and anchovies.
Forget meal planning, Pecoraro is led by her taste buds, with every dining experience a chance to decompress and find joy in a simple but lovingly prepared dish. Like her go-to mid-week comfort meal: a drool-worthy pasta dish combining cherry tomatoes, olives, chilli, anchovies and ricotta.
Though she began modelling at just 17 and quickly made her mark, food has long held a special place in Pecoraro’s heart. Now, she’s ready to lean into that passion, creating a food-dedicated Instagram account, Plated, offering followers a peek into her kitchen and travels. Think: dark chocolate and tahini focaccias, or eggplant caponata made with Providore’s chilli sauce.
Now that’s a love language we can all speak.
And while she’s not stepping away from the runway just yet—she’s jetting off to Berlin and New York for work next week—there’s been a full-circle moment: fashion clients are now calling on her culinary skills too, commissioning her to create beautiful grazing boards for their showrooms.
She’s even enlisted her ultimate culinary inspiration—her mum—to help out.
“I was making the food for a wellness retreat and needed another set of hands,” she explains. “I know my mum is amazing in the kitchen, so she came along with me as my little sous chef. It was amazing to share that experience with her.”
Pecoraro says she’s “riding the wave” when it comes to her growing food ventures, with dreams of hosting restaurant pop-ups, and maybe even publishing a cookbook someday.
For now, you can follow her delicious journey over on Instagram, where she shares everything from cosy pasta nights to creative kitchen experiments.
And for budding foodies thinking about diving into content creation, Pecoraro offers this advice:
Put those nerves aside and just express yourself. It doesn’t have to be perfect. You'll be surprised how many people actually enjoy seeing what you are really passionate about.
“Because I think if you spend all your energy time doing that, you can't find that confidence and you can't feel glowy or good about where you're at in your life because you're constantly beating yourself up for not being further along.”
by Bel Hawkins
18 April 2025
Fashion Icon And Working Māmā: Lauren Brodie’s Take On Dopamine Dressing And Glowing From The Outside In
FEATURE
Editor’s note: To read our editorial policy, click here. This article is sponsored by Revlon and proudly endorsed by The Urban List.
To help you on your journey to finding your inner-outer glow, shop Brodie’s favourite glow-getting product and the rest of Revlon’s Illuminance Range here.
For Wallace—one half of experimental pop duo Foley—being in her glow state is an electric feeling that’s difficult to fully describe. “For me, it’s all in making something creative with someone awesome. You jam together, and if it goes right, it’s just this amazing creative foil that happens—It’s just magic.”
I have friends over at least once a week. Being Italian, there’s always so much food. I always question if I make enough, and a friend will say, ‘Robbie, there are only two of us.
Takeaway boxes are always part of the plan at Pecoraro’s, as is a beautifully curated menu. Think burrata and tomato salad, figs with ricotta and honey, a whole fish with root veggies or a pasta, finished off with something sweet—Medjool dates stuffed with peanut butter, cinnamon and sea salt or a classic tiramisu.
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Takeaway boxes are always part of the plan at Pecoraro’s, as is a beautifully curated menu. Think burrata and tomato salad, figs with ricotta and honey, a whole fish with root veggies or a pasta, finished off with something sweet—Medjool dates stuffed with peanut butter, cinnamon and sea salt or a classic tiramisu.
I have friends over at least once a week. Being Italian, there’s always so much food. I always question if I make enough, and a friend will say, ‘Robbie, there are only two of us.
Even though she’s a natural performer, she credits much of her evolution to the people who have supported her along the way. Whether it’s her bandmate Gabe, her community of creatives, or even her fans—her glow is never a solo act. “Music, fashion, makeup, our community—it’s always so much better when it’s shared. I know that can sound a bit cheesy, but it’s really true.”
We talk about the pressure to constantly create and be productive in our online lives, and Wallace reflects on some of the major lessons she’s learned along her creative journey so far.
For me, cooking is therapeutic. I know some people find it stressful, but I couldn't think of anything better than just going to the grocery store and being inspired by the ingredients.
But for Pecoraro, it’s not just about the meal—it’s about the ritual. There’s always a playlist (she flips between R’n’B sing-alongs and mellow, tranquil vibes), incense burning (currently obsessed with Tasmania by This Is Incense), and the table is always set—even if it’s just for one.
“I love cooking for my friends and my family,” Pecoraro says. “Seeing their reaction when they eat your food it's such an intimate moment. There's nothing quite like it.”
Growing up in Sydney’s inner west, Sicilian-born Pecoraro inherited her passion for food from her Nonna and mum—it’s in the blood, she says. She’d stand elbow to elbow with her mum Rosie in the kitchen, soaking up every step of the process—the peeling, the pickling, the mixing. Along the way, she picked up secret family recipes, happily testing them on her cousins.
“When I was about 12, I’d walk home after school with my cousins while my mum was at work, and I took it upon myself to feed everyone”, she recalls. “I would make them pasta boscaiola, following every step my mum would—even adding the red wine,” she laughs.
As an adult, hosting and feeding loved ones remains one of her favourite pastimes.
