Note: This cookbook's images are in black and white and do not represent the dishes' actual colors.

Acting in films and soap operas, hosting TV shows, and even whipping up culinary recipes are all part of who I am, but writing a preface for a book like this presents a unique challenge. Although I've lived in Miami, USA, for many years, I was born in Uruguay-a country known for its rich cuisine and deeply rooted gastronomic culture, especially when it comes to land and livestock. Meat dishes, such as parrillada or milanesas, dominate Uruguayan cuisine, likely because the meats produced there are considered some of the best in the world. However, Italian influence is also evident in Uruguayan cooking, including gnocchi alla sorrentina, similar to the recipe Octávio shares in this book, which I often prepare for my daughter Mila-who loves it.

I also lived in Brazil, starring alongside Antônio Fagundes in the soap opera "Vale Tudo," where Germán Barrios curiously played the role of Octávio, and when I played Madalena in TV Globo's "Kubanacan." Therefore, my palate is also familiar with the blend of indigenous, African, and European ingredients, including the strong influence of Portuguese and African slaves. Brazilian feijoada and São Paulo's caipira cuisine, where the Italian community influenced the introduction of pasta and pizza, are examples of this.

Octávio's book is filled with fantastic stories, parts of his life always filled with intensity and joy, including extraordinary passions and adventures. At the same time, with immense grace and mastery, Octávio blends these life snippets with gastronomy, focusing significantly on Italian cuisine, which I greatly enjoy and also cook. He does this for main dishes, like tagliolini with Taleggio and black truffle from Alba, as well as for typical desserts like tiramisù or Sicilian cassata.

I was aware of Octávio's connections and preferences for Italy, so much so that we've long promised each other a trip through that wonderful country to discover the pleasures of its diverse cuisine and incredible architectural beauty-I can think of no one better than Octávio for this Italian adventure. I know how intimately he navigates that country, the friendships he's cemented there-Octávio is a connector of people-and his knowledge of gastronomy and the lesser-known places that offer fabulous opportunities to experience the best of Italy's culinary offerings.

This book is a bit of both-gastronomy and stories of successful friendships, and much of what Octávio is. That's what readers can find here.

However, one chapter strongly connects me to the story-the recipe for mozzarella and smoked salmon salad, not because I've tried such a delicacy, but because it's the story of an exceptional day I spent with Octávio when I visited him in Porto, Portugal, after a small detour from Spain where I was working.

The excellent day I spent with Octávio, discovering the wonderful city of Porto, partially described in that chapter, allows me to say that behind every simple recipe is a beautiful, intense, and always captivating story-every recipe is a beautiful story. This assertion holds true for all the other chapters, as it's the intense and beautiful stories that make all the recipes, even the simplest ones like Provencal tomatoes or Sicilian zabaglione, into true delights.

When I cook, I do it with passion and intensity, as it should be. This means tirelessly searching for the best technique and always the best ingredients. But the greatest pleasure comes from sharing all of this with my friends and with my daughter Mila.

It's this kind of intensity, passion, and sharing that...

Nádia Rowinsky