Star Kitchen: Donatella Arpaia

Donatella Arpaia's dream kitchen is right in her backyard.

Related To:

As a longtime New Yorker, Donatella always longed for the impossible: a big home kitchen. So when the restaurateur and frequent Food Network judge bought a Connecticut weekend house with her husband, Allan, a heart surgeon, she built giant kitchens — inside and out. "Our life here is outdoors," says Donatella. "I'm always the one cooking, and I wanted to enjoy it." Her first priority was to put in a pizza oven (a hit with her 4-year-old son, Alessandro) and to install professional-grade Lynx appliances, including stovetops, sinks and an integrated trashcan. Having a complete setup outside allows her to entertain without frequent trips in and out of the house. She has enough to worry about when the couple hosts a party, especially when Allan is in charge of the guest list. "It starts off small," she says, "and then my husband casually invites an extra 50 people!"

Photography by David A. Land

Italian Accents 
Donatella and Allan wanted the space to feel like a villa on Lake Como, where they like to vacation, so they incorporated a pergola and columns into the bluestone patio.

Lake View
It was the scenery that sold Donatella and Allan on the property. "We fell in love with the view," she says of the Candlewood Lake landscape. "This is where we're going to grow old together."

Next Up

Donatella Arpaia Bio

Donatella Arpaia is the trailblazing attorney-turned-culinary mogul and has appeared on multiple shows as a judge. Find out more about her on Food Network.

Chatting with Iron Chef Gauntlet Judges Geoffrey Zakarian and Donatella Arpaia

Hear from Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian and Donatella Arpaia, who together will be judging the Secret Ingredient Showdown in Round 2.

Star Kitchen: Curtis Stone's Outdoor Kitchen

Food Network star Curtis Stone shows us his outdoor kitchen.

Star Kitchen: Jessica Seinfeld

Check out Jessica Seinfeld's guesthouse kitchen, then pick up some of her finds for your own kitchen.

Star Kitchen: Ludo Lefebvre

French restaurateur and frequent Food Network guest Ludo Lefebvre shows us his California kitchen.

Star Kitchen: Buddy Valastro

Buddy Valastro is known as the Cake Boss, but at home, his wife, Lisa, is in charge of the kitchen.

Star Kitchen: Jonathan Bennett

For Cake Wars host Jonathan Bennett, the kitchen is the busiest room in the house.

Star Kitchen: Pat LaFrieda

Pat LaFrieda, meat purveyor to the stars, shows Food Network Magazine around his Bronx kitchen.

Star Kitchen: Carla Hall

Chef and Food Network judge Carla Hall shows us her Washington, D.C., kitchen.

Follow us on Instagram!

Get bonus tips, tricks, recipes and more from Food Network Magazine. @foodnetworkmag