Reviews

I met Donna Rapaccioli about seven years ago, during an event on the campus of Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business. I was very proud of her career as the dean of this impressive business school. As a chef and restauranteur, I realized early in my career that if my passion for cooking was to grow and flourish, I needed to be a good businesswoman, knowing how to balance numbers as well as balance flavors in a sauté pan. It seems that Donna has a gift for both. In her new cookbook, When Life Hands You Lemons, Throw Tomatoes, she ventures into the history of her Italian-American family while offering over one hundred recipes that kept that family happy and fed. I found the book utterly charming, with recipes ranging from true Italian to Italian American to personal renditions, along with some of the different ethnic neighborhood flavors thrown in. A fun read with some great recipes to bring it all to the table!

LIDIA BASTIANICH, Emmy award–winning television host, bestselling cookbook author, and restaurateur

When Life Hands You Lemons, Throw Tomatoes offers a harmonious blend of innovative recipes and transformative leadership advice, giving readers a feast for both the mind and the palate. Each chapter serves up delicious dishes paired seamlessly with stories that provide invaluable insights into becoming a more effective, compassionate, and dynamic leader, with a side of humor. This must-read book is more than just a cookbook—it's a manual for living a life of resilience, passion, and purpose.

LERZON AKSOY, PHD, dean and George N. Jean PhD chair, Gabelli School of Business, Fordham University

This book is a love letter to the art of cooking, a testament to the power of nostalgia, and a source of inspiration for anyone seeking comfort, connection, and a deeper understanding of life’s simple pleasures. Donna invites us into her family’s kitchen, not just sharing recipes but cherished family stories and traditions that have been passed down through generations. She is an incredibly accomplished leader and product of deep family roots and strong values.

MANDELL CRAWLEY, chief human resources officer, Morgan Stanley

Beautiful in its words, lessons, and recipes, this wonderful book takes you on a journey of family, food, and life. You will relish every page and every dish!

CHESTER ELTON, author of the New York Times bestseller The Carrot Principle

Most business advice books follow predictably boring formulas. Donna Rapaccioli has instead done something uniquely charming, mixing together a pinch of memoir, a tablespoon of life management advice, a dash of accounting history, and some fabulous recipes that you’ll surely enjoy!

CHRIS LOWNEY, bestselling author of Heroic Leadership and Make Today Matter

This book is—almost literally—one to sink your teeth into. Beyond the scrumptious recipes to fill your belly, Donna takes the reader page by page through a journey of food, brilliantly weaving in life and leadership lessons.

PATRICIA DAVID, former chief diversity officer at JP Morgan Chase and author of The ‘Her’story of Davidisms: My Straight-Shooting Answers to 30 Years of Career Questions People Have Asked Me