Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – Silvana Bini, known as Nonna Silvi, the Tuscan chef who became an internet phenomenon thanks to her cooking videos, garnering millions of followers, died last night at the age of 85 in her home in Montespertoli, in the province of Florence. Thanks to TikTok, she had achieved international fame, even cooking for the Qatari royal family and receiving an award from Forbes Italia.
Born on March 26, 1941 into a large family of eight children, Bini had cultivated a passion for cooking from a young age.
Over the years, a passion that had become the center of her professional and family life. In 2006, when her son Marco opened Forno Martini in Castelfiorentino, she began preparing sweet and savory products on a daily basis. The turning point came in October 2022, when her grandson Gabriele began filming her on his phone, posting videos on social media that quickly went viral.
The public was won over not only by his traditional recipes, but above all by his spontaneous nature, his irony, and the frank way in which he described cooking in front of the camera.
Since then, Nonna Silvi's popularity has grown rapidly, transcending national borders. In November 2023, her first book, "The Recipes of a Lifetime," was published by De Agostini.
That same year, she received the Italian Excellence Award and was named a Food Hero by TasteAtlas. In 2024, her business further expanded with the establishment of Nonna Silvi Srl Società Benefit. In August of that year, she received one of the most prestigious events of her career: an invitation to Doha from the Emir of Qatar. On that occasion, she prepared several iconic Italian dishes, including ragù, lasagna, and braised meat, for the Al-Thani family. Success also reached the German public, with the publication in 2024 of a second volume dedicated to Italian cuisine, "Nonnas italienische Küche." In 2025, she received another important recognition, the Creator of the Year award at the TikTok Awards. In May 2026, she also served as a judge on "Celebrity Chef," the television program hosted by Alessandro Borghese on TV8. The latest recognition dates back to October 15th, when Forbes Italia awarded her the Food category prize at the 2026 Top Creators Awards. This achievement sealed an extraordinary journey: from family chef to celebrity followed by millions. Her social media profiles boasted 4,3 million followers on Instagram, 2,1 million on TikTok, and over a million on Facebook.
Her grandson Gabriele, who had helped make Nonna Silvi famous online, remembered her. "She was a great woman, pure love, who always went out of her way for her family," he told the newspaper "Tirreno." "She remained lucid until her last breath, actively involved in her activities. Unfortunately, an illness took her away from us in just a few weeks." And then he said goodbye: "What this woman gave to the whole family is indescribable. I will love you forever, Grandma."
Even last summer, Nonna Silvi continued to meet her audience, participating in the “Dialoghi in borgo” initiative in Terricciola, in the province of Pisa, where she was welcomed by a large attendance.
The funeral will be held on Monday afternoon, November 2, in Montespertoli, in the church of Sant'Andrea.
News
webinfo@adnkronos.com (Web Info)