Italian woman Silvana Bini, known as Nonna Silvi, died at age 85 early Saturday morning (31) at her home in Montespertoli, in the province of Florence, Tuscany. The cook became a social media phenomenon after age 80, gaining more than 4 million Instagram followers with videos of traditional Italian recipes.
Her death was confirmed by her family. According to a message posted on social media, Silvana had been battling an illness that led to her death in just 20 days.
Born March 26, 1941, into a family of eight siblings, Nonna Silvi spent much of her life devoted to cooking. In 2006, she began working daily at Forno Martini, a business opened by her son Marco in Castelfiorentino, where she prepared sweets and savory dishes.
Fame began at age 81
The change came in October 2022, when her grandson Gabriele began recording videos of his grandmother preparing recipes and posting them on social media.
The videos quickly went viral. Her spontaneous way of talking, her jokes and traditional Tuscan recipes turned Silvana into a digital celebrity.
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Her accounts had amassed about 4.3 million followers on Instagram, 2.1 million on TikTok and more than 1 million on Facebook.
Her popularity extended beyond Italy’s borders. In 2024, Nonna Silvi was invited to cook for members of Qatar’s royal family, preparing dishes such as lasagna, ragù and braised meat.
Recognition also came in the form of awards. In 2025, she received the Creator of the Year title at the TikTok Awards. In May 2026, she served as a judge on Celebrity Chef, hosted by Alessandro Borghese.
On Oct. 15 this year, just 16 days before her death, she won the Food category at the Top Creators Awards 2026, organized by Forbes Italia.
Family mourns her death
In comments to the Italian newspaper Il Tirreno, her grandson Gabriele, who introduced her to social media, said his grandmother remained lucid until her final moments.
According to him, Silvana remained interested in family activities even during her illness.
In a social media post, family members said they intend to continue the work begun with the cook, preserving her legacy.
The funeral is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 2, at the Church of Sant’Andrea in Montespertoli.
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