At NOLI, modern Italian design is our passion, but our heart and soul rest in celebrating the diversity of our vibrant Cincinnati community.
We are particularly dedicated to the LGBTQ+ cause, so when we were approached to sponsor the 2019 Caracole Gala, we were delighted to participate.
Caracole is Greater Cincinnati tristate region’s nonprofit AIDS Service Organization, with a mission of positively changing lives in the fight against HIV/AIDS through prevention, housing, and care. NOLI’s sponsored prize for the Gala’s auction was a uniquely designed Italian lifestyle experience: an exclusive dinner with acclaimed chef Jose Salazar.
Born in Colombia, South America, and raised in Queens, NY, Jose Salazar trained at the New York Restaurant School, and studied with famed chef Jean George Vongerichten. He came to Cincinnati in 2008, where he now operates the extraordinary restaurants Salazar and Mita’s. We were honored to bring his artistry and culinary style to the benefactors of the Caracole gala.
After extensive delays caused by the global pandemic, the Italian-inspired dinner was staged in late December, 2021, at NOLI – an unforgettable evening of lively interaction with Chef Salazar that featured warm and engaging conversation of food, wine, and Italian living, as well as the joy of sharing a great meal with both new and long-time friends. When several of the attendees then asked NOLI to help them create similar lifestyle experiences in their own homes, we realized our work had come full circle. Our dedication to inclusivity and diversity had allowed us to help others create the kind of inspiring interiors that could bring a community together—resulting in lasting memories to warm the heart and spirit.
