There’s this thing that happens when a nepo baby tries something. People either roll their eyes or tear them to shreds. Don’t act, don’t model, don’t start a clothing line—and definitely don’t launch a cooking show on Facebook during the pandemic. Brooklyn Peltz Beckham did the last one, and the internet (especially the British tabloids) had a field day. But here’s what’s interesting: he never really stopped.
I’ve definitely participated in the “lightly roast a nepo baby” discourse—it can feel like punching up, and in many cases, it is. But it’s also kind of a lose-lose. People complain when famous kids do nothing with their platforms, and they complain when they try.
So yeah, maybe I am a bit of a Brooklyn Peltz Beckham apologist. I like the stuff he makes. His Cloud23 hot sauce is really good. And honestly, the hate feels tired. What I do find compelling is that someone who grew up with access to private chefs and Michelin-starred restaurants actually fell in love with cooking. He could’ve easily gone his whole life without ever learning to boil pasta. And yet… he genuinely seems to love it.
“I’ve always been a massive foodie,” he told me over Zoom. “I actually learned how to cook my first dish with my nanny, Peggy. I hold her very close to my heart, and it just reminds me of her every time I cook.” Then the pandemic allowed him to start documenting his meals at home—his wife Nicola (yes, that Nicola Peltz) filmed him, and he started posting. That spiraled into a mini cooking show, then a hot sauce brand, and now, a lot of pasta.
I learned how to cook my first dish with my nanny, Peggy. I hold her very close to my heart, and it just reminds me of her every time I cook
When I got the chance to chat with him about his latest partnership with Barilla’s relaunched Al Bronzo line, I wasn’t trying to defend his cooking or redeem his reputation. I just wanted to understand: what keeps someone with that much access coming back to the kitchen? Why Al Bronzo? And what does a Brooklyn and Nicola dinner party actually look like?
He’s been cooking across the country, and if you check his comment section, the hate is still there—the same fifty things, over and over. And yet, he keeps going. “There’s always going to be people that say not nice things,” he said. “But I love cooking. It makes me happy. So I just put my head down and I make amazing dishes for people.”
I respect it. Would I keep trying new things in public if I were him? Probably not.
But Brooklyn? He’s still making spaghetti bolognese for Nicola and their four rescue dogs. He’s nerding out over pasta cuts. He’s moving houses and bringing an entire pantry full of Al Bronzo with him. “I always make pasta,” he said. “I do a little spread. Spaghetti and meatballs, my bolognese, something with pesto—I love hosting and making everyone great food.”
So, What Is Barilla Al Bronzo Pasta?
You’ve definitely seen Barilla’s signature blue boxes before (it is the leading pasta brand in the world), but their Al Bronzo line is a little different. It’s bronze-cut (hence the name), imported from Italy, and designed to hold onto sauce better than your standard weeknight pasta.
The brand keeps coming back to one word: scarpetta. It’s an Italian tradition where you soak up every last drop of sauce with a piece of bread—but Al Bronzo’s more porous texture means you don’t need the bread. The pasta does the work. “It really does make a difference,” Brooklyn told me. “When I’ve cooked my bolognese with other pasta, it’s like two different dishes.”
What Can You Make With It?
I tried it myself, and I’ll be honest: you can taste the upgrade, especially in simpler dishes where the pasta itself has to carry some weight. For a pasta bake? You might not notice. But for a spicy vodka sauce or a garlicky olive oil number, Al Bronzo earns its keep.
Brooklyn keeps his pantry stocked with it—his favorite is the spaghetti for his signature bolognese—but I’ve personally been reaching for the Fusilloni and Orecchiette. The Mezzi Rigatoni is next on my list, mostly because I want to try it with that same vodka sauce Brooklyn swears takes “literally 15 minutes.”
At around $2 to $4 a box, it’s a step up from the bottom shelf but not as expensive as handmade. Brooklyn’s take? “It’s my little party trick,” he said. “I tell everyone to use the best pantry staples they can. It makes everything better.”
Inside a Brooklyn & Nicola Dinner Party
They’re homebodies, first and foremost. “Honestly, our favorite thing is to stay at home with our four dogs, cook, have a glass of wine, and watch a show,” he said. Nicola’s not the main cook—“she’s like my little sous chef”—but she helps. She’s in charge of timing the pasta, which they both prefer al dente.
When they do host, it’s a cozy pasta spread. “I love doing different cuts of the Al Bronzo pasta,” he said. “Bolognese, pesto, spaghetti and meatballs—we make everything and share.” His cooking influences range from his grandmother’s English food to Nancy Silverton’s Los Angeles restaurants. “She’s the coolest. And she’s very talented. A big influence on me.”
Another favorite? Funke, “a pasta place of course,” he said, referring to Evan Funke’s namesake restaurant in Beverly Hills.
Where to Find Al Bronzo (and What to Cook With It)
Completing Barilla’s brand refresh, the Al Bronzo line now comes in a newly designed bag that highlights what sets it apart. It’s available at select retailers nationwide. To find a store near you, head to Barilla.com.
Ready to try it out? Start with one of these recipes:
What’s the best pasta you’ve ever had? Would you try Al Bronzo?
