Farrell Monaco is an experimental archaeologist and food-writer whose research centres on food, food preparation, and food-related ceramics in the Roman Mediterranean. She holds a BA (Hons) Archaeology from the University of Leicester and is a current MA candidate at the same institution.
In recent years she has worked as a team-member on Roman food archaeology projects at Monte Testaccio (Rome, Italy) with CEIPAC (University of Barcelona); The Pompeii Food & Drink Project (Pompeii, Italy) with an American university consortium; and Investigating the Archaeology of Death at Porta Sarno Necropolis (Pompeii, Italy) with Universidad Europea de Valencia.
Farrell is well known for her experimental archaeology projects where she painstakingly recreates Roman recipes using instruction, technologies, and ingredients sourced from the archaeological, written and pictorial records. Her experiments and recreations are published on her site, Tavola Mediterranea, and have been covered by Atlas Obscura, the BBC, The Guardian, National Geographic, The Economist, Verve Magazine, and The Ancient History Encyclopedia.
In 2019, Farrell Monaco was awarded the John Wacher Dissertation Prize in Roman Studies by The University of Leicester and the Best Special Interest Food Blog Award by Saveur Magazine.
Photo: Farrell Monaco - Culinary Archaeologist in the Bakeries of Pompeii - Photo by Katie Wolfe
