DePalma was born into a close-knit Italian family in Virginia and credited her mother and grandmother, immigrants from Calabria, for her deep understanding of food. After attending Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School (now the Institute of Culinary Education ), she honed her skills at legendary New York establishments like and Gramercy Tavern , where she worked under mentor Claudia Fleming. Tenure at Babbo

Gina DePalma was an acclaimed James Beard Award-winning pastry chef best known for her 15-year tenure at Manhattan's . A master of Italian desserts, she was celebrated for a "food-oriented" philosophy that prioritized seasonal ingredients and rustic simplicity over complex pastry techniques. Early Life and Career

She championed minimalism, famously stating that her "sweet ideal" was a perfectly executed panna cotta.

In 1998, DePalma joined the opening team of Babbo in Greenwich Village. Her work there defined the modern Italian dessert in America, often incorporating savory elements like olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and cheese.