A semester in Torino led to a culinary career, a family, and a lifelong connection to the country Tim Magee once dreamed of visiting.
Tim Magee boarded a plane for Torino, Italy in the mid-90s expecting an exciting semester abroad. He had no idea the journey would shape the course of his life.
As an English major and an Italian minor at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), Tim first learned about the University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC) through friends. Inspired by a close friendship with an Italian exchange student — and encouraged by his Italian professor, Franco Manca — he decided to experience Italy for himself and immerse himself in the language and culture he had long admired.
“Through the USAC program, I made a lot of Torino friends, traveled, and learned a lot in classes — one of my professors was even a retired director of the United Nations. There were some talented professors there and that was very eye-opening,” he said. “The whole experience was fun. There was no culture shock, and I even met a lot of English-speaking people abroad.”
One of his most impactful lessons wasn’t discovered in a classroom; it was found around the table.
“The culinary was so different. It wasn’t just the food; it was how they ate it. They would sit and enjoy the pleasure of eating. It wasn’t rushed; it was a ritual that could last a couple of hours,” he said.
Tim’s semester abroad sparked a passion for authentic Italian cuisine. After a year back in Reno, he couldn’t resist the urge to return. So, he headed back to Italy to visit friends, not knowing the next time he’d be back in Reno would be nearly 15 years later.
It was also there in Tuscany where his culinary career truly began.
“A good friend got me through the door of my first restaurant job. I spent several years working in restaurants throughout Tuscany,” he said. “It was how I met my [Roman] wife, Cristina. After we got married, we opened a small restaurant in Italy and ran that for about six years. After our children were born, we decided to return to Reno.”
In 2016, Tim Magee opened an Italian restaurant, Calafuria, with his wife and business partners.
According to their restaurant website:
“The name Calafuria was inspired by a beautiful cove on the coast south of Livorno where Tim and his wife used to hang out — a memento of truly happy moments. They ran their own restaurant, Le Nuvole, in the charming medieval town of Suvereto, where they earned their rightful place in the most important national Restaurant Guidebooks, like the Gambero Rosso, the Espresso, and the Michelin.”
Today, Tim still sees the impact of his USAC Torino study abroad experience. Beyond the language skills and professional opportunities he gained, he credits his experience with expanding his perspective, helping him connect with people from different backgrounds, and teaching him to see the world through more than one lens.
“USAC opened the door. It made traveling less scary. It made meeting people easier. It fundamentally changed me as a person,” Tim said. “This was a once-in-a-lifetime decision — that first day getting on the airplane changed everything.”
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