Family bestows late grandmother's beloved sauce pot on next generation

Maddy DeVita spoke with "Good Morning America" about the now-viral moment.

Family bestows late grandmother's beloved sauce pot on next generation
Maddy DeVita
February 12, 2025, 3:53 PM

A private chef has gone viral after receiving a small piece of her grandmother's rich family history that will surely stand the test of time in the kitchen and continue to simmer, stew and serve incredible dishes for generations to come.

Maddy DeVita shared a now-viral video recap from a family gathering last month in Paramus, New Jersey, after the death of her Nonna Marie DeVita. During the gathering, the family of seven kids and multiple grandchildren celebrated Marie DeVita by reminiscing and selecting pieces from her collection of jewelry and accessories.

But one beloved item that was not on display or up for grabs was a beloved kitchen tool: Marie DeVita's sauce pot, originally a wedding present in 1954.

Maddy DeVita's uncle gifting his mother's beloved sauce pot at a family gathering celebrating her 96 years of life.
Maddy DeVita

In the video, Maddy DeVita's uncle is seen pulling the pot from a box and addressing the family, saying, "I laid claim on this pot like 20 years ago -- this was very special to me because my mom taught me to make risotto in this pot."

He then says he has the privilege of passing down the piece of cookware to the next generation of great cooks in the family.

"This is a wonderful pot that needs to be passed down to the next generation -- and that's going to be... Maddy," he says, amid shouts of joy and applause from the whole family.

Maddy DeVita recounted the sweet moment while speaking with "Good Morning America."

"It was so incredibly emotional because the pot is an heirloom for my entire family," she said.

She added that during the pandemic, she spent lots of time cooking with her Nonna and said "almost all of her recipes involved the sauce pot."

Maddy DeVita inherits her late grandmother's sauce pot after her uncle decided to gift it following his mom's passing at 96 in December.
Maddy DeVita

In the video she posted on Instagram, DeVita says she will "probably be hosting many, many Sunday family dinners" in the future, "which I am not complaining about."