When Italian photographer Gabriele Galimberti left home for a whirlwind couchsurfing tour of the world, his grandmother only had one fear: that her precious bambino would’t get a tasty, home cooked meal during his travels. This was not the case, however, because wherever Gabriele went he found doting grandmothers willing to whip up their signature, family-approved dishes for a hungry boy on the go. Seeing the opportunity for an amazing look into the private lives (and secret recipes) of some of the world’s wisest creatures, Gabriele picked up his camera and documented the cooking process and presentation of these much-loved meals.

Because really, there’s nothing better than grandma’s cooking. My grandmother’s signature dish is something called “spaghetti bake,” which is exactly what it sounds like – a big bowl of spaghetti plopped into a dish and baked until it has a golden crust. Like many of the cooked-with-love meals you’ll see in the photo series below, this probably doesn’t sound too appetizing to you. But god knows I’d mow down a heaping plate of spaghetti bake right now if I had some, and you would too if you know that it had been prepared by the careful hands of your nanna.

You can check out all of Galimberti’s photos of the world’s grandmas cooking their favorite meals on his website (complete with recipes for each photographed dish), but in the meantime, take a bite out of this hearty selection of home cooked deliciousness around the globe. Fun fact: that’s Gabriele’s real grandma in the photo from Italy:

Armenia

Jenya Shalikashuili, 58 years old | Alaverdi, Armenia
Tolma (roll of beef and rice wrapped into grape leaves)

China

Pan Guang Mei, 62 years old | Chongqing, China
Hui Guo Rou (twice-cooked pork with vegetables)

Haiti

Serette Charles, 63 years old | Saint-Jean du Sud, Haiti
Lambi in creole sauce

India

Grace Estibero, 82 years old | Mumbai, India
Chicken vindaloo

Italy

Marisa Batini, 80 years old | Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Swiss chard and ricotta Ravioli with meat sauce

Lebanon

 Wadad Achi, 66 years old | Beirut, Lebanon
Mjadara (rice and lentils cream)

Malawi

Regina Lifumbo, 53 years old | Mchinji, Malawi
Finkubala (Caterpillar in tomato sauce)

Morocco

Meija Bankach, 62 years old | Massa, Morocco
Chicken Tajine

Philippines

Carmen Alora, 70 years old | El Nido, Philippines
Kinunot (shark in coconut soup)

Thailand

Boonlom Thongpor, 69 years old | Bangkok, Thailand
Kai Yat Sai (stuffed omelette)

United States

Susann Soresen, 81 years old | Homer, Alaska
Moose steak

Melanie Hill , 50 years old | American Fork, Utah
Chocolate Toffee Trifle