Why did somebody who hates cheese choose to go to Italy?

I've had my first run in with a chef over my lack of enthusiasm for the gross moldy substance everybody else in the world adores but me. I ordered macaroni with vodka sauce at a restaurant called Acqua al 2 (soo good and literally 20 feet from my front door!) and asked for it "senzo formaggio". Miraculously, the waitress didn't say anything, she also didn't shoot me a nasty or incredulous look. However, about five minutes after ordering the chef came out and asked who ordered their meal without cheese. Everybody looked pointedly at me. He asked if I was allergic and I stupidly answered honestly. From now on I'm definitely going to lie when confronted because he looked at me like I was the weirdest thing he had ever encountered. He asked me where I was from and when I said America he literally said "duh." OBVIOUSLY this guy loves me now. I clarified that I was from New Jersey and he asked me if I was Italian.... clearly I look Italian with my dark skin and hair. I said no and this clearly solidified his dislike for me as he shook his head and went back into the kitchen while calling out "NO CHEESE". Just making some new best friends in Florence.

On a brighter note, last night we went to another restaurant where I discovered CHEESELESS PIZZA!!!!... the kind that is made to be cheeseless as opposed to my usual alterations on the meal. It's called "Pizza Marinara". People had told me about this before but I always thought it was an urban legend or something. Needless to say, I'm in love.