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restaurateurs have taken advantage
of this business opportunity or is
there still much to do?
I would distinguish between
problems of food intolerance/allergy
and new food trends.
In the first case, we are faced with a
great deal of undertaking. We cannot
underestimate the health of our
guests. Our job is to feed people and
make them feel good. I often notice
a complete carelessness by some
chefs regarding this matter, which
can cause serious health problems for
unfortunate customers. In the second
case, however, now, the trend leads
us to be all vegans, health-conscious
and self-righteous...
I believe that the Mediterranean
diet provides the answer to this
matter, which is that you should eat
everything in correct measure and
without exaggerating the seasoning.
There is much talk of a ‘brain
drain’. Does it also happen in your
industry?
Not really. As I said, experience
abroad is the basis of those who
want to follow this professional
career. There is no shortage of
work in our country and, if it is
done well, it is also paid properly.
I’ve never suffered problems on the
employment front: I came back from
one experience and immediately left
once more for new work adventures.
I have never given up and have
always considered the opportunities
that have been proposed to
me. The problem if any is that
compared to before now one thinks
they can become experienced
chef without putting in the “shift”,
without sacrifices, like working on
weekends or holidays.
What do you wish to say to those
who want to undertake this work?
This activity is the most beautiful
in the world if done with passion
and commitment. But we must keep
in mind the other side of the coin,
which is sacrifice and humility.
Everything comes if you commit
yourself with passion, but until then
we have to work hard and take as
much as possible from those who are
teaching us.
Do you still have unfulfilled
dreams...?
In order for dreams to come true,
they mustn’t be told, certainly a large
part of these I have already realised,
but who knows ....!!
______________________________
BOX
N.5 SPAGHETTI ON BROCCOLI
CREAM, WITH CRISPY BACON
AND SAVOURY RICOTTA
Ingredients for 4 people
360g n.5 Spaghetti
300g broccoli
2 anchovy fillets in oil
30g bacon
20g extra virgin olive oil
15g savoury ricotta1 clove of garlic
Salt to taste
Procedure:
clean and cut broccoli in small
florets. In a pot with boiling salted
water, boil the broccoli and keep
the cooking water. Place a pan on
medium heat and add half of the oil
in the recipe, as soon as it starts to
heat add the previously blanched
broccoli and sauté for a few minutes,
if you need to add a few tablespoons
of cooking water, finish by adding
the anchovy fillets and remove
from the heat. Blend everything
together. In the water used to cook
the broccoli, cook the pasta for two
minutes, in the meantime put the
rest of the oil in a pan with the garlic
cut into small pieces, add the pasta
and cook directly in the pan, adding
the cooking water from the pasta a
little at a time. Take the bacon, place
it in a sheet of baking paper and
cook for about 40 seconds in MW,
remove from the oven and dab with
absorbent paper.
The bacon cooked in this way will
be crispy and at the same time more
digestible, as we will remove a large
part of fat.
Preparation of the dish: Put the
broccoli cream in the centre of the
dish, then arrange a small nest of
spaghetti previously sautéed and
finish with the savoury ricotta
cheese and crispy bacon.
______________________________
AT PAGE 34
IN THE RESTAURANT
Catering: a popular
business
There are many industrial groups,
not only in the food sector, which
decide to invest in catering. Here are
some experiences
By Elena Consonni
It starts with a restaurant, but already
with the aim of creating a format to
replicate: when industry launches
into catering it does so in style, with
structured projects.
Because catering is a business and
must pay off. Because it is a showcase
for presenting to the world its
corporate messages and values.
Because it is a flagship, which
enriches and completes its corporate
image.
For companies in the food sector, the
restaurant also becomes a preferential
channel for the sale of its products,
a sort of “evolved shop” where the
recipe enhances the quality of the
product.
ROMAGNA PROPOSAL
This is the case of Ca’ Pelletti, a chain
of restaurants that serves Romagna
cuisine, created as the “rib” of the
company Surgital.
“The Ca’ Pelletti project - explains
Elena Bacchini, sole director of Ca’
Pelletti Retail - was born with the
aim of making the customer feel like
they are in a corner of Romagna.
The atmosphere, the welcome and of
course the flavours of our land are
the matrix of Ca’ Pelletti”. Currently
there are three Ca’ Pelletti restaurants
(two in Bologna and one in Milan),
the short-term objective is to open a
fourth and perhaps a fifth as early as
2018: the most recent opening dates
back a few weeks ago in the heart of
Bologna.
“In the future,” she continues, “we
will probably also evaluate a formula
for affiliation. In the next three
months we will define the three-year
plan that will outline in a precise way
the development strategies that we
are putting into place.
And to look at the numbers, the hard
work pays off: the two most “historic”
restaurants (2013 in Bologna and 2015
in Milan) have started 2018 recording
+20% growth
and the latest one is already
performing very well.