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OCT. NOV. 2019 XV product,” continues the Founder at Food Confidential – Each region has its own type that excels as porcini mushrooms, chanterelles, trumpets, columbines ... and it is interesting to discover how every chef proposes them on the menu as if it were a bit ‘food of memory, because linked to memories or to the country of origin. A seasonal goodness that must be treated with great responsibility by the collector, the seller and the buyer. It should not be forgotten that the fungus is part of a general ecosystem that must be preserved, which is why at regional level strict regulations have been drawn up for the collection of a certain quantity, on the methods with the absolute abolition of plastic containers and the obligation of hampers and baskets, in addition to the initial cleaning to be done at the base of the stem mushroom directly on site, so that the spores can regenerate in their natural habitat. Excessive demand for the product must therefore be prohibited and contained, precisely in order to respect the cyclical nature of the product. “ The beauty, besides the goodness, of mushrooms is that of being able to adapt to any type of dish, from appetizers to dessert,” concludes Di Nunzio. “We start from the classic recipes but nothing prevents us from enjoying them even in combinations that may seem a bit daring such as those with fish, such as a lobster with porcini mushrooms. There are other special dishes, such as that of chef Claudio Gargioli who makes a guinea fowl with mushrooms and black beer, a dish also told by the Latin writer and gastronome Apicio.” All that remains is to give free rein to the culinary flair of the chefs and to the tradition that still remains well anchored in the tasty trattorias and home kitchens where, with pride and satisfaction, you can eat an abundant plate of tagliatelle with mushrooms. ______________________________ BOX SUPERFOOD Despite the fact that in Italy there are different varieties of edible mushrooms, the search for and consumption of superfood mushrooms, especially those coming from Japan, is becoming increasingly fashionable. Many chefs use certain types of mushrooms in their kitchens, such as shiitake and matsutake, which are excellent for the body and rich in mineral salts even though, depending on their origin, they are very expensive. A kind of intercultural dialogue since Italy also exports many mushrooms, mainly dried mushrooms, to Asian countries. AT PAGE 52 IN THE RESTAURANT Back to School Professional training to intercept the new macro-trends related to digital even if we are a small establishment, a bar, a wine shop or, simply, a builder of F&B emotions By Maria Elena Dipace In today’s economic fabric, hospitality and administration are increasingly intertwined. Food is now to be considered a cornerstone in the design of a journey, fuelled and promoted by the increasing use of social media and digital platforms that make it crucial to increase the positive sentiment of the traveller. On the other hand, data from Food&Wine Tourism shows how the food and wine aspect (in the broadest sense) has become the most important attraction for tourist destinations: from mountains or beaches, to cities of art. In this setting, it is necessary to broaden one’s vision of management and planning of one’s own activity, in a more far- sighted way, interconnected with the nearby sectors and product areas, with a fresh and updated managerial approach. Every operator in the food&beverage sector – from the pizzeria to the star-rated restaurant – is ‘obliged’ to acquire today a business culture and, above all, a digital culture. Because the modern user books via the web, finds the place using maps from the mobile, reading the reviews of other users and after choosing the dishes from the digital menu on the site or social page of the store. Are about 330,000 Italian administration activities ready for a transformation of this kind? To answer this question, we asked one of the leading experts in Digital Food Marketing, Nicoletta Polliotto, project manager, consultant, content curator and brand strategist for Food & Travel companies. THE EXPERT’S ADVICE Digital is just the tip of the iceberg: do we want to talk about mobile payment and cryptocurrency? Automation and new management concepts to optimize food costs and table rotation? How to manage a database, a CRM and an existing customer loyalty program that costs at least 60 times less than the acquisition of new customers? To become a modern administrator, you need to be part food&wine experience designer and part skilled manager. You have to go back to the desks (I call it ‘Back to School’): study, train and inform the most talented staff, to build and bond winning teams. After my 2 books dedicated to digital marketing applied to catering and food&beverage, I questioned myself and understood that the answer was that of ... joining up the dots, to build a wider and more panoramic picture. This is where the project for the DMT Digital Marketing Turismo