Culinary fashions abruptly follow one another, focusing attention on the world of chefs and forgetting the theatre of the restaurant: the dining room. This interview, conducted by the editors of Typigo, allows you to delve into the topic of room service with one of the best people in this field, Vincenzo Donatielloa man from the South, from Lucania in Lavello, sommelier with a long apprenticeship and since 2013 in the three-star Michelin Cathedral Square of chef Enrico Crippa as manager and head sommelier. His commitment and dedication has been recognised by multiple prizes: in 2004 Best Junior Sommelier of Italy, in 2010 Best Sommelier of Romagna, in 2013 Personage of the Year according to the magazine Italia a Tavola, Best Room Manager from the Touring Club Hotels and Restaurants Guide and recently Maître of the Year 2018 for the L'Espresso Restaurant Guide.
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You are one of the best restaurant managers in the 16th best restaurant in the world according to the 50 Best, what path would you recommend to a young Lucanian who wants to follow?
I certainly recommend building a base, which can be that of a hotel institute or alternative courses if you have already tackled another course of study, and in this regard I am thinking of the courses of NoidiSala, of Alma, of the Intrecci school. An aspect that should not be underestimated is the desire for continuous study, application, travel to discover wines and gastronomic realities: one must always keep up with the times.
Many young people are attracted to the figure of the star chef. Is it difficult to find wait staff or is something changing?
Fortunately, something is changing, albeit very slowly. Ours is a special job that requires a lot of sacrifice but at the same time is a harbinger of satisfaction and moments of pure adrenaline.
What evolution has there been in the way catering has been conceived in Basilicata over the last 25 years?
In Basilicata there is a glimmer that goes beyond tradition. By this I do not mean that we should not look back, but realities such as Dimora Ulmo in Matera, the star of the late Frank Rizzuti, and Savino Di Noia's desire to build beyond tradition in Lavello show that you can do something more while remaining faithful and anchored to your origins.
What do you think of Lucanian products? Which do you particularly like? Is there a product, perhaps little known to most, that you would like to recommend to us?
I believe that in Basilicata we have an infinite wealth of agri-food products and choosing becomes difficult: from the peperone crusco of Senise to the broad beans of Lavello, the great tradition of homemade pasta, caciocavallo and pecorino cheeses, the taste of sheep meat, Aglianico del Vulture... choosing is impossible.
The flight of talent from Basilicata, but from the entire south... what do you think about this and what could be the countermeasures?
The countermeasures must start from the territory and the institutions: unfortunately, in the past, social shock absorbers were widely used and today we are paying for this situation. I think we need to start by redeveloping the territories, investing in young people and in the tertiary sector, at the same time we need to make people understand that we cannot 'live' on state aid alone, I have seen many situations in this regard and they are the ones that drove me away.
The first memory related to food.
Vegetables from Grandma Maria's garden. In the summer I used to go with her to the countryside and I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to encounter the true taste of so many vegetable products from an early age.
How important is the synergy between the hall and the kitchen?
It is fundamental: the kitchen creates and prepares but the dining room is the direct contact with the customer, the thermometer of the situation. If the two do not travel in the same direction, flattering results will not be achieved.
Is there an episode from the service that you remember with pleasure?
I have a memory related to a very difficult, distrustful US customer who demanded to speak and confront himself exclusively with me in the restaurant. Within a few months he came back to see us a dozen times and thanks to the work done by the brigade, we won him over and he almost cried the last time he came back to see us.
Is there a characteristic trait of the Lucanian people that you carry with you despite the distance?
Perseverance, we are hard heads and nothing frightens us on the way to a goal!
We would like to close this interview with the poetry of Leonardo Sinisgalli: 'There are many Lucanians around the world, but no one sees them, they are not exhibitionists. The Lucano, more than any other people, live well in the shade. (...) When he walks he prefers to take off his shoes, to go barefoot. When he works, he doesn't speak, doesn't sing. It is not clear where he has drawn so much patience, so much endurance'.
Piazza Duomo. Piazza Risorgimento, 4 (corner of Vicolo dell'Arco). Alba (Cn). Tel. +39 0173 366167
[Images: Marco Varoli, Unsocials, Marco Gualazzini].
