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A talk with Francesco Cerea
10.10.22

A talk with Francesco Cerea

Photography by Piergiorgio Sorgetti

From September 26th to 30th, Mutina inaugurated its new Headquarters and presented seven new collections with two special nights, enlivened by a site-specific performance and a gourmet catering by the famous Da Vittorio restaurant.

From September 26th to 30th, Mutina inaugurated its new Headquarters and presented seven new collections with two special nights, enlivened by a site-specific performance and a gourmet catering by the famous Da Vittorio restaurant.

Founded in 1966 in Bergamo by Vittorio Cerea and his wife Bruna, Da Vittorio represents a culinary institution on an international level, that has been awarded three Michelin stars. Nowadays the family business is run by Bruna and her five sons, including Francesco Cerea, who is responsible for the cellar and the off-location catering, as well as public relations. During our encounter, Francesco told us about the values held by the restaurant, the importance of communicating with the client and his satisfaction. Also, he revealed us the history of the famous mezzi paccheri alla Vittorio, the star dish of their menu.
A talk with Francesco Cerea

While being an international culinary institution, Da Vittorio maintained a strong bond with territory and tradition. What are the main values of the family business?

Our core values are the love for the raw materials, the attention for human resources and the importance to choose a smart logistics, in order to understand where to place our brand.

In 2010 you’ve been awarded with the third Michelin star, symbol of an outstanding cuisine and impeccable details. What makes the experience at Da Vittorio so unique and inimitable?

Let’s pretend we’re the guests. When you arrive in a restaurant the greeting is important, of course. Speaking of our venue, everything should comply with the quality of what you see, the quality of life and the quality of those who welcome you. It’s the beauty of feeling good at 360 degrees. Food, service and beverage represent the heart of Da Vittorio, through which we provide our clients a unique experience. That’s what we like to do: serving customers who adore and love us just the way we are.

The mezzi paccheri alla Vittorio are your signature dish. They are so popular that, when you tried to remove them from the list in order to renovate the menu, they’ve been clamoured by the clients. What’s the history of this dish? What makes it so special in its simplicity?

The pacchero was born thanks to my dad. I remember that he was the one loving this plate, ever since I was a child, when it was prepared with spaghetti. At the time, the true protagonists of the restaurant were the maître, who flame cooked the food, often also in front of the clients: my dad drained the spaghetti and toss them in front of their eyes.

My chef brothers, Chicco and Bobo, introduced the mezzo pacchero and adjusted the recipe of the sauce, which is the very protagonist of this plate. It is made with three varieties of tomatoes, depending on the season, and it is enriched with a few secret spices. Of course, the young Parmesan makes the difference, creaming everything with a bit of Ligurian basil, fresh and knowingly sought out for the quality it has to give to the final plate. That’s it, in short this is the pacchero. Our true must. For sure the workhorse of Da Vittorio restaurant.

In the restaurant world, and especially that of catering, the communication and the relationship with the client play a fundamental role. When and how did you realise that you wanted to work on this particular aspect of the business?

I even wrote a book about catering, the title is Fuori dal ristorante (Out of the restaurant, ed.). My job is the so called “Da Vittorio restaurant not in-house”. Everything I can do outside, I do that on a yacht, on a plane, in a wheat field, at a farmhouse… I do it everywhere. The beautiful thing about this job is that it’s like editing a film on air. The execution is always different and I like that so much. It’s a new story, a new compromise, a new challenge, nothing is given for granted. If the chef notices that something when wrong with a dish, he can cook it again at a restaurant, but not outside. Ciak, action! just one time.

In order to succeed, we begin by discussing a smart logistic with the client, also based on the chosen menu. The first part concerns the compromise about the renting, the purchase and the human resources – which shouldn’t be underestimated. People have to be trained and I give lectures in several institutes about this, to help people understand what it means to throw themselves into a job that has no closing time, no festivity… it’s intriguing, I love it so much and I am glad that I have a lot of people around me, because we have widened the commitments on the various aspects of the business.

A talk with Francesco Cerea
A talk with Francesco Cerea
A talk with Francesco Cerea
Food, service and beverage represent the heart of Da Vittorio, through which we provide our clients a unique experience. That’s what we like to do: serving customers who adore and love us just the way we are.

What do you like the most about your job? And what’s the most challenging part?

Nowadays, the real challenge is to communicate with the client. The actual execution, that should be the most difficult, it’s the one that I face with more ease. Not because everything is obvious, but because it is run by an internal team. Convincing clients about what’s worst, what’s better and how to do it has become a very important and difficult part.

What are the phases for the development of a tailor-made service, conceived to harmonise with the spirit and needs of the client?

If the client gives me his trust, 99 on 100 I led him victory. Not because of the economic side, but because I choose the best route for both teams: the primary one, focusing on the satisfaction of the client and his guests, and that of my practical job, which has to be done in a certain way with the staff working behind the scenes. I need a kitchen and a back-office fully functioning, with fundamental steps and choices regarding deadlines, temperatures… also those of the weather, which is scary sometimes.

Da Vittorio organises events for more than 50 years and I think that the client’s trust is fundamental. Of course, you have to listen to the client, but also help him. Some times it’s easy, some times it is not, but everything begins with an initial path and as I always say: if you start well, you end well.

What’s the secret ingredient for a successful event, gratifying for both you and the client?

The secret ingredient is being able to satisfy the client, by being present from the very first day, when he calls us, to the last one, when he says goodbye. Usually with a nice message, or an email, or the gratification in knowing that he will be back. If the client comes back, it means he has been happy and that is fundamental.

During your career, you had the chance to meet people with positions of prestige, such as royalties and diplomats. Would you tell us an anecdote?

On 19 October 2000, at palazzo del Governo in Milan, I had the chance to serve the Queen Elizabeth, who passed over recently. I had the great honor to see her in person, closely, and I even gave her an advice about the risotto giallo alla Milanese!

A talk with Francesco Cerea
The pacchero was born thanks to my dad. I remember that he was the one loving this plate, ever since I was a child, when it was prepared with spaghetti. At the time, the true protagonists of the restaurant were the maître, who flame cooked the food, often also in front of the clients: my dad drained the spaghetti and toss them in front of their eyes.

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