Lecturer, book author (Bibliotheca Culinaria - Fabbri Editore ), chef, editorial contributor (La cucina italiana), television face (La prova del cuoco), business consultant, expert in fruit and vegetable carving and the decoration of dishes and the table, and much more. All in a person with a family and offspring and not yet 40 years old.... But how did you do it? How did you succeed in all this?
As a young boy, the choice was made to enroll in the hotel institute and ... fate would have it that, although somewhat unconsciously at first, I was in the place where one of the greatest loves of my life would be born: a passion for cooking! It plays to the fact that in schools of this kind you start gaining experience in the field at a very young age! My curiosity and even a bit of "stubbornness" then allowed me to get around a lot, meeting different masters, to whom I owe a great deal! Not least the support of the family, which has always warmly "supported" all my big and small "exploits."
I know you like to call yourself an "expert cook," it is a term I like a lot, which takes you, even a little cunningly, right out of the fray. What exactly do you mean by that, what is your concept of good cooking and experienced cooking?
The choice of this nomenclature (which I also put on my business cards), comes from my passion for Pellegrino Artusi, an enthusiast, a forerunner, "the unifier of Italy in the kitchen" who lived in the era of the unification of Italy. And ... somewhat in spite of the contemporary trend of "Englishizing" everything, amidst so many chefs, executive chefs, cooking show-men, etc., there is also me who Italianissimamente likes to call myself an expert cook!!! Cooking is mix of technique, study of raw material and tradition. Experience is belonging to a history, it is following the footprints of other greater ones and learning from them while knowing how to add your own.
Your cooking is described as fresh, fragrant and didactic ... because your dishes-often vegetable-based-also appeal to children, whom you skillfully entice to eat through the rich flavors you manage to impart to the vegetables and through the fun and surprising presentations of the dishes. I know that you personally grow herbs and scents from the garden. What value do you place on authenticity, respect for the territoriality of fresh produce, and the seasonality of food?
I believe that these you listed are the basics of good cooking! I believe in the importance of teaching and spreading the value of respect for the raw materials that we use even in the kitchen, because paying attention to the origin of a product, for example, observing it when we buy it, choosing it even respecting its seasonality is an advantage not only for the taste of what we then bring to our tables, but even more to gain will also be our pockets and our planet always so in need of our attention and ready to repay us immediately after receiving it!
Since you are passionate about the subject, I would like to address with you a difficult, somewhat hot and much debated topic. I am talking about the "organic" product. In your experience, is it a termie that can really put consumers at ease that they are consuming a natural and safe product?
I believe that the label should be considered and can in a sense guarantee the quality of a product. It is also true that where it would be possible, it would always be better to be able to buy directly from the producer, shortening the trade routes and promoting the activity of all the small-scale producers nowadays so threatened by big distribution.
At the moment you don't have your own restaurant, and of course with your hectic business, I really don't know how you would have one, but I would like to know if it will be part of your plans sooner or later. Don't you sometimes miss having your own space for experimentation and customer contact, where you can immediately touch the impact of one of your creations with the end user?
I confirm that to date I do not have my own restaurant, but I do not deny that I have thought about it several times. Dreams in the drawer should never be lacking! And maybe someday I will have a place (maybe a little different from the common concept of a restaurant) where I can welcome my guests... For the moment, I do not lack places where I can experiment... first of all the kitchen at home that I wanted a little bit tailored to me... (but my wife also moves there very well!!!) Where also together with our little girl we find ourselves in our free time to invent, try... "mess" and clearly taste!!!
I know that you cultivate many passions, and this makes you one of those rare cases of "stars of this golden firmament," who perhaps have not stopped growing, taking an interest in life in all its aspects, still you have not closed yourself in your perfect hermitage of "guru" of cooking and this in my opinion is really a point in your favor. But where do you find the time to also take up canaries and horses, fishing and cycling? And what else? What are the real priorities in your life?
My priorities are my wife and baby and family in general. Sometimes commitments overpower everything a bit, and since I love my profession, I think it's okay to let that happen, grit my teeth a bit and get on with it... But when it's possible to devote yourself to your hobbies as well, it's a pleasure. I should also add that for my character I am not one to do things just to do them... if I start something I like to go well into it... so rather I have happened to give up or postpone some interest as long as I can fully enjoy it at appropriate times!
If frequenters of this blog would like to get in touch with you, are you contactable at any Internet address or in any social network ?
With pleasure! My site is currently under construction. I use the Internet a lot and find it a great tool to stay in touch and meet people who are interested, curious, and passionate like me. I enjoy it very much. My e-mail address is sergiobarzetti@virgilio.it and I am also on facebook where I try to keep the page updated especially with respect to my TV commitments. I look forward to seeing many of you there!
Interview by Monica Palla
