AUTHENTICITY AND QUALITY EVEN IN WAR TIME
Roberto Armaroli is the chef patron of Antica Cantina in Odessa and a veteran of Ukraine, where he has worked since 2008. Without sacrificing authenticity and quality, he has created a business model that works even during wartime. "Our authentic recipes deserve to be celebrated. Because Made in Italy is not a brand. It's a legacy." Odessa, a city with a past intertwined with Italy and Naples, is his second home. Full interview in Melius newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/detcR9Qj
“I fell in love with the building of Antica Cantina in 2019. It is an architectonic jewel by the Italian Giorgio Torricelli, from the 1830’s. It looked perfect for what I had in mind. It needed 2 long years to be restored”.
"In the basement, I make modern, 2026, Italian cuisine. In the menu upstairs I have dishes coming from my grandmother Letizia's kitchen; I come from a family of restaurateurs".
"Even though I live in a country at war, I manage to find the best ingredients. They come from Moldova, the tuna comes from the Black Sea, and the meat and vegetables here are excellent. I get very good dairy products from an Italian who makes them in Kiev."
"Having everything in the menu in a country at war isn't necessary. We offer an hour and a half of relaxation in a comfortable Italian setting. In war, in any case, you can't afford unnecessary luxuries; my dishes are based on three elements”.
"Those who come to Antica Cantina know that the food here is Italian. I sell culture, gastronomic culture, and Italian hospitality. My customers come for Roberto Armaroli, for Italy. To eat, not to be seen. Of course, I have an advantage: after so many years, I know what they want and even how to write it on the menus".
"We also have an academy; it's part of our Italian restaurant business. We sell training, not just for Ukrainians but for young people from all over Central Europe".
"Communication today, social media, are important, for Antica Cantina as for all Italian restaurants around the world. We sell the Roberto’s brand, on Instagram, on Facebook. Not on TikTok, no; I refuse to let it get to that level."
“I see the future of Italian restaurants outside of Italy as positive. Obviously, if we make simple Italian cuisine, with great technique and excellent products. If the products are of poor quality, if we put profit above everything else, or try to adapt the taste to what people want, then we won't get very far”.
“For me? My dream is to open a small restaurant seating 12-16, with a good sommelier, where I can serve the best of the best regional Italian cuisine.”