1. How are you? How are you living in the moment? With mixed feelings. A great serenity for having rediscovered the times and spaces that the life of an innkeeper had taken away from me: being home early in the evening, being able to have a drink with the family… rare privileges! But also with concern, because the blow was terrible!

2. Given the current situation, do you think it is still possible to do catering? We start from the assumption that in the DNA of the Friulians there is working hard and never giving up! So definitely yes! Of course it would have helped if clear and reassuring messages had arrived from those who govern us: a serious plan, and not a continuous succession of conflicting information. But we won't stop, that's for sure!

3. How did you organize yourself during this period? Do you offer a home delivery or takeaway service? I didn't leave immediately, I don't have the "gift" of improvisation like other colleagues I envy. I had never worked for takeout before, and first I started studying. Making sure that the frico arrives perfect on the tables of the Milanese was an obligation for me… and I think I succeeded! With my scooter I discovered a new way of catering, which at least allowed us to "survive" in this incredible period.

4. Catering is not just "food". How can you make up for the lack of contact with the customer? How can you still make "an experience live"? People are afraid, this cannot be denied, I hear people's speeches. I can continue to offer the best regional dishes accompanied by excellent wines, and I can try to make everyone feel at home, as it always has been. However, it will take time for people to regain that serenity that was there before, especially here in Milan which has been battered by the virus.

5. Would you reopen the place to customers? Would you feel ready? I reopened now, yes. Ready or not ready, this is my place. I can add that on Sunday 31st May we had the first dinner since 7th March and it was a great emotion. Fewer tables in the main room but filled with 8 out of 9 tables, new people, familiar people, old friends. They were all there.

6. When you can reopen, what will you focus on to convince customers to come back? What are your strengths? Those that have always distinguished L'Osteria della Stazione - L'Originale: the opportunity to discover a little-known cuisine and region, doing it with sincerity, frankness, and great willpower.

7. In what ways will catering still have to improve? There is a need to fight and get your hands dirty. There is a need for inventiveness. And the typical tenacity of the Friulians!

8. Have you thought of something new to offer? I have several ideas I'm working on, but don't let me anticipate anything. For good luck I will not tell you anything yet, but you will be the first to know!

9. In this period, what role does wine play in catering? The restaurants were closed, and with the take away people were ordering almost exclusively the dishes, not the wine. However, wine has been very present in people's lives in this lockdown. It remained one of the pleasures to hold on to. I launched "the hour of Tocai" on facebook: every morning at 11 I opened and presented a bottle of Tocai, including an unobtainable Friulano La Cricca 2016!

10. A positive message for your current and future customers. Can I in Friulano? Then this. A Furlan no stops cuant c'al è strac. It stops cuant c'al à finit. Never give up !!

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Osteria della Stazione - The Original

Via Popoli Uniti  26, 20125 Milan

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