Joining forces in Ea(s)t Lombardy

It’s true, it was raining. Yet as Enrico Cerea told us in this interview the other day, when things are too easy, there’s something wrong, hence the rain was only the latest, brilliantly overcome obstacle: it didn’t harm the beautiful event which on Sunday united in an unforgettable celebration the 50th anniversary of Da Vittorio, the official presentation of Ea(s)t Lombardy (for European Region of Gastronomy in 2017), on top of the opening of the Year of Tourism in Lombardy.

Three events in one, as “union” was the key word. We could speak of synergy, or teamwork: that is to say something that for too long was missing in our restaurant scene and in our country in general. Instead, having put local interests aside, here are four territories that go arm in arm: Bergamo, Brescia, Cremona and Mantua. Here is the choice, in the words of the mayor of Bergamo, Giorgio Gori, of «connecting our excellences, both the cultural and natural heritage, and the wine and food one».

The other representatives shared the same idea. The mayor of Cremona, Gianluca Galimberti: «Working together is the skill of the future for Italy. And in this case it implies a unique experience combining art, taste and music». The assessor from Mantua Andrea Murari: «I’m here because my mayor is at work in our city, the capital of culture in 2016 and for this reason a protagonist in today’s Feast of Lombardy. Yet to us participating in Ea(s)t Lombardy is even more important, both because it gives value to the food and wine supply chain, which is vital, but most of all because we have learnt that working together is essential». The vice-mayor of Brescia, Laura Castelletti: «We’re working together with the main goal of improving our hospitality potential». Professor Roberta Garibaldi, the project’s scientific director: «Our strong point is indeed working together». The regional assessor Mauro Parolini: «Ea(s)t Lombardy combines great ideas. We know how to work as a team. This great acknowledgement to the history of Da Vittorio shows that we’re a region of excellences, even in terms of cooking».

All right. Yet in the beautiful monastery of Astino, at last restored and spic and span for the occasion, Paolo Marchi advised not to think they are too beautiful. «We need people to know us more and better. We need to realise this is an extraordinary area for gourmands, yet we must not speak only among ourselves, think we’re always the best, no matter what. It will also be necessary to make people abroad realise how much we’re worth, because we cannot give for granted that the world already knows us».

An important step forward was taken yesterday, the press conference was packed with journalists, not (only) Italians: from Santiago del Chile to Bangkok, many important authors arrived from all around the world. And they made a well deserved applause to Enrico Cerea, who was speaking in the name of his incredible family: «We’ve organised everything in less than a month and a half – the chef explained – It was hard, but we’ve made it. What we’ve enjoyed the most was getting the involvement of the starred chefs from the four territories (not all the ones we wanted: but we’ll have one year and a half to work together and make up for this!) and nobody, really nobody, said no. Thank you».

So 600 guests tasted the delicacies made by the greatest toques in the four territories, from Riccado Camanini to Stefano Cerveni, from Daniel Facen to Santini, and then Philippe Léveillé, Romano Tamani and all the others we named here. Minister Maurizio Martina explained: «It was right to support Ea(s)t Lombardy because it perfectly fits in the heritage of Expo. Until now the wine and food and touristic industry of East Lombardy were not given much value because of the focus on the industry. Today we want people abroad to realise what a treasure chest we have». East Lombardy mean business. And Gori proved it when he announced: «We think a great International Cooking School can be born here in Astino. It will not happen the day after the next, but we’re sure we can make it».