One of the most evident and widespread byproducts of the pandemic on the activities of Italian restaurants in Australia is that many venues have started selling fresh pasta and gnocchi.
In some cases, the most enterprising restaurateurs launched themselves into web-based masterclasses, very often focussed on gnocchi.
Fabio Baldi, 38 from Varese, was one of the first to focus on this dish, opening together with his partner, Michele Circhirillo, two restaurants specializing in pizza and gnocchi.
"The first lockdown resulted in losses of 60%, but we decided not to give up and turned our premises into small supermarkets", Fabio told SBS Italian.
First lockdown vs second lockdown
"We feel the second one more, perhaps because people are afraid. But even in this case we decided to invent something different, such as the kits to prepare gnocchi at home and the online masterclasses, to teach our customers how to cook them".
Fabio also introduced the novelty of the sale of bulk wine, offered to the public in 'glasses' (which are actually vials) so as not to waste the contents of the open bottles.
Una tipica gnocchi masterclass organizzata dal ristorante Tipico di Windsor, a Melbourne Source: courtesy of Marco Scalisi - Instagram @tipico.melbourne
The idea was also explored by Marco Scalisi, originally from Catania, who manages the Tipico restaurant in Melbourne, from where he organizes cooking lessons via Zoom in which people from faraway locations such as Singapore and New York also participate.
"Gnocchi are ideal for group masterclasses, not because they are fashionable or because they are easier to make, but because they are more suitable than other pasta cuts in case of food intolerances. For some companies we have organized masterclasses with 40 people"
- Restrictions forced Italian eateries down-under to review procedures, activities and offers
- The crisis has helped to create a sense of community and stimulate creativity, as shown by the case of Fabio Baldi and Michele Circhirillo
- Many of Victoria's restaurateurs are surviving the second lockdown thanks to online gnocchi sales and masterclasses
The reasons for gnocchi's success
"Gnocchi have become an international dish. One of the secrets of the proliferation of the masterclasses lies in the fact that in Melbourne people are fascinated by traditions", explains Fabio Baldi of 48h Pizza e Gnocchi bar.
"Every initiative is used to minimise losses, but they don't make money. At the moment this situation is a little scary, but in the future people will be even happier to go out to eat outside."
Con la chiusura del locale, Fabio Biscaldi e Michele Circhirillo hanno anche cominciato a vendere vino e liquore al bicchiere Source: Instagram @48hpizzaegnocchibar
Listen to the interview with Fabio Balda and Marco Scalisi.
LISTEN TO
Australia, con la crisi è scoppiata la gnocchi-mania
SBS Italian
19/07/202022:04
