Page 45 of A Place in the Sun
Later that day at La Tavola, a group of us sit under the whitewashed domed ceiling, with a big jug of water on the table and cups of coffee, the fragrance of roasting beans filling the room.
‘It’s no good opening as a restaurant. There isn’t the trade,’ says Giovanni. ‘People don’t come here on holiday.’
‘It’s a very traditional Tuscan village,’ says Alfonso. ‘People came years ago but not now. They go to the better-known towns. Only someone who didn’t know what they were doing would buy a place here.’ He grins at me sympathetically. ‘Sorry.’
‘People love the authentic Italian experience, though,’ I say. ‘Maybe we could try for some press coverage, entice some bloggers here to see what you’re doing, get them talking about La Tavola.’
Caterina nods. ‘Great idea.’
But Giovanni shakes his head. ‘Only trouble is, that’s not going to pay the rent, which is due in four weeks.’
The same day as my deadline to have the house finished.
My iPad is pinging with messages on the table next to me.
Luca’s head pops up: he’s playing on his phone, clearly delighted to have Wi-Fi here, then shuffles guiltily. He’s hardly used it since we arrived here but this morning, he’s been glued to it. ‘It was just an idea,’ he says.
I open the iPad to read the messages coming in. ‘What was just an idea, Luca?’
‘Me and Pietro thought we’d test the water. See if we’d get any response,’ he says. ‘I put up a few videos on TikTok of when we’re all here.’
Giovanni and Caterina pull out their phones.
‘I made a page. La Tavola.’
‘And what’s it about?’ I ask.
‘Being here. La Tavola. I thought we could do a cooking school, like being back with Dad in the kitchen, making lasagne. All around the table, learning how to cook … and then eat together. Like we do here on Sundays. He always said food tastes better with good company.’
Giovanni is smiling at Luca. ‘Well, this place was set up to help the community and for them to eat together.I hadn’t thought about passing on my skills, teaching people to cook. But you’re right! Eating together and learning to cook go hand in hand. They bring people together. That’s what La Tavola has always been about.’
Likes are pouring in for the newly formed page.
‘I didn’t know if you’d go for the idea, so I thought I’d test it. It was something Dad used to talk about. He’d say that when he gave up the restaurant he’d find a bunch ofnonnas to come in and teach people how to cook properly becausenonnas always know best!’
I study the post:Want to cook in a traditional Italian kitchen and learn how to make lasagne, like Nonna’s?
‘Luca! What have you done? A cookery school? It’s madness! It makes no sense. We can’t do this. You’ll have to take the post down. I don’t know why you put it up without saying anything.’
‘I didn’t want to make you sad, talking about one of Dad’s ideas. Thought I’d see if it was any good first.’
The likes are still coming in.
‘You’re like your dad, thinking of this. But it would take lots of organizing. It would need advertising, marketing and planning.’
‘And I have a house to plaster,’ says Giovanni.
We pause.
‘But it’s absolutely brilliant!’
21
‘Where have you posted this, Luca?’ Giovanni asks.
‘Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads and TikTok. It’s had loads of likes. And requests for images.’
‘Well, that’s good to hear!’ He smiles. ‘And it’s a great idea. But we can’t run this withoutnonnas to teach.’
