Open and become a part owner in a restaurant in Italy? Sure, why not?
That’s exactly what happened several years ago when chef Jeremiah
Tower and I decided to try our hand at operating a ristorante
in a small hill town in Umbria, Italy. What no one tells you before
you arrive to attempt such an endeavor are the hoops you must jump
through, and the circus-type feats you must attempt to get the
necessary licenses and permits to start a business in Italy as a
foreigner. Madonna! It was like trying to squeeze olive oil
out of Cararra marble. Endless meetings with lawyers, police chiefs,
and building inspectors and we still didn’t have the necessary permits
and documentation to operate a business.
It all started in 2003 while on a three week trip to southern France and Italy. Italian friends told us about a small restaurant where the owner of the property (a small hotel along with the restaurant) was looking for a chef to become a part owner in the restaurant. Ristorante Carleni was located in Amelia, a small hill town in Umbria not too far from the well-known town of Todi, and relatively close to the A1 auto route. The A1 connects Rome to Florence and is heavily traveled. We looked at the restaurant and were intrigued. We initially thought that we might operate it on a seasonal basis opening in the spring and closing in the fall. We went back to try it out in the spring of 2004. After much effort and hand wringing we both decided that there were far too many roadblocks and difficulties, and opted not to proceed with the project. But this post isn’t really about the restaurant, it’s about beans.
I’m an Anglophile. The names of my sons say it all. Oliver and Barnaby. It wasn’t on purpose, but I accidentally copied Tom Stoppard, who happens to have two kids with the same names.