The love that Americans have for Italy is evergreen and indisputable. The evidence is in our collective celebration of cosi italiano across America’s regions and ethnic backgrounds, and the fact that Italy is year-after-year the #1 destination abroad for American travelers. And, of course, there’s the stories we love to follow of Americans who immerse in Il Bel Paese, like Stanley Tucci, Frances Mayes, and Elizabeth Gilbert (even yours truly has lived in Italy on two occasions and written about these experiences extensively). When we think of Italians in America, though, the image is of immigrants from the 20th century, fleeing poverty to establish a new identity that is part of the American melting pot. But America is not just a source of refuge for Italians from the previous centuries; it has been and continues to be a place for adventurous and romantic types to pursue a modernized version of the American Dream. Evidence of this can be found in three Italian couples who, by the sheer will of their ambition, buttressed by courage and the spirit of adventure, have come to New York in recent years to open eateries dedicated to their home regions. La Cucina Italiana has asked each couple to share their story.
Elena Salati and Riccardo Massetti of Cremini’s Aperitivo & Kitchen
Couple 1: Elena Salati and Riccardo Massetti of Cremini’s Aperitivo & Kitchen in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.
Where in Italy are you from?
Elena is from Piemonte, and I am from Le Marche. Our life together is in Le Marche, especially after Elena learned to cook the food from her new region in order to make my mother happy. And this is where we lived together.
What were your careers before coming to America?
Elena was an architect in Italy; in addition to this, she had a small catering company for events and weddings for which she was a chef. I worked for 20 years as a manager for several large companies in the marketing and communications branch. I focused on events, where I also dealt with catering.
What inspired the move to America?
In 2018, we were in the USA for a trip, and while we were on the road in California we had the first idea of changing our life. We love America and are happy when we are here, so we talked about it while we were traveling and said, “Why not?” Once back home, that "Why not?" become a more serious, precise, and professional idea we had to consider. We worked day and night to make it feasible, and in the end we realized it was possible. We developed a business plan based on a lot of market research. We were ready to introduce New York to the cuisine of Le Marche.
And when did you actually arrive?
Well, we had to get married first! That was the priority, and we were married on March 9, 2019, one month before moving to New York! We opened very casually on July 29, 2019, though our official opening didn’t happen until early 2020 as we wanted to make sure we were ready to, you know, go public.
How was the initial experience?
The experience was incredible. It’s not easy to develop a menu with unique specialties and, above all, to communicate a new type of Italian food to Americans who know lots of Italian food but not that of Le Marche. We liked this challenge and wanted to become a “point of destination” for people who wanted something new, different, and completely handmade. We wanted to make a place for our friends and neighbors to feel at home, but also — at the same time — teleported to Italy, to the Le Marche region, without the jetlag, as we say at Cremini's. We also wanted a multifunctional place with American and international culture, such as jazz evenings, poetry readings, painting exhibitions, and book presentations, and we are just getting to do this now.
How has the experience been for your relationship?
At the beginning it was very hard. We knew this, but a solution had to be a well-defined separation of roles. We have imposed these rules from the beginning and now, after two years, we have found our balance and time for ourselves. In American vernacular, for the most part, I am the front of the house and Elena is the back, though she is often physically up front, too! She is too friendly to stay all night in the kitchen. People like to meet her, too, so it is good for business and for our lives.
Which of your regional foods have the Americans most enjoyed?
I would say everything that we offer from our region is highly appreciated! We are so glad that our customers, our friends, have tried and loved the fried stuffed Ascolana olives in six different flavors, and our Crescia sandwich, which was #1 for Eater in New York. They enjoy the Pasta le Marche, which are fried fettuccine balls, and of course our namesake Cremini, fried custard from Le Marche also in six different flavors. Now, also, our refined fresh pasta is very much appreciated, such as Rigatoni all’Arrabbiata and Squid ink Linguine! A very nice surprise is how much everyone loves Elena’s hamburger!
What about America have you enjoyed most?
We love it all! There is not a day that a different thing does not happen in our life. It seems to be in a movie: You are the protagonist and every day you live this reality of Brooklyn. Brooklyn enters your blood fast and makes you part of this mythical city. You are in the center of the world, and this is a unique feeling. This is what we dreamed when we dreamed of coming here, and it is truly better than what we imagined.
What has been the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge was turning everything on paper, in theory, into reality. We make food and you don't mess with food; it's serious business, so we didn't want to have a standard approach to the restaurant business. We wanted to bring a breath of fresh air and have superior quality, but also to have a kitchen structured in order to support this. For example, we prepare each portion of pasta on the spot, and so the sauce, we do not have precooked, industrial or ready-made things days before. We do everything on the spot, and this obviously takes time and effort. But the result is excellent and, also, what we imagined in our dream.
Would you encourage young Italian couples to follow your path?
It really depends on the individuals. It is a lifestyle choice as well as an adventure. One recommendation above all: preparation! Study your idea and the place where you want to open your business. And don't underestimate the challenges with language. Doing business in English is much, much different than general conversation!
Emiliano Cammardella and Rossella Episcopo of Flora.
Couple #2: Emiliano Cammardella and Rossella Episcopo of Flora in South Slope, Brooklyn (as told by Emiliano):
Where in Italy are you from?
We are from Campania, a southern area called Vallo di Diano & Cilento National Park, a beautiful area between the Mediterranean coast and the Lucania Mountains. We grew up one block away from each other in our small town. We have been together for 20 years already.
What were your careers before coming to America?
After college graduation—I attended architecture college and graduated in industrial design; Rossella earned a Master’s Degree in Sociology—we found a way to work in New York City. I was a designer in a great architecture firm; Rossella was a teaching assistant in a Catholic school. After three years, our specific working visas were going to expire, and we had two choices: Go back home to Campania or take a chance on our lifetime passion, which is the food of our region.
When did Flora officially open?
We opened officially on April 25, 2018 after many, many months of planning the menu and preparing the space. It was very, very tough. Lots of work, but also a wonderful challenge that was exciting. It was certainly a lesson for a lifetime.
How has the experience been for your relationship?
Oh! I’m glad I’m answering this and not Rossella! No, speaking for both of us, it’s hard to live and work 24 hours a day together, but the truth is that we are living great together. We have been together very long. We fight of course, and yell at each other, sometimes even in the restaurant, but our dialect and the masks of this last year helped hide this from our customers. Lol. We are doing fine. Right, Rossella?
Which of your regional foods have the Americans most enjoyed?
Our pastas are very popular. We use only high-end "bronze-drawn” pasta IGP imported from Gragnano, Napoli or we make our own handmade pasta (gnocchi, ravioli, or cavatelli) with high-end Italian imported flour. One dish that amazed our customers from the beginning was spaghetti with anchovies, bread crumbs, walnuts, and olive oil. In the beginning, they were very skeptical of this, but they still come back all the time just for that. Also, our Baccalà alla Cilentana, which is hook-caught icelandic cod with cherry tomatoes, white onions, potatoes, and imported black olives. We do a very interesting brunch or lunch with dishes like “Acquasale Cilentana" with Tuna or buffalo mozzarella, many wonderful egg dishes, linguine with cherry tomatoes, fiorilli (butternut squash blossoms), and shrimp and basil…and everything else.
What about America have you enjoyed most?
Oh, easy! The diversity of cultures in this city, but also the beauty of always being challenged by not only our café/ristorante/alimentari that is Flora but the all-new surroundings, as well. And, of course, we enjoy maple syrup very much!
What has been the biggest challenge?
Visas! We have just an “investor Visa” and that has been the biggest challenge. The bureaucracy of this, but also the permits we need to have a business, and the lack of help from “professionals” (lawyers, architects, accountant, etc.,). What I mean is that if you don’t study and do it by yourself, the professional is paid only for expediting and obtaining the final document or permit. It’s very frustrating, but we are Italians, so we know something about bureaucracy.
Would you encourage young Italian couples to follow your path?
Honestly, we don’t know. You need a vision, a strong vision, a dream to follow. Otherwise, all the hard-working days, the everyday challenges don’t make it worth saying “goodbye" to your families, friends, and your italian lifestyle. It’s a lot, so there is a serious commitment that has to be made and a lot of challenges that need to be faced. I mean, you can’t just say: ”Oh, I’m bored here at home in Italy. Let’s go to NYC and open a restaurant!”
Vittoria Lattanzio and Pasquale De Ruvo of Panzerotti Bites.
Couple #3: Vittoria Lattanzio and Pasquale De Ruvo of Panzerotti Bites in Carroll Gardens (as told by Vittoria):
Where in Italy are you from?
We are both from Puglia, Italy, like panzerotti. We have been together since 2009 and married since 2017.
What were your careers before coming to America?
Pasquale had a lot of experience in the restaurant field and was the co-owner of a well known coffee shop in his town of Ruvo di Puglia. I graduated from the University of Foreign Languages in Bari, where I studied German, French, and English. Afterwards, I earned a Master’s degree with ICE in Export Management. In the meantime, we both studied the dough-making process while working on our American Dream to open a panzerotti store in New York.
When and why did you decide to come to America to open an eatery?
We loved preparing dinners with friends and family and everybody told us: “You are great hosts and cook so well. You should open your own restaurant!” And that’s how it all began. We also travelled a lot together in California and New York since the first year of our relationship, and we immediately fell in love with America. In our minds, we were constantly thinking of moving to New York City. That dream always inspired us and many other brave minds too. We were happy in Italy, but not fully satisfied. We had our friends, family, good food, and weather, but we knew we had something special to realize in our life and that it had to be done together. But not in Italy, and not even in Europe. A lot of people thought we were crazy. But in our heart we knew panzerotti were going to be loved by the American public. We both truly believed in this project and together we were ready for it. So we decided to leave our jobs, saying, “Ciao! A presto,” to our families, and come to the “Big City of Dreams” to find a store.
When did Panzerotti Bites officially open?
January 7th, 2018 at 235 Smith Street in Brooklyn.
How has the experience been?
It has been a big challenge for us. We changed apartments five times in four years; we had to share it with roommates, and even do Airbnb. We did sacrifice a lot, working for the first year seven days a week from noon to 11 pm. When we went home, we had to take care of the house and cook dinner. Everything was all by ourselves. That said, we love living here! We’ve made a lot of friends, and we know so many great people! When customers ask if we have children, we love to reply that the restaurant is our son. It takes a lot of energy from us, and we are constantly taking care of him. We cannot leave him alone, not even a day, as every day something happens. It’s not easy to run a restaurant, especially if owned and run by the owners. We have learned a lot in this country, and we think we are now ready to open our second location.
How has the experience been for your relationship?
We spend 24 hours a day, seven days a week, together. Just imagine how it is! Actually, we have a lot of fun; we enjoy what we do every day, but sometimes it’s stressful. It happened in the beginning often, as we never worked together. If you find an equilibrium, that’s great, but it takes time to get to know your partner from a business point of view. Your partner must be there for you when you need him/her to cover the role of people that are miles away and cannot be reached because of the time zone. Our relationship has strengthened since we moved here. We are a family now. We even adopted two cats a few months ago.
Which of your regional foods have the Americans most enjoyed?
Our menu is all about panzerotti (we also have salads, beer, wine, and coffee too). Everybody, from kids to adults, love the classic panzerotto, fried in the traditional way or oven-baked. It’s just perfection for the palate: mozzarella and tomato sauce encapsulated into a delicately fried dough. It’s a delicious treat at any time of the day. Any excuse will do. It’s what we grew up with, and from the first bite you are transported to Puglia. And that is our intention!
What about America have you enjoyed most?
We love this country. We love a lot of things. We love, for example, how easy it is to find anything you need, anytime of the day/night. The support of locals is also impressive, the way neighborhood people have supported us from the beginning. Also, we love the fact that everything works, and that you can meet people from all over the world is always exciting!
What has been the biggest challenge?
We never thought that our project was so worthy and so desired to the point we had to make a Federal Court claim against some competitors in New York for trademark and trade infringement and breach of fiduciary duty. All of this happened amid the pandemic, which made it even more difficult. We will protect our project no matter what and we’ll come out the winners. At least we know that we are doing something right.
Would you encourage young Italian couples to follow your path?
Opening an eatery for Italians means bringing a piece of heart and tradition to every plate you deliver to your customers, and if you are a couple that message is transmitted even easier. Americans love love stories. If they see you are the owners and the cook of the place, they will support you. If you have a strong motivation to move miles and miles away from family and friends, and you love working and living with your partner, then yes, do it! Just think about it first! You’ll not have to deal with a boss, colleague, or manager but with your husband/wife. It’s beautiful to give an order to your partner in the kitchen saying, “Amore, can you please prepare two classics please?” People love that.