Born over twenty years ago, Parioli brings the perfect combination of Roman cuisine and music to the city of Milan
“With a tender heart he dressed himself as a warrior,
bristly built a small dome,
he kept himself dry under his scales,
and there in the garden burnished like a hand grenade,
he marched to the market to realize his dream.
(…) Maria arrives with her basket, chooses one,
don’t fear it,
examines it,
buys it,
until,
entering the kitchen,
he dips it into the pot.
Thus ends peacefully the career of the armed vegetable called the artichoke.”
This is how Pablo Neruda described, in an ode entirely dedicated to him, the enchanting taste of the vegetable with its pungent structure but soft heart, so loved by palates all over the world. The cuisine that instantly comes to mind when talking about the artichoke is undoubtedly the Roman one which, fortunately, has been able to cross the borders of the eternal city.
In the heart of Milan there is a place where the care and love for this vegetable is comparable to that felt by the Chilean poet. For this vegetable, and for the entire art of cooking.
It is a few steps from the Central Station, and the name does not escape the most careful expectations. The “Parioli”:not just a corner of Rome in Milan but, as the owner Francesca Leggieri explains to us, a true piece of the Roman heart transplanted into the Milanese city. Quality of the raw materials, kindness of the staff and above all “simply” delicious dishes.
Francesca, can you tell us how the idea for the restaurant was born?
“Before opening Parioli, I had a job that made me move around a lot. However, I have always had a great passion for cooking, passed on to me by my parents, and as soon as I returned from each of my trips, I would sit in the kitchen organizing dinners for friends. My trips continued and the number of friends increased, some brought the piano, some the guitar… from ten they became thirty, then fifty, and although the house was very large, we began to “feel a little cramped”. I have always been very active and finished my work (I was in the Japanese and Korean car sector) I was bored. Through an acquaintance I found out about this place. One morning, in the throes of total boredom, I decided to buy it.”
A new restaurant, starting from the name
“This has always been a historic place, it was called “Eat and laugh”. I put the name Parioli because, being married to a Roman and living between Rome and Milan, I wanted to bring here the city that I loved and still love madly. By purchasing the restaurant, I took a piece of my heart away from Rome and I wanted to call it Parioli for this reason. Thus this reality was born where I was able to combine food with music, a wonderful union for me.”
So music immediately became part of this reality?
“Immediately, absolutely!” musical evenings are Thursday, Friday and Saturday. More often than not, most of the artists who perform come from Rome, to maintain this mood of the Dolce Vita, of the Great Roman Beauty.”
She composes and tests most of the menus, and is often called upon to offer food consultancy abroad: she has made her dream come true
“I really love this job very much. It’s very simple cuisine, but at the same time of extreme quality. Healthy cuisine. My concept is “how I eat, my customers should eat.” No butter is used, no cream is used. We give priority to vegetables. In the kitchen there is a person dedicated exclusively to them, mainly to artichokes, a fantastic vegetable, but the management of which requires incredible work.”
What is your favorite dish?
“Artichokes are my passion, also thanks to their nutritional properties. I love “Cacio e pepe”. We make the pasta. We stopped making bread, because we found French bread that satisfies us, and above all satisfies the customers!”
You and your collaborators are now like a family
“Those who have come to visit us certainly know Asch: he has been with me since day one, he is almost like a son. My chef has also been working with me for twenty-three years. We are really consolidated, just one look is enough to understand us. I opened and manage this restaurant to ensure that it is not “replicable”. Parioli has its own uniqueness. And you can perceive it.”
Future projects?
“It will open between April and May “Parioli – Le Grand Cafè” in Corso Garibaldi in Milan. A different concept from this restaurant, mainly intended for lunch and aperitifs. The fulcrum of this new reality will be the wood-fired oven: everything will be cooked in there.”
The perfect conclusion to an interview with a restaurateur who considers high quality raw materials and passion for cooking her leitmotif can be found in a quote on the restaurant’s website. As simple as it is wise.
“A customer is the most important visitor to our premises. We are not doing them a favor by serving them. They are doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to do so.” Mahatma Gandhi.
