Paolo is the owner of a specialty coffee bar in Bra, a small town in the renowned area of “Langhe” in north-west Italy. When you enter “La Bottega delle Delizie” you are enchanted by the Liberty-style decorations and by the penetrating smell of ground coffee.
What is the story of “La Bottega delle Delizie”?
My mum was a secretary for a company and my dad was a sales representative at Nestle’. Every day he would travel with his suitcase full of samples and, while waiting in different shops, he would start looking around and notice which details and products he liked and what instead he would have changed. And after some years he started collecting inspirations and ideas… As the company started growing and establishing itself in Italy, he received an offer to move to Milan. However, my dad refused it and gave up a stable and safe lifestyle to start his own project: “La Bottega delle Delizie”.
Together with my mum they were in a way “revolutionary” and started building this place from scratch.
How would you define “La Bottega delle Delizie”?
Artisanality is the key. “La Bottega delle Delizie” is an artisanal store that sells artisanal products.
My dad built this shop with his own hands, together with a friend-artist-artisan who helped him find the best quality material (high quality wood for the counter and lamps from Burano) to create this Liberty-style bottega, which takes you back in time as you enter. Almost every part of the shop can be moved around and gives you freedom to change its look and functionality.
My dad sold “coloniali” (spices, teas and coffee) and artisanal beers (he was one of the first to discover and sell the first Italian artisanal beer: Baladin). Moreover, he introduced chocolate and candies, which became the symbol of the “Bottega” and were particularly enjoyed by the people in Bra. However, when I took charge of the shop I changed some products, and candies were the first ones I took off the shelf. Therefore, part of the clientele felt betrayed and didn’t understand the direction that the Bottega was taking. From 2015 onwards I introduced specialty coffee, something that nobody had ever heard of in Bra.
How do you select your products?
Many of the products that I now sell are there thanks to the students of the University of Gastronomic Sciences. Every year this university brings to Bra many students of different backgrounds and ethnicities, which constantly inspire me and make me try new products. What fascinates me is that when it comes to food and coffee, we all speak the same language!
The concept of circularity is fundamental for the selection of products, as they all have to be sustainable, good for the environment, and tasty at the same time. From the “Mulino Sobrino” flour made with ancient varieties of Piedmont’s soft wheat, to Lim’s chocolate made with the best cocoa beans from small producers (who do agriculture respecting the earth), and the Danish coffee “La Cabra” which is obtained through transparency in every stage of the coffee process. What I love about my job is that I build strong relationships with almost all my suppliers, who are artisans that share my same passion and vision about what is behind every product.
When did you first try a specialty coffee?
It was 2014 when I was in London with my girlfriend and for the first time I had a “real coffee”.
A friend from the University of Gastronomic Sciences suggested I go to Monmouth coffee bar and roastery, and there I tried my first filtered coffee. I still remember the barista telling me about the origins of the coffee beans, the terroir where the plants grow and the altitude of the plantation. I was completely fascinated by the way he introduced me to this coffee, as detailed as you would describe a glass of wine. At that point I understood that this deep knowledge about coffee was missing in Italy, and I felt the urge to introduce “specialty coffee” in the Bottega. I wanted my clients to feel the same emotions I felt when I tried that cup of coffee!
Why Bra?
Bra is magical, quiet, simple and fascinating at the same time. It is my hometown and I have to admit that many years ago I thought about moving abroad for a while. San Francisco was my dream city as I was a young skater, but after visiting it I understood that I belonged here, to this small city surrounded by the charming vineyards of the Langhe area. Moreover, here I don’t have any competitors and I don’t have to face the chaos and stress of a big city. The university students make me feel connected to the whole world!
What is your clientele?
I have to admit that it is hard to communicate some of my products (especially specialty coffee) to the locals of Bra. I believe in the purity of coffee, therefore I don’t have sugar and only recently I started offering high quality milk for our flat white and cortado.
For the opening of the new chapter of the Bottega (with specialty coffee) we wrote on the door “independent specialty coffee” – everyone thought I was crazy and obsessed about this weird kind of coffee, but then thanks to word of mouth and students I started building my clientele, made of people that are curious about coffee and want to know what is behind every bean.
How do you select high quality coffee ?
It’s hard to categorise coffee with one adjective, quality can be subjective as taste is. However, when I buy coffee it has to evoke emotions, make me dream and travel with my mind at the same time. These are the characteristics I look in a coffee, and I want my clientele to feel this excitement. I want authenticity and transparency in the whole production chain of coffee, from the cherry to the roasted bean. Unfortunately big multinational companies lack these characteristics.
How is the coffee landscape in Italy?
The Italian market is highly saturated by big coffee companies, which make people believe that we are the country of high quality coffee, however we are not. Coffee in Italy is deeply rooted in our traditions, we perceive it as a commodity, something that we drink at the bar with friends or while reading the news, and as a product that is not worth more than one euro (for an espresso). However, the coffee I fell in love with is not the traditional Italian bitter espresso, but a product that has a seasonality, that is connected to people, to the landscape biodiversity and represents conviviality as well. For the new innovative coffee roasteries, Italy is perceived as the “promised land”, because they know how hard it is for them to enter in this market. I proudly sell and promote roasteries such as La Cabra (Danish) and Gardelli (Italian) who support fair agriculture and share my philosophy. One of the flaws that Italians have is that we are too tied to our traditions and this prevents us from experimenting and understanding new products.
What are the challenges of running “La Bottega delle Delizie”?
Having a business in Italy makes me feel like I’m don Quijote or that I’m in a beautiful dream that is constantly being interrupted by real life. Nevertheless, I like challenges, challenges are cool, and as a stubborn skater I persist until I succeed and reach perfection! The problem about Italian people in general is that we let our fears prevail us and we often don’t pursue our goals due to our indecisiveness. We should all be a bit more crazy and follow our gut!
What are your projects for the future?
Once the current situation gets better I will definitely start organising cupping events, to analyse and understand together with my clients new products and ultimately decide which ones to introduce into our selection. Lastly, in October I would love to organise a big event to celebrate the 40th birthday of “La Bottega delle Delizie” and reunite all the students that inspired me during my path.