Doggy Bag, yes or no? As a matter of fact, the use of taking home leftovers in an anti-waste perspective is becoming increasingly common. Economic difficulties weigh in, but so does the widespread commitment to sustainability. However, not all operators are enthusiastic; there is a risk of not respecting the kitchen's work.
Mauro Uliassi's photo by Lido Vannucchi (dekstop cover) and Lorenzo Cicconi Massi (mobile)
The news
Who hasn't experienced a decline in appetite towards the end of a meal? Yet, what a pity, with all that delicious food. It has become increasingly common for customers to ask to take home the remaining food or wine, already paid for. Good for their wallets and, especially, for the environment (although there are restaurants that know how to recycle leftovers, for example, as compost or recovery dishes, especially for bread, not to mention the wine in the kitchen). Four out of ten Italians are already unashamedly asking to take leftovers home.
Now, from Forza Italia, specifically from Giandiego Gatta and Paolo Barelli, comes the bill proposal to make this practice mandatory: the restaurateur would be required to provide customers with the means to take away what remains on the plate, perhaps in the form of biodegradable containers. It wouldn't be a gesture of courtesy anymore, but a precise duty, which has not been without objections.
However, Gatta stands firm: "The objective of the proposed law is to contribute to combating food waste, one of the goals set by the UN 2030 agenda. In Italy, according to data from the Bdfn Foundation, each of us wastes 65 kilograms of food per capita per year, at home and in restaurants." In fact, the practice, born in the United States and widespread primarily in the United Kingdom, is already mandatory in Spain and France. However, doubts raised by operators are more than relevant.
Da Vittorio in Brusaporto is a three-star restaurant and three stars in Italy. Here, every customer is a king, even when it comes to souvenirs. Rossella Cerea, who manages the dining room, takes care of this. "It often happens with birthdays: we have about ten every day. At any time, someone is celebrating. Or they ask for a little bag of chocolates. We agree, but not for everything. The millefeuille cake, for example, doesn't lend itself because it gets wet and is no longer as good, unlike the cloud or a fruit tart. Some dishes are impossible to transport, others are still good the next day. The important thing is to respect the kitchen's work, without making a mess.
Just like Papa Vittorio, if there was some cake left, he suggested guests take it home and advised on how to keep it. We do the same. We use the usual aluminum containers. It's true that, in the end, it's a cost, but it's also a service. If I have a couple ordering the elephant's ear, prepared every time with over 2 kilograms of veal, it would be a waste to throw away the leftovers, which are delicious the next day with a little salad. Usually, they finish the wine; if they stay overnight, at most, they might ask to take the bottle to their room. We are always at the service of the customer."
Mauro Uliassi has always placed the guest at the center, delighted by an atmosphere as impeccable as it is on the verge of informality. He remains unfazed when the doggy bag is mentioned. "When I go to restaurants and don't finish something, I ask to take it home first. The same if someone asks me, but it's very rare, maybe ten times a year. I do it more often: 'Pack up the rest, so I have lunch ready.' Also, not to send something back and embarrass the kitchen, whatever it is. But I don't understand the obligation; it seems unnecessary.
It's true that pastries are difficult to move, like a tasting menu, which has small portions. If a restaurateur refuses, maybe it's because they don't know how to package unsuitable food. We use the usual aluminum trays; if the demand grew, we would have more attractive containers packaged. The cost would still be ridiculous for a high-end restaurant. But in a starred one, precisely, it's very rare because the customer goes there on purpose. While in a tavern, a few extra noodles often end up, to be reheated the next day in the pan. No problem with wine either. Besides the leftovers on the plate, it's also true that a professional kitchen doesn't throw anything away, recycles for employees or in other ways."
