A chef handling it all, with audacity and ambition: Micol Zorzella transforms her spot in Verona in a format that’s truly unconventional.
The story
In recent years, especially during the pandemic, we have often heard that crisis also means opportunity (although, for the more knowledgeable, the Chinese ideogram would have been wrongly interpreted in this sense). However, for Micol Zorzella, it was precisely the crisis, the difficulty in recruiting qualified staff, that gave her the opportunity to undertake a new ambitious project: to manage Antica Amelia Bistrot, her restaurant, entirely by herself.
Since February 7th, in fact, the establishment opened in 2017 in Vicolo Due Stelle 5, Verona, has completely changed its concept. Unable to find reliable collaborators, Micol decided to replace the ten tables in the restaurant with a single "beloved" large table to accommodate twelve diners each evening, serving them personally. "The Table" concept, as the project is called, was born on New Year's Eve, the evening of new resolutions and hopes for the year ahead. "I remember that service, I was more present in the dining room and it was appreciated: it was beautiful. The customers were happy, there was a change in atmosphere. So I decided to start over with myself. I wrote down the positive and negative aspects of such a choice on a sheet of paper. The positives outweighed the negatives. I still keep that sheet attached to the fridge at home. I'm starting over with myself and with this table. An old work table from my family that I fell in love with as a child and refurbished," she tells to La Repubblica.
Micol had some local artisans add an iron border to the table, almost framing what, for her, is an object full of meaning and memories. "Until now, it had remained disassembled in the warehouse, but I always knew what it meant to me and indeed it has returned." Before transforming Amelia Bistrot, Micol gave herself a year, hoping to rebuild a team that could embody the spirit of the place, but it was all in vain, and thus "The Table" came to life. "Over the years, I've had extraordinary collaborators with me. The best ones chose to try their luck and open new establishments. Others have changed their lives. I'm left only with the bitterness of meeting young people without energy, always tired.
Does it seem normal to send a message an hour before the shift saying 'I'm not coming tonight'? I want to try to break this pattern of employees barely in their twenties who end up 'playing' with the difficulties of restaurant entrepreneurs. We're a troublesome sector, no doubt, and you just have to watch us on TV, but my employees could be in the kitchen at 10:30 in the morning, they had two days off a week, and a good salary. Yet, there was still a lack of energy, especially with the waiters, who would arrive here without knowing a word of English or without knowing a wine. But they're not just 'dish carriers'! They have a beautiful profession, why can't they put some passion into it?" she continues.
From Wednesday to Saturday, then, it's her who welcomes twelve diners, offering them a different menu every evening, created with great attention to quality, tastes, but also intolerances: "I include very few dishes with gluten and lactose on the menu, but I assure you they are all tasty!" promises Chef Zorzella. She disagrees with labeling the new Amelia Bistrot as a "Home restaurant," but prefers "restaurant-home"; indeed, just like in any home, there are rules to be respected in her establishment. First of all, dinner never exceeds the maximum limit of 12 diners, who must arrive precisely at the agreed time to eat together.
The culinary proposal changes every evening and cannot be altered, but in case of dietary requirements, the chef is available to accommodate everyone's needs. Wine pairing is also part of the experience, which will only be revealed once guests arrive, just like the other diners. Finally, reservations must be made strictly online. You can still choose from a small and carefully selected wine list, or opt for non-alcoholic beverages. Alongside the four dinner menus offered, Zorzella has also thought about lunch with an "easy lunch" at a fixed price of 25 euros served on wooden trays, where there's always a vegetable appetizer and sweets, to which each diner adds their choice of main course.
For now, The Table is a temporary project: 6 months, but Micol assures: "Don't think it's a game because we're still talking about my life, my career. When I opened Amelia in 2017, I had an efficient team, reliable and well-compensated collaborators, even financially. All of this, in this 'new' society, has been lacking, not only in my restaurant: the news has often emphasized it. The Table is not a 'social' project, but an opportunity to shine a light on a social issue, a deep current problem, perhaps with the ambition to contribute to solving it. I hope it's a path that can be taken not only by me, but also by others, as a response to a tired, emotionally and professionally undervalued restaurant industry."
