«It was from March of last year that I had in heart to start this project which had already been in embryo for a while. Then, postponements, delays, Sicily with my adventure in the Noto valley, at the W Villadorata Country Restaurant, only slowed down the engine: on the island I discovered a powerful use of the land, but the need to give birth to something good was urgent also in Milan, this time for the people ». Once again Viviana Varese took the field for a good cause. At the end of January, she opened I am Viva: sweets and ice cream in the renovated Isola Municipal Market, in Piazzale Lagosta 7: pastry and ice cream parlor where it is possible to taste delicacies of all kinds, expanding the gastronomic offer of the structure. In a space of 24 square meters, the love for the profession and the constant social commitment of the chef of the ViVa restaurant (one Michelin star, inside the Eataly Smeraldo, in Milan in piazza 25 Aprile) and entrepreneur come together. Viviana in 2021 received the recognition Champions of Change, the initiative of the 50 Best ranking «that rewards three unsung heroes» in the restaurant world, driving positive change inside and outside their kitchens. We interviewed her.
How did the idea of creating an ice cream shop with this concept come about? «The idea, as mentioned, was born during the pandemic for the desire to help create something in my style, with the best ingredients. A project that could offer work to the people most affected by the lockdown and what we have faced since March 2020, to women and in particular to people who have experienced situations of domestic violence. So I wanted to train and give economic independence, but also joy and desire for the future to all these people. I met CADMI, the House of Battered Women in Milan and I found with them the way to carry out my idea. So we opened the first store inside the Isola Municipal Market, while the second space will open in March in via Kramer in the Porta Venezia area, also in Milan ».
What kind of relationship did you have with the women involved? “First of all, it is important to me that they gradually regain the security they have lost. This does not mean that it is not demanding from a working point of view because only by entrusting them with concrete responsibilities will they be able to overcome their fears. My hope is that they feel the project, that they feel they are working in their ice cream parlor. You have to keep clean, interact with customers, manage the shop, not to mention the technique, which will gradually improve: we started with the creams to whip, the ice creams to whip, the assembly of the sweets available at the counter, the decorations. All steps that need a lot of attention. Day after day, however, I realize that we professionals learn a lot from the girls, who invite us to reflect on our actions and work management ».
What is your relationship with ice cream and sweets in general? «I love sweets, for me they are the completion of any meal, often a substitute, and I consider pastry to be a real art. In ice cream, if made with care and with the best products from the base to the creaming, you will find the essence of the ingredient ».
But now let’s get to the substance: which delights can you enjoy at Dolci e Gelati? «We open to the public at 8.30 and from the early morning, we start with the classic leavened breakfast stuffed with jams and spreads, all of our production; there are the Maritozzi with cream and also the brioches with tuppo. Since I decided to open an ice cream parlor, I strongly wanted that in both locations there was a machine that I have always used to produce granita to perfection, so there will be this too, as well as ice cream. Among other things, for every kg of ice cream sold, 1 euro will be donated to CADMI. Then a rich assortment of single portions, such as Bubble with yogurt and yuzu, Tiramisu on shortcrust pastry, fake Mandarins with citrus fruit mousse, Saint Honoré, Lemon Curd with Italian meringue. And then the classics of Neapolitan pastry: babà, caprese and pastiera ».
What was the response from those who work with you and from the public? «Those who work with me follow my projects and always support my new ideas with great enthusiasm, starting with my team at VIVA which also took care of training the staff of“ Io sono ViVa ”. On the occasion of the new opening, and the one to come, my old sous chefs, Ida Brenna and Matteo Carnaghi, have also returned, who will then be busy following the W Villladorata, inaugurated last summer in Noto, Sicily: we made some improvements to the structure and created a nice team in the kitchen and in the dining room. Anyway, the public in the first week was very happy to taste our desserts, from single portions, to cakes, to Maritozzi, to croissants with ice cream. Let’s hope it continues like this ».
It’s not easy to find chefs as committed as you are on the social front. How come? «I don’t know how to explain it, but I think that everyone must work and live according to conscience. And, how can and feels, contribute to doing something for society in its small way. That said, we still have a long way to go in terms of inclusion and social integration. Just think of the limited number of starred cooks compared to cooks. We have to roll up our sleeves ».
Viviana, do you have a dream for the next few years? «It is enough for me to be successful in what I am making».
Source: Vanity Fair
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