L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 9 N orth Beach is S an Francisco's central hub for all things Italian. Locals and tourists alike flock to the district in pur- suit of the perfect pizza or the warmth of their favorite cup of cappuccino. If you take a left on G reen S treet, jus t off of Columbus, you will find Italian home cooking at its best! Caffè BaoNecci is a family- run restaurant that serves authen- tic Lucchese dishes. The owners of this North Beach gem are the Gambaccini Family: Stefania, Walter, and their sons Elia and Filippo. They are originally from Altopascio, a town famous for producing exquisite bread, in the Italian province of Lucca. I chat- ted with Stefania, the gracious chef of BaoNecci, over a slice of one the best pizzas I've had out- side of Italy. Stefania, why and when did you d ecid e to move to S an Francisco? My family and I vis- ited San Francisco many times on vacation before we decided to move here. Every time I visited, I was impressed by the organiza- tion and great customer service in this country. I would say that is one of the main reasons I thought I would love to live and work here. We decided to move here in 2005. Prior to moving, w e met w ith the ow ners of D anilo's Bakery - w here our restaurant is now located - who told us they had the intention of retiring and were looking for new owners. At that time, it real- ly felt like a sign from above. My son Elia had been training to become a baker and that would have been the perfect opportuni- ty for him to do what he loves as well as for the rest of us to start a new adventure. On September 13 th , 2005 we bought the bak- ery. How did it go, and how did you transition to the current Caffè BaoNecci? It was real hard w ork! Th e old ow ners helped us a lot at the beginning; they stayed with us for several months before we completely took over. In 2008 the economy was in crisis and we suffered the consequences along with the rest of the country. Business slowed down for many restaurants and we did not sell as much bread as we used to. We decided to intro- duce breakfast foods – eggs, focaccia bread, soups, salads… and increase our hours of opera- tion in order to attract more cus- tomers. It was a very difficult time. Five years ago we submit- ted the application to acquire a beer and wine license. After we received it, not without difficul- ties , w e s tarted to keep our res taurant open at night. O n behalf of all my family, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of the people who have been helping and supporting us through the most difficult times. Without them we wouldn't be w here w e are now . Caffè BaoNecci exists thanks to their support. Wh ere d id you learn to cook? I have always been pas- sionate about cooking, especially home cooking, having been born in a family of farmers. My pater- nal grandmother was a fantastic cook, as were my mom and my mother-in-law. I have always been surrounded by great cooks, who have also been my teachers. It would be fair to say that I learned from them through "osmosis". Caffe' BaoNecci is a family- run restaurant – a formula much appreciated by many, especially in San Francisco. How do you organize your- selves? I work in the kitchen and prepare all the dishes, sauces, and noodles from scratch. I make my own lasagna and cannelloni. Additionally, two people help me with the basic preparation of dishes, salads, and pizza. My husband and sons, with the help of a bus person, manage the din- ing room, organize the tables, take orders and reservations, and welcome our guests. Wh at d is h are you mos t fond of? If I have to pick one, I will go with the classic lasagna! I us ed to cook this dis h at Christmas and it always reminds me of good times spent with my entire family. As soon as I added it to our menu, it became one of the most appreciated dishes by our customers. I still prepare it the way I used to back home: with classic ragù and béchamel sauces. I cook for the restaurant the same way I cook for my own family. Lastly, where did you get the name BaoNecci from? It is a very old word that comes from the Lucchese dialect, but it is still used nowadays. It is an expression that intensifies what one says. I guess similar words would be "cool" or "groovy"! If you w ant to tas te real Italian home-made cooking, you ow e it to yours elf to try Stefania's delicious cuisine. You won't be disappointed. Soon, she will introduce authentic "Bistecca alla Fiorentina" to her menu! Keep your taste buds tuned. Info: www.caffebaonecci. com The Gambaccini Family Stefania Gambaccini in her kitchen Caffè BaoNecci: A Family Matter BIANCA FRIUNDI

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