Mamma Rosy is an Italian restaurant in Jakarta with a friendly family atmosphere, personally established and funded in 2013 by the true Italian immigrants. " kitchen management is the head and the reason for the creation of the restaurant, Rosa Vignolo. We meet Rosa and his son and owner of Mamma Rosy Daniel Vigone, in their little corner of Italy in Kemang, South Jakarta.
Where are you originally from?
I am of Pietra Ligure in the Italian region of Liguria. It is a small town located in a beautiful landscape. Ligure everywhere you see small towers and fortresses that take us back to a time when it was once conquered by the Arabs.
Rosa and her son Daniel
Is it true your Jakarta chapter started because of your son, Daniel?
Yes, first I came because my son lived here and asked me to open a restaurant with him. The agreement we made was that if I did not like it after three months, I could return to Italy. But after my arrival I enjoyed
How long have you been cooking
Since I was a child!?; my mother had a trattoria (a middle-class restaurant) in Italy and since I was young, I knew how to make pizza, pasta and farinata , a flour crepe chickpea in my area. I served dishes since I was not even as big as this table! I worked in the restaurant after school hours.
How family values play a role in your business?
If I had to work thinking that my sister, nephew or son were in another part of the world, I might feel sad, but to know that we're all here, even if sometimes we we fight or argue, I am grateful that we are all together. It was a priority for me even before we opened the business.
What is your favorite Italian dish?
Any type of pasta with pesto sauce.
What ingredients are hard to find here?
fresh basil is hard to find. Last week, basil arrived very fresh, but this week it was not as good and I had to go through it one sheet at a time to select the right.
Tell us something about Italian cooking that few people know.
Italian cuisine should be on simplicity and freshness.
What I do not like is sometimes chefs in Italian restaurants now like to mix the ingredients too. Like pasta with pesto should be simple and people should be able to taste the authenticity of the dish. Sometimes, people put bacon in a traditional recipe, which I do not agree with.
What is your day to day routine like?
I wake up at 7am and send my nephew Augusto school, then I walk in the restaurant and start working at about 7:45. The first things I prepare desserts because they can be better when it is not too hot. Then I check that lack of sleep and do what is necessary.
I am preparing all the sauces, fresh pasta, desserts, essentially 70 percent of the menu, except for pizzas and steaks. I work until about 4-5pm when all is settled, then I'll go home for a swim and read, and perhaps a sweater.
How do you handle in your kitchen with the language barrier?
Most of our employees have been the same since the beginning so that they understand me. I remember a few words in Bahasa, but I can not construct a sentence. We communicate through the language of food.
What is the first thing you do when you train a new staff restaurant
The first thing is cleanliness ?; how clean the kitchen and wash the ingredients. When washing vegetables the water is dirty and will continue to wash until the water is clean.
I also teach them how to taste the ingredients to understand what is the difference in taste with and without herbs. It is important for them to know what herbs go with what foods, such as mushrooms that you still have to put garlic and parsley to properly complete their taste.
Can you share a funny story from your kitchen with us?
We share a common passion in the kitchen that is football. I am a Sampdoria supporter and my support staff to Inter Milan, Juventus or Barcelona, so we always like to tease each other playfully. In the League of the World Cup Champion and it is a great fight in the kitchen!
Would you advise people to open a restaurant in Indonesia?
Yes, why not? But if you open a restaurant, you must be able to sacrifice. My mother taught me that cooking should always follow you. Our Indonesian staff has not grown in Italy and they are not used for Italian tastes, so if you leave them alone for a month, they will lose the taste. I enjoy my job and love coming to the restaurant, so I'm happy.
Do you plan to stay in Indonesia long?
If . I'm happy to stay here.
Tell us about the gallery associated with your restaurant. What events take place there?
This is a concept in development, so if anyone is interested in displaying paintings or art particularly young artists, we are very happy to cooperate.
What is your best selling point in your menu?
Ravioli is one of the best sellers, and our primo pot dishes, which are pasta. Gnocchi is also increasingly popular, as pesto.
From the menu, what you trying to achieve?
At first, we tried to make a menu to appeal to local tastes, but when we tested it, it has not turned out good. We tried some regional dishes such as fish stew called buridda we found was more appropriate for winter climates. Ultimately, we chose items that we thought would fit better here. We struggled with salt, however, because in Italy we like a lot of salt, but guests here. In the end, we reduced the salt, which is OK because it is better for our health in this way!
What is the ratio of imports to local products and where do you want your source local products?
We source fresh vegetables Bogor. Fish, vegetables and herbs are mainly local, but the cheese, meat, ham, rice and pasta are from Italy. Sixty percent is imported.
How do you feel about the use of pesticides on fruits and vegetables we eat?
There is a problem that we see also in Italy. Sometimes the vegetables the organic label, but they are not organic, costing three times the price. It is a big problem that the government and officials should regulate. We source organic products here.
What do you miss your hometown?
I miss the sea mare . I miss the mountains and being in the sun, because it is too hot for me to do here. When I came back from Italy, I'm tanned! I also miss the fact that you can have long walks unhindered by motorcycles. But other than that I do not miss. In Italy, everyone is angry about the economy and politics. Here, people are happier; My kitchen staff are always laughing and joking with me.
What do you think is the most important thing in life?
To wake up and feel happy is the most important thing.
Thank you, Rosa. To get in touch, email Daniel@mammarosy.com