Take 2 parts husband and wife, 1 part Naples sourdough starter
and 1 part self-belief. Add 1 wood-fired oven on wheels, a warm Bexhill evening
and 50 kids untethered. Combine gently with a flexible spoon and knead
regularly for 3 years. Turn out onto a well-worn village hall and enjoy with
friends.
If you asked a 17-year-old Andrea Bonotto what he’d be doing
today, he probably would have said ‘working in the restaurant at my parent’s ‘otel’.
Growing up next door to their hotel in Vicenza, north-eastern Italy, working
for the family business seemed certain until his father sold it and Andrea was
left wondering what to do. Low paying warehouse jobs, a transcontinental pilgrimage
and a teaching degree later, he is back doing what he knows. “It would have
been a lot cheaper if I went straight there”, he concedes with a smile.
