Aperture

🍕 "Lina - La pizza in teglia" opened in November 2022 by chef Valerio Esse, born in 1990, in Rome's Trionfale district near piazzale degli Eroi. Valerio, with international experience alongside chefs like Alain Ducasse and Giorgio Locatelli, partnered with tech and food entrepreneurs to create a place blending traditional cooking with innovation. Lina offers a 36-hour leavened pizza with slices priced between 3 to 7,50 euros, served on-site (14 outdoor seats) or via delivery. The dough is made with an 82% hydration using a blend of three flours. Lina stands out for its high-quality ingredients, local collaborations, and artisanal beer selection.

🏡 Autentico Hospitality CEO, Mario Cardone, plans to cap Autentico Hotels, one of its three brands, at 25 properties by 2025 to maintain exclusivity. In 2025, the brand added Hotel Miramalfi in Amalfi and Excelsior Parco in Capri. Autentico Villas comprises 180 luxury structures across Italy, with a network of over 13,000 travel agents in 65 countries. The US is the top market for these villas. In 2024, the brand's aggregated turnover increased by 12%, surpassing €100 million, with a brand reputation of 93.7%.

🌞 Viva Resorts by Wyndham saw an 8% increase in Italian market presence in the Caribbean in 2024. Direct Neos flights in spring to Mexico and the Dominican Republic facilitate travel. Giuliana Carniel, Vice President of Sales & Revenue, highlights the region's safety and competitive all-inclusive offers. With nine resorts in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and the Bahamas, spring advantages include greater room availability and easier access to activities and restaurant bookings. Easter and spring breaks focus on resorts in Mexico (Viva Maya and Viva Azteca), Dominican Republic (Viva V Samaná for adults only), and the Bahamas (Viva Fortuna Beach). Ideal spring travel is marked by festive bridges, honeymoon trips, and potential savings.

🏡 Autentico Hotels in Campania announces the addition of Miramalfi in Amalfi and Excelsior Parco in Capri to its portfolio, now nearing 25 properties. Excelsior Parco, an Art Nouveau gem built in 1906 on ancient Roman villa ruins, has won Travellers’ Choice Best Of The Best from 2012 to 2024 and features 11 rooms with scenic views of the Gulf of Naples. Miramalfi offers a quiet luxury escape with Mediterranean design and a restaurant serving local cuisine.

🏖 Paul Gauguin Cruises opens bookings for the 2027 season, unveiling nine unique itineraries in the South Pacific with 34 departures. The 165-room Gauguin offers 7 to 20-night cruises across the Society Islands, Tuamotus, Marquesas, and Cook Islands. Additional 13, 17, and 20-night sailings connect Singapore, Australia, Fiji, and Bali, featuring extended stays. The vessel's design enables access to shallow lagoons and remote islands.

🍕 Chef Sanaa Salmi, 38, born in the Moroccan desert, migrated to Italy at age 10, started her culinary career in Milan where she opened LellaMama in September 2023, specializing in Moroccan cuisine. After Milan, Salmi established a new restaurant at Mercato Centrale in Turin, an area symbolizing North African community integration. The bistrot offers Moroccan classics like couscous, chicken and veal tajine, spiced soups, and "Lam-sammen" bread. Mercato Centrale, created in 2014 by Umberto Montano with Human Company, now has locations in Florence, Rome, Turin, Milan, and Melbourne.

🍕 Tegamino’s, a pizzeria renowned for authentic "pizza al tegamino", opened a new restaurant in Milan on March 4, located at Viale Bligny 5. The brand, co-founded by Marco Serrone and entrepreneur Elisa Simonaro, previously experienced success with their delivery-focused food corner 'Tegamino’s Go!’ on Via Federico Faruffini. Aiming to become the reference point for "pizza al tegamino" in Italy, the brand plans to expand through new locations in Milan and franchising opportunities, both domestically and internationally. Tegamino’s offers a menu with classic and gourmet pizzas, seasonal options, sides, artisanal desserts, and a selection of beers. The brand targets a broad audience, offering both dine-in and delivery services.

🍺 Stefano Simonelli from Birra Vetra discussed brewing innovation and future projects at Rimini's Beer & Food Attraction, including international collaborations and the reopening of the Vetra bar in Milan. Vetra's distinct approach includes a West Coast-style Imperial Pils and a strong connection to mixology, as demonstrated by their Beer Spritz. The Vetra bar, which closed during the pandemic, is set to reopen in Milan's Darsena in spring. The brewery emphasizes branding, featuring pop art-inspired cans, and is looking to expand into France, Scandinavia, and the UK, with an invite to the London Craft Festival in July.

🍻 Biagio Martinelli, born in 1991, opened Martinelli Cafè in Aversa on Via Fermi, adding to his existing establishment on Via Riverso. Starting his career at 25 years old in 2017, he won "Best Pastry Chef" in 2021 by Mangia & Bevi of Il Mattino and was listed in the Gambero Rosso's Bar & Pasticceria guide in 2022. He recently joined the Academy of Master Bakers and Italian Panettone. Known for reinterpreting the Polacca Aversana with Mela Annurca and Rustica versions, Martinelli offers a menu for various moments of the day, featuring both sweet and savory options such as Scialatiello allo Scarpariello, polpette al sugo, salads, pokè, cocktails, and aperitifs.

🍩 Vergani, a Milanese confectionery company with 80 years of tradition, introduces a new vegan-friendly Carnival sweet, "Chiacchiere vegane". These vegan treats maintain traditional texture and flavor, using flour, water, sugar, and sunflower seed oil. Vergani also offers classic Chiacchiere, ancient cereal variants with spelt, rye, barley, and a pistachio glaze option. The company is known for its 20-hour dough rest and high-quality ingredients, ensuring digestibility and friability. Vergani, awarded the Ambrogino d’Oro in 2014, exports to Europe, Canada, the USA, Brazil, Australia, and China, upholding Milanese tradition and Made in Italy quality.