17-03-2014
Roberta Pezzella, pastry-chef at Heinz Beck’s La Pergola at Rome Cavalieri, here on the occasion of Identità Milano 2014, where she held a lesson on bread together with Federica Racinelli (photo Brambilla-Serrani)
In 2000, after completing an experimental artistic curriculum in high school, I had no intention of continuing to study, nor to have may parents waste any money. During the Christmas season I decided to find myself a job, and I began to sell salted codfish at the market, for fun. Only salted codfish. I travelled every day from Frosinone to Rome and back.
This turned into something serious when they assigned me the management of a whole stand of my own. Four years later I was offered a new job at Conad in Frosinone: I had to run the supermarket’s fish section. I grew very passionate about it, right from the start. And I began to study the raw materials. On my stand, there had to be only fish, of the highest quality. I loved that job but at the same time I was curious of the bread/pastry section (which was produced in-house), next to me. I started to buy cookbooks, I attended non-professional courses, I dined in important restaurants.
With Heinz Beck
Three intense months followed, during which I applied myself to the fullest. On the final day of the course they assigned me the preparation of the breadbasket. That is when the sparkle, the love for bread, began: while I watched the dough rising in the mould, I was left speechless. I wanted to understand how it could be possible. I had to run and choose some teachers. I finished the course with the highest grades – I was the best in the course :-) – and began a few internships. During the weekend I attended the kitchen of Adriano Baldassarre’s Tordo Matto. In the summer months, I was at Enrico Pezzotti’s Al Circo. Then the real internship began, at Heinz Beck’s La Pergola. Six unforgettable months, ending with my being hired.
Meanwhile, I decided that my bread-making teacher would be Gabriele Bonci. I began spending my free days at Pizzarium. It was there that I understood what dough is, what happens when water and flour end up in a kneading machine. Then I discovered natural yeast: a world opened up. One day Gabriele told me that in Rome there was Rolando Morandin, confectioner and master of great leavened products. He became, and still is, my master in the subject.
However, in order to last 6 years, being the only woman in the team, I had to build myself an armour. And defend myself from difficult situations because if a girl stands out above many men, this is often annoying. Passion, however, makes you move on, without any other worries. I would do it all again, I have no regrets and I thank all the colleagues who have helped me to grow, right from the start.
Nel 2008
Women who, for a moment, leave pots and pans to tell us their experience and point of view
by
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