Davide Longoni: a disobedience that starts from wheat

Davide Longoni has made his life a constant disobedience, which has led him to be considered one of the founding fathers of Italian baking. We will meet him on the stage of Sala Blu 2 at Identità di Pizza, in partnership with Latteria Sorrentina, on Saturday 9th March at 3 pm, but today we want to get to know him better, in anticipation of the event.

Like other professionals in the sector, his story begins in the family: his parents were bakers and owners of a family-run bakery in Monza. After graduating in Modern Literature and a master's degree in digital methodologies applied to humanities, he moved away from the family business to begin a career in photography and visual communication. But then his roots were 'reactivated' and he returned to bread-making with a new awareness: to elevate bread to a new level of art and dignity, transforming it to all intents and purposes into an agricultural product of excellence (with a path similar to the one already undertaken by viticulture and wine).

In 2013, he opened his first shop in Via Tiraboschi, where he works on the rediscovery of regional ancient grains, the production of large-sized bread that last longer, the use of stone-ground organic flour, and the rediscovery of sourdough starters, which makes bread tastier and more digestible.

Over the next 10 years, he grew and consolidated his business: he went so far as to open 7 shops in Milan and a main production workshop, always close to the shops, to create a synergic link between production and sales. In addition to the shops, since 2016 Longoni owns a farm - 'Pane e terra' - where he grows the organic wheat he uses for his unique bread.

The inspirer of many other bakers, Longoni will amaze us and give us many interesting ideas from the stage of the Identità Milano congress

To see the full programme of the 2024 Identità Milano congress click here

Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso