Fabio Longhin

As a kid? He played in a band with his school friend Simone Colombo (the same architect who took care of the restyling of the pastry shop). «I played the base guitar, he played the guitar. We played crossover music. Until the moment came when we could no longer be rock stars», says Fabio Longhin. He then focused on books, studied as a surveyor, travelled around the world and then returned home. Here he took the helm of the establishment founded by his father, Gianni, named after his mother and now called Fabio Longhin - Pasticceria Chiara. «I’m an only child. In fact, however, I’m the second-born. First came the pastry-shop, in 1974. Then in 1978, when I arrived, my mum would go to the shop with her large belly. I was born and raised here», the pastry-chef reveals. At the helm of the – both geometrical and eccentric - boutique – in Olgiate Olona, Varese.

A crossover pastry-shop, in balance between rigour and creativity, brass and black, opaque and shiny, minimal details and emerald green rhomboidal tiles. «Everything was built around them. The new logo is in fact rhombus-shaped, with my initials», Longhin explains. When creating he crosses tradition with evolution. Just look at a cult such as Pisello: invented over 40 years ago by his father Gianni as a mignon cake, and then interpreted by Fabio as a single-portion cake. One can find both versions displayed. One next to the other. Recalling a pea pod. Shortcake, cream and pistachio marzipan for the original version. Organic spelt sablé, cocoa cake with Petra 5 and vine seed oil, Valrhona Ivoire chocolate namelaka and pistachio, raspberry jam and almond paste with pistachios for the modern upgrade.