As we approach the year milestone on travel restrictions and changes to our way of life due to the global pandemic, stories like those of Igor Iacopini, owner and founder of Rossodisera in London’s West End, remind us just how enriched we all are by the freedom of travel and the opportunity to discover new places. It was thanks to this freedom that he visited London over twenty years ago and made some life changing encounters, discoveries on food culture, all the while realising that his homeland in Italy’s Le Marche region was host to many incredible ingredients and traditions, that seemingly back then, nobody in London knew about. Like most things, it took a little bit of distance to make the heart grow fonder and more appreciative of what he had at home, and so, in 2007 with inspiration and the desire to teach others about Le Marche and its food heritage, Rossodisera was born. Today, it remains a bastion of Marche culture and excellence in the UK capital, a centre for traditional food philosophy and a meeting point for other Marchigiani in the city. In this series on Marchigiani around the world, we learn more about London’s Marche heart.
Igor what brought you to London from Fermo and what makes Rossodisera and indeed Le Marche, unique?
Well, it all started after I’d finished studying and I had the chance travel abroad more often. The opportunity to travel meant that I was able to make comparisons with what other places had to offer or, indeed, not. In the end, I was really able to appreciate the quality and genuineness of the food produced back home in Le Marche, its culinary heritage and potential as a tourist destination. I agree with people when they say that you really don’t appreciate what Le Marche has to offer until you’re far away from it. I think anyone who visits comes away with that same impression.
As Marchigiani we try to maintain strong ties with our traditions and the things that the previous generations have taught us. In addition to the wonderful natural beauty that really differentiates the region from others, along with its medieval hill top towns and landscapes, Marchigiani have always been considered as wanting to preserve their heritage and have a tendency of self-rule. Often, those who visit Le Marche (or at least in my case, those who come to Rossodisera in London), are always really impressed by how authentic and untouched it is. There is real commitment to preserving the past, perhaps more so than ever in today’s global world.
So I’d say that people are genuinely curious about this region, and in some way, we are really able to feed this curiosity at the restaurant through our faithfulness to the culinary traditions, recipes, local products and tales about the history. Sometimes when I tell our guests about the story behind certain products and recipes, I end up quoting The Hobbit from the Tolkien Trilogy: the Marchigiani are small in stature, proud and welcoming, and on our land you will find everything you could ever wish for!
Did you notice a gap in the market for Marche cuisine in London when you first visited?
There was a real gap in the market for Marche cuisine in all of the countries that I had visited. Basically, Le Marche didn’t really exist for anyone. Aside from the obvious high profile names from history like Raffaello Sanzio, Leopardi and Rossini, or when a fashion brand from the region became big, or even when there was some point of interest about the history of one of our noteworthy cities such as Urbino or Fabriano, there was next to nothing. At that time everyone just used to reply in the same way: “Oh right! So that’s where Le Marche is then?”
In terms of cuisine, back at the beginning of 2000, a regional menu from Le Marche wasn’t really imaginable. There were many Marchigiani working in restaurants across London, but nobody, even those who were high level and experienced chefs, had the nerve to represent their native culinary heritage. So let’s say, back then the “generic” approach to Italian cuisine was definitely favoured.
But changes were taking place. Globalisation meant that Italy’s image and an awareness of its regional cuisine was starting to become more noticeable. British clients (and not even, London is a hub of many nationalities), were becoming aware of regional specialities and alternatives, and discovering something unknown in the Italian culinary back catalogue really displayed your virtue in culinary terms. These themes have strengthened over time, and not just for Le Marche, and as such, I’m really proud that Rossodisera represents traditional Marche cuisine for Londoners. Aside from this, it really makes both myself and all of our team here at Rossodisera so honoured to hear that important Marchigiani back home see us as an authentic bastion of the Marche ‘brand’ here in the UK.
Since your restaurant has been open, have you seen more interest in Marche cuisine in general in the UK?
Oh absolutely, the increase in interest has been stable and consistent. We have managed to feed that desire for something new and different that was bubbling under the surface for a long time. We offer traditional and authentic flavours and these are both winning qualities in a place like London. Our cold meat selection board is one of our most ordered dishes, and we are the only place where you can find ciauscolo.
On the menu, the olive ascolane (fried and stuffed olives) and cremini (savoury fried custard bites) manage to capture the British desire for fried things (once the job of fish and chips), and there are dishes such as rabbit ragù, “de lo vatte” sauce and traditional pasta dish vincisgrassi, all of which improve on the generalised image of Italian food being made up of just the classics such as ‘Bolognese’ or lasagne.
What about the Marche community in London, do you know many others who live and work there?
The Italian community in London has really expanded over the past 20 years and obviously the Marche community has grown with it. Through the socials it is really easy to meet others with a similar background or shared Marche roots. Over the course of the years, Rossodisera has been a point of reference for all the Marchigiani who come to London and they’ve found somewhere where they can really feel at home.
Since the beginning, the team in the restaurant has been made up of native Marchigiani and this in itself has attracted other Marchigiani to visit. To be able to find the food that you are used to eating at home, touches of tradition and flavours, at a table, along with habits, gestures, our language and chatter in dialect, our way of saying things, in a really authentic environment that makes you feel like you’re in a traditional local restaurant, surprises everyone. For Marchigiani, Rossodisera is a way of softening that absence of ‘home’ that you inevitably feel when you’re away from it.
The past year has been particularly challenging for restaurateurs, can you tell us about it?
Talking about Covid now with hindsight really makes us question the standards that we were once all accustomed to. Aside from the terrible bill in terms of victims, the awful legacy of the pandemic is how we will be able to go back to how we once were. Humans need their fellow human beings and isolation doesn’t work for them. I think that the biggest challenge will be to prove to ourselves that we have been able to overcome the negative effects of this pandemic, and we can and want to return to our sociable past and have meaningful connection with others.
Of course, for Rossodisera, all of this means that we have had to adapt our ways to survive. In terms of the way we sell our products, ‘take away’ is of course something that we are all talking about at this time. We’ve thought a lot about it, how we would offer this service and as ever, providing authentic ‘Marche’ flavour is a huge factor. The issue is, a standard ‘take away’ offering usually means that the person receiving it is happy to heat up their food or eat it partially cold. This wouldn’t be satisfactory for us and perhaps nor for them, so in theory this service would be limited only to those within a reasonable distance of our location. For all these reasons, we are trying to involve our culinary loving guests to get cooking at home, by providing them with all the ingredients necessary, instructions and reduced cooking times to make the desired dish at home, served hot.
For example, rabbit ragù with freshly made tagliatelle that the client only needs to boil and toss together in a pan, 10 minutes preparation max. That way they can add something unique to the dish, which they will enjoy, and perhaps even more so. This is a nice way of strengthening our bond with our clients.
Tell us what you miss about Le Marche. How often do you go back?
Aside from this period of lockdown and travel restrictions, I never spend that much time away. I’m from Fermo and everything that means something special to me is from there. My family, my friends and the customs of that place.
Despite the distance and the times when I can’t go home, I am nevertheless constantly strengthening my bond with Le Marche and its people. Partly for work and partly because both myself and the Rossodisera team get asked often to help newly arrived Marchigiani in London (for study purposes, business or other). It’s a bit like what happened in America in past centuries, you’d always try and find someone from your country. In the 15 years since I moved here, I’ve met hundreds of Marchigiani and many come back to find me when they are nearby. So all in all, these things help me to not feel like I miss home too much. In the restaurant we all speak a bit of local dialect anyway, so actually it’s like we never left!
Who are your trusted suppliers?
Naturally, there are many, but I don’t want to offend anyone by missing them out here. They all have the same thing in common though, they are family run local businesses. From Urbino to Ascoli Piceno, across the Apennines to the coast, we work with producers that we have a long term relationship with, and beyond that, they have become friends. These are people that really value being able to supply the heart of London with their homemade products.
Where should we be going in Le Marche?
Le Marche offers a unique experience for those who want to go somewhere different and not simply for classic relaxation. As a traveller, I have always wanted to get inside and discover the real character of the place I am visiting. I want to learn about the customs of that place and of course, the traditional culinary history and local products are a way of consolidating this type of experience. I often end up driving my partner mad because as soon as we arrive in a destination I set myself the task of finding the ‘right’ place to eat or drink something, and usually it’s somewhere that seems pretty modest.
I always end up asking myself what it would be like to live in that place, this is of course a sign of success, and it means that I like it there. For this same reason, I think that Le Marche offers a lot in this sense. You can do the beach holiday thing along the coastline in somewhere like the amazing Conero Riviera, or if you prefer, you can discover the medieval hilltop towns, each beautiful and each with its own history, art and culture to tell. There are then outdoor activities, even during the low season, such as truffle hunting, or with someone who knows where to take you, you can explore the magic of the Sibylline Mountains through hiking and cycling tours. I can’t really remember all the place names, but personally I love all the medieval towns around Fermo.
We heard that you have recently opened a joint venture with your family in Fermo, Can you tell us about it?
Yes, I have. Back in 2020 my family and I invested in an Agriturismo called Tenuta Fonte Moscò, located in Ponzano. It’s positioned within a tiny medieval hamlet and offers so much, particularly for those who spend the majority of their time in a metropolis like London. I really fell in love with the place because for generations this is where my family has been from. What’s nice, is that even the walls we have here at Rossodisera were decorated with the bricks from an old farmhouse that was literally on the other side of the slope down in Ponzano. Last summer due to the lockdown closure in London, I found myself back there for a few weeks and I rediscovered many of the nearby medieval villages.
I accompanied some of the guests staying at Fonte Moscò to some of these places and they were completely blown away. We visited places like Moresco, Torre di Palme, Santa Vittoria in Matenano, Fermo, San Ginesio, Monte San Martino and many others. It’s clear that part of Le Marche’s charm is that it really does feel as if you’re stepping back in time.
Rossodisera is open for reservations, contact them directly on 020 7240 3683 or visit the website.
Rossodisera, 5 Monmouth St, London WC2H 9DA
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All images supplied by Rossodisera.