Espresso honors Antonino Cannavacciuolo: "Dreaming is fundamental"
Antonino Cannavacciuolo was the star of the evening for the 46th edition of Le Guide de L’Espresso, held at the Teatro degli Arcimboldi in Milan. For the first time, his restaurant Villa Crespi enters the elite of the 21 establishments awarded with the five hats, the highest recognition, achieving a perfect score: 20 out of 20.
“At the beginning there is always the fear of making mistakes – said from the stage the culinary ace -. It’s normal. And then comes almost the obsession to do everything “perfect,” better and better. But at some point you realize it’s not just about perfection. It is about passion, perseverance, having a vision and believing in it even when others don”t believe in it yet.
“The most beautiful part today is being able to share this journey with people who have been working with us for years, even decades. Here, this for me is an honor, but also a responsibility. We have to be an example, especially for young people. Making mistakes is part of the journey. But if you know how to turn the mistake into a lesson, if you know how to turn it in your favor, then you have not failed: you have learned. And that is the first real success”.
“I started from Naples, with an idea, together with my wife. And we believed in it. Even when everything seemed difficult, even when we lacked the means. Today everything seems more accessible, a table, machinery, premises, but 30 years ago it was not like that. Having an idea and pursuing it was a leap of faith. Yet we succeeded. We put down roots. We grew through hard work, dedication and one thing that should never be lacking: the dream. Yes, the dream. Because if you don”t dream, you don”t build anything.
“Many of the businesses you see today were born with a van bringing stuff up, amidst a thousand difficulties. But that is where the value is born. From the sacrifice. From the will to make it. And today we are still here. With so many people who have stood by us, with new projects that push us forward. Always with the same hunger, the same will to do”.
