By Mattia Federici
A walk under the loggias of the scenic square of Greve in Chianti, on a March morning with a still pungent air, leads us to the outdoor area of the Pasticceria Chianti, where Christian and Selene are waiting for us: brothers, colleagues and co-owners of the ‘Pasticceria in Piazza’, a true trait d’union of tradition and contemporaneity.
They are the third generation of a family of bakers. “My grandparents already had a bakery in Greve,” says Selene, “where they only did bread-making.” Subsequently, the business was passed from father to son, keeping alive the tradition of bread, the cornerstone of every table set.
The history of Pasticceria Chianti officially began on August 6, 2017 with mother Lucia called to carry on the family tradition: “Opening a new pastry shop in the square of Greve was a gamble… But in hindsight we were right,” they say.
Selene immediately joined her mother, who had already had the experience of working behind the bakery counter – which is still open on the outskirts of the village – joined her mother. Christian, on the other hand, takes a bit of a moment at first: “When we opened, I was enrolled in the university, so I was expected to have a simple hand behind the counter during the high season. But then I embraced the project with enthusiasm and I’m really happy with the choice I made.”
Christian and Selene are two sides of the same coin: she is exuberant and innovative, he is calm and analytical. Together they balance and reinforce each other.
“We make a lot of sacrifices, we fight a lot, but despite this, our strength lies in not letting go, not getting lost,” Selene tells us.
And Christian confirms: “By working together, the relationship between the two of us has also improved a lot.”
Now, after 7 years, we find them coordinating a staff of young collaborators including 4 pastry chefs and 9 counter workers. The environment is dynamic and young, without a rigid hierarchy – explain Christian and Selene. The extra something behind the counter is obtained by supporting each other, cultivating human capital. The boys are also all Greve doc, thus strengthening the bond with the territory. The clientele is mainly local or comes from the surrounding areas. For them, the tourist is an added value, not a priority. This allows them to work all year round, to have stable relationships with collaborators and to be a point of reference for the territory and for supplier companies.
The care, the tradition, the sweet and confidential relationship with people and colleagues is palpable, so much so that the Pasticceria Chianti has become a small safe haven where you can stop and stop for a few moments in the race of time.
If it is true that the human side is fundamental to building a stable business, the passion for the food product certainly cannot be overlooked. In the workshop, many delicacies are prepared for breakfast: from croissants to swivels, from puff pastries to traditional rice puddings that “have become a real cult object for some passionate cyclists in the area who have renamed their itinerary “Giro del Pudding” – says Christian proudly.
Breakfast is just one of the times of day to visit the pastry shop. During the day you can buy fresh bread (even on Sundays!) made with different doughs and then ‘schiaccia’, stuffed sandwiches, pizza and many other savoury products.
To celebrate more important events, you can order the best cakes of the Florentine tradition such as the Torta della Nonna – highly recommended by Selene – or the Fedora, or open up to a more modern vision with Bavarian and cheesecake and many other cakes. If, on the other hand, you are a real gourmand, let yourself be tempted by the colourful and inviting flavours of the mignon pastry.
That’s it? No! Selene and Christian enthusiastically tell us that within a few years the pastry shop will expand to accommodate a ‘tea room’ where you can carve out time for yourself and feel at ease, away from the rush and wear and tear of daily commitments, indulging in the sweet or savoury pampering of the Pasticceria Chianti.
But that’s another story, which we’ll have the opportunity to tell you soon.
Info: Pasticceria Chianti, Piazza Giacomo Matteotti 27, Greve in Chianti (Fi) / Tel. 055 8546193