I ‘like’ Eataly

I have a friendly relationship with Oscar Farinetti, as well as with his son Andrea who is in charge of the Borgogno winery. By saying this I almost feel as if I have to justify myself because for a while now I have heard a lot of criticism about him and his creation Eataly. For sure there will be more such comments against FICo, Fabbrica Italiana Contadina, which will open in Bologna on November 15. Farinetti is a rich and powerful man but despite or because of this a healthy and reciprocal respect exists between us. I am not among those in in his ‘clan’ in the sense that I rarely see him and we rarely talk. I even doubt he has a copy of our Ultimate Guide to Italian Wine and if it is sold in Eataly bookshops, for sure it is next to the other guides and the sales people there make no attempt to ‘push’ it, despite the fact that it includes some wines that Farinetti has a role in producing. His wine estates do not advertise on DoctorWine and only a few have taken part in events we have organized. What this means is that there is no “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” relationship between us as some may maliciously surmise. I ask him for nothing and he asks me for nothing. There is a reciprocal ‘like’ between us, I respect his entrepreneurial talent and I believe he thinks that I am also good at what I do. That’s all. Thus I feel I can speak frankly without any suspicion of have ulterior motives. And this being the case I can honestly say that I like Eataly. I am a simple and anonymous customer at the one in Rome, in Piazzale Ostiense, and I have visited the truly magnificent one in New York and will certainly check out FICo in Bologna. I above all purchase La Granda meats, fresh egg pasta and recently discovered the wine shop they have just opened. I buy and pay for everything without seeking or being offered any discount. And I will not receive a cent for what I am writing here. The only thing that bothers me is that I feel obliged to underscore that this is not an editorial in the pure sense but only my opinion based on my personal experience as an Eataly customer. And this because these days everyone seems to have a malevolent conspiracy theory and everything is the product of some unspeakable and dark motivation. But in this case it is not true. And I just cannot understand why there is so much criticism of Eataly. It is my opinion that the creation of many Eataly centers in Italy and around the world is a positive thing because it has contributed to improving the image of Italian food and in some cases has created an economy where there was none. I say this as a food and wine lover as well as a journalist who tackles such realities with a critical spirit but also in a rational way and without bias. While problems may exist regarding Eataly work contracts, from what I have seen they respect existing laws and accords worked out with unions, even if there is always room for improvement. Nevertheless, one should never make the mistake of thinking that Farinetti is some kind of philanthropist. He is a businessman and to have a healthy business you always need to make a profit.