Florence | ITALY

Two years of Retrogusti. An (almost) serious interview with Artificial Intelligence

From the report of a "discovered niche" to the birth of the journalistic outlet: why we chose to give a voice to Italy's independents, among territorial sentinels and new international routes.

Florence | ITALY

Two years of Retrogusti. An (almost) serious interview with Artificial Intelligence

From the report of a "discovered niche" to the birth of the journalistic outlet: why we chose to give a voice to Italy's independents, among territorial sentinels and new international routes.

Today, it is normal, almost commonplace, to observe a project like ours, delegating the analysis of numbers, traffic, and trends to Artificial Intelligence. But I wanted to do something different and on the occasion of the two years of Retrogusti, I decided not to use AI to tell me "what works", but to have it "process" us.

In a semi-serious game, I asked an algorithm to show its its cold analytical logic and to disguise as a ruthless inquisitor, to corner me and make us doubt ourselves. What you are reading is the result: a confrontation between the sterile perfection of the digital and the soul of someone who, for two years, has chosen to inhabit a "discovered niche."

The Devil's Advocate (AI): Mr. President, two years of existence and yet Retrogusti still seems like a secret to a select few. With an Instagram profile that avoids trends and a website that doesn't chase easy clicks, why should we believe that you're not just another romantic project destined to disappear?

Nunzio Scavo: Because our "slowness" is a political choice, not a limitation. In these two years we have not sought followers, we have sought roots. While the food world is becoming saturated with "collab" influencers and "editorial indulgences," to put it bluntly, we have built our credibility one article at a time. Now we are ready for the big leap: after becoming an ETS association in 2025, we have just recently filed the paperwork to officially become a registered news outlet. We are no longer a blog; we are becoming a cultural project that assumes professional and legal responsibility to our readers.

Nunzio Scavo: Because our "slowness" is a political choice, not a limit. In these two years we have not sought followers, we have sought roots. While the food world saturates with "collab" influencers and "editorial accommodations," to put it euphemistically, we have built our credibility one article at a time. Now we are ready for the big leap: after becoming an ETS association in 2025, we have just submitted the request to officially become a registered news outlet. We are no longer a blog; we are becoming a cultural project that takes on a professional and legal responsibility towards those who read us.

AI: The web is a graveyard of independent magazines. What prevents you from ending up in the pile of "cute but invisible projects?"

NS: The fact that we are not alone. In two years we have built a network that today is our strength with over 60 contributors from Italy and abroad. We started showcasing Italian Slow Food Communities, but our horizon is broader: our model aims to connect hundreds of communities around the world, to engage in dialogue with the major federations of independent producers, and to forge partnerships with entities that align with our vision. We are building an ecosystem of values, not just a simple bulletin board of identical photos. To do this, we have activated the role of Ambassadors: professionals who are our sentinels on the ground, from Brescia to Cosenza, capable of uncovering stories, relationships, and ideas that no algorithm could ever intercept.

NS: The fact that we are not alone. In two years we have built a network that today is our strength with over 60 contributors from Italy and abroad. We started telling the Slow Food Italian Communities, but the horizon is broader: our model aims to connect hundreds of communities around the world, to engage in dialogue with the major federations of independent producers, and to forge collaborations with entities that align with our vision. We are building an ecosystem of values, not just a simple bulletin board of identical photos. To do this, we have activated the role of Ambassadors: professionals who are our sentinels on the ground, from Brescia to Cosenza, capable of uncovering stories, relationships, and ideas that no algorithm could ever intercept.

AI: Talk about Ambassador and international collaborations. Isn't it a bit ambitious to want to connect such distant territories?

NS: On the contrary, it is the only way to give dignity and future to the project. We have recently established an internship agreement with FUA (Florence University of the Arts), the international academy of excellence in Florence, thereby creating a bridge with The University of Missouri School of Journalism, of of the oldest and most prestigious journalism schools in the world.

Thanks to this synergy, we will host American students in the editorial office who will immerse themselves in the culinary culture and wine culture that we describe, taking care of our English-language channels and allowing us to launch a new Instagram profile entirely dedicated to the international audience. The challenge is ambitious but concrete: the story of the small producer, whether it is from a small Italian village or a remote location on the other side of the world, will no longer be confined within the boundaries of its own local area. It will speak to the world with an international journalistic standard, breaking down linguistic and cultural barriers. 

The Ambassadors are our eyes on the local scene, the editorial team is the beating heart, and the international partners are the bridge that allows us to bring the authenticity of our stories everywhere.

NS: On the contrary, it is the only way to give dignity and future to the project. We have recently established an internship agreement with FUA (Florence University of the Arts), the international academy of excellence in Florence, thereby creating a bridge with Missouri School of Journalism, the oldest and most prestigious journalism school in the world.

Thanks to this synergy, we will host American students in the editorial office who will immerse themselves in the culinary culture that we describe, taking care of our English-language channels and allowing us to launch a new Instagram profile entirely dedicated to the international audience. The challenge is ambitious but concrete: the story of the small producer, whether it is from a small Italian village or a remote reality on the other side of the world, will no longer be confined within the boundaries of its own bell tower. It will speak to the world with an international journalistic standard, breaking down linguistic and cultural barriers. 

The Ambassadors are our eyes on the territory, the editorial office is the beating heart, and the international partners are the bridge that allows us to bring the authenticity of our stories everywhere.

AI: However, in food, we often only talk about "dishes". You seem to want to raise the bar elsewhere. Where?

NS: We want to explore the boundary where food ends and history begins, raising the level of the relationship between culture, food, and wine. This is where our distinctive format comes into play, "Tasting Stories" where our storytelling does not stop at the screen of a smartphone: it sits at the table. We do not organize simple events, but experiences of "live journalism." We bring people to meet the producers, transforming the article they read on the website into a glass to drink and a hand to shake. Eating and drinking are cultural acts: we tell the story of the product, the human landscape that generates it, and the stories that blossom around it, and then we transform those words into a real experience to share with our readers.

NS: We want to explore the boundary where food ends and History begins, raising the level of the relationship between culture and food and wine. This is where our distinctive format comes into play, "Stories in Tasting" where our storytelling does not stop at the screen of a smartphone: it sits at the table. We do not organize simple events, but experiences of "live journalism." We bring people to meet the producers, transforming the article they read on the site into a glass to drink and a hand to shake. Eating and drinking are cultural acts: we tell the story of the product, the human landscape that generates it, and the stories that blossom around it, and then we transform those words into a real experience to share with our members.

AI: All very noble, but freedom has a cost. How can you ensure that, as you grow, you won’t also become a billboard for the highest bidder?

NS: Thanks to our member model. The freedom of Retrogusti belongs to its Members. Our independence is protected by over 120 members who, just months after our transformation into an association, believed in us and supported us. For this reason, we will soon launch a membership campaign that is a true challenge to the system of easy collaborators: those who join do so not just for a discount or an exclusive experience, but to fund a way of talking about food that does not accept compromises. The members are the guardians of our freedom of criticism. If we talk about a product or an experience, it is because we truly believe in it, not because it's the result of a sponsorship.

NS: Thanks to our associative model. The freedom of Retrogusti belongs to its Members. Our independence is protected by over 120 members who, just months after our transformation into an association, believed in us and supported us. For this reason, we will soon launch a membership campaign that is a true challenge to the easy "collab" system: those who join do so not just for a discount or an exclusive experience, but to finance a way of telling about food that does not accept compromises. The members are the guardians of our freedom of criticism. If we talk about a product or an experience, it is because we truly believe in it, not because it's the result of sponsorship.

AI: President, the birthday is a milestone but also a moment of reckoning. What should we expect for the future?

NS: You will see the confirmation of a commitment. We met just in these days in Florence with the entire central team, to celebrate these two years and, above all, to reitterate our distance from a certain type of approach to the world of food and wine. 

Retrogusti does not chase followers, it seeks Members: people who believe in local journalism, thats authentic and proudly "dirty". For those who only seek digital choreography and current trends, this is probably not the right place. But if you are looking for culture that you eat, drink, and pass down with respect, then welcome aboard. 

NS: You will see the confirmation of a commitment. We met just in these days in Florence with the entire central team, to celebrate these two years and, above all, to reaffirm our distance from a certain type of approach to the food and wine world. 

Retrogusti does not chase followers, it seeks Members: people who believe in journalism of territory, authentic and proudly "dirty with soil". For those who only seek digital choreographies and current trends, this is probably not the right place. But if you are looking for culture that you eat, drink, and pass down with respect, then welcome aboard. 

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Short, intense, and surprising stories about food and wine that evoke emotions. Preview articles, events, itineraries, and experiences.

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