Retrogusti we are. Children of the '70s and '80s, raised among cassettes, landline phones, television broadcasting "Bim Bum Bam," and the first music videos. We are the ones who saw the first personal computers invade homes, those who remember the smell of videocassettes and learned to navigate a world that was rapidly transforming.
It's a project born from us, with the spirit of those born and raised in this in-between generation, always balancing between a past to preserve and a future to explore.
Retrogusti is a reflection of this nature of ours: an adventure that wants to dig deep, go beyond appearances and
rediscover those authentic flavors, those "aftertastes" that often get lost in the din of the new.
Who better than us, who have experienced the transition from family dinners to fusion cuisine, can tell the profound connection between food, wine, and culture?
If I close my eyes, I can still hear the sound of cutlery on ceramic plates during family dinners. Food was ritualistic, with unwritten rules: we didn't start until everyone was at the table, and there was always a dish that spoke of our history. Perhaps that's why, today, we at Retrogusti do not just review a dish or a wine; we tell the stories behind them. Because that dish is not just an assembly of ingredients, it is the result of a connection, a tradition, a lingering taste that brings us back home.
But we are also those who have seen fast food arrive at home, who began experimenting with ethnic cuisines before they became a trend. We have learned to navigate between grandma's lasagna and Saturday night sushi, between the family-run Chinese restaurant and the pizzeria with plastic tables. This ambivalence, this ability to move between the past and the present, is our trademark, our approach to life and food.
And then there is wine. Ah, how many evenings have been spent discussing which label to open, which terroir to choose. If there is one thing we, the 'in-between generation,' have understood, it is that wine is much more than a beverage: it is a dialogue between those who produce it, those who drink it, and those who tell its story. We have not been the ones satisfied with the historic labels of our parents, nor those who jumped on whatever was fashionable for the sake of aesthetics.
For us, a bottle of wine is a book to browse through.
a way to discover new stories, to travel without leaving the table.
We experienced the explosion of the "Supertuscans" and saw how certain wines have become emblems of a changing and renewing Italy. But we did not stop here: we learned to appreciate small producers, the lesser-known stories, those wines that might not find space on the shelves of major chains but have much to say. And this is our mission at Retrogusti: to bring to light those forgotten aftertastes, the ones that require time, attention, and a little desire to explore.
We are talking more and more about authenticity, but for us, it is not just a trendy term. We grew up in a transitional era, where everything seemed to change too quickly. Perhaps that is why we have learned to value what is true, genuine, what does not need artifice to demonstrate its worth. Authenticity is the common thread that ties all our choices together; it is what we seek when we tell the story of a small provincial restaurant or a wine made with passion.
And I know that it is not always easy. We are bombarded with a thousand inputs, with new trends that change at the pace of an Instagram post. But for us, authenticity is not an option: it is the very essence of what we do. It is a return to a cuisine that respects the rhythms of nature, that values the territory, that does not bend to the logic of easy profit. And that is why every time we tell a story or organize an event, we do it with the honesty of someone who knows they are speaking about something very personal.
Today, we find ourselves at a crucial point: we are halfway between those who came before us and those who will follow. And I feel that our role, even here on Retrogusti, is to be a bridge. A bridge between the authentic taste of things done well and the enthusiasm of those ready to innovate.
"We are not afraid to dare, but we never forget where we come from," this is our strength.
And so, we will continue to tell stories, to explore, to discover new aftertastes. We will continue to be that voice that invites you to pause for a moment, to reflect, to seek the value of the things that truly matter. Because food and wine, in the end, are just an excuse to talk about ourselves, our history, and our humanity. And we still have many stories to tell.
