When I met young Marco of Estate Bottled last week, I was struck again by the differences between the old and the new style Italians in New York. At In Vino and Perbacco, as at Assenzio and a host of other terrific restaurants and wine bars all over Manhattan, the young proprietors are Italians from Italy--but not the South, and their names aren't all Tony and Guido. I'd characterize them as I'd characterize Marco himself: young, slim and Northern, and well educated. The old style Italians that dominated the restaurant scene in America, and defined it (define it still in decadent offshoots like the Olive Garden and the Macaroni Grill) were by and large old, fat and Southern, usually not well educated.
The other big difference: no red sauce vs. everything in red sauce (I mean, t'mayduh gravy).
Different times, different expectations. The fact is, Americans today do expect their Italians to be chic and sleek. The younger generation, coming like their Southern countrymen to get rich and let a thousand flower$ bloom, are that and more. They are the key to showing young and not-so-young Americans how to live the good life.
Old style Italian restaurateur in New York:
WHASSAMATTAYOU?*
And the new:
The typical young Italian, as some see him, a DG model: As you desire me**
* Rocky and Bullwinkle reference: not refined
** Pirandello reference: quite refined
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