After years of travel and eating their way through every state and country they visited, Ashley and Executive Chef Jason Bartner decided to share their love for food with others by setting up La Tavola Marche in Sant'Angelo in Vado, Italy.
ExpatWomen's Interview with Ashley
ExpatWomen: Ashley, tell us about La Tavola Marche. How did the idea come about and what do you offer your clients?
Ashley: La Tavola Marche is a unique culinary holiday where you actively participate in Italian culture through seasonal activities paired with local artisan bakers, farmers and wine makers while staying in a rustic farmhouse apartment. We combine searching for the best seasonal local ingredients, hands–on cooking classes, and the conviviality of the table to help you connect with the people through their food, culture, and terra. In addition to the accommodations and cooking classes, we can arrange horseback riding, language lessons, truffle hunts, wine tastings, hiking, biking and much more.
The idea came about after we travelled to Italy for a little over a month for our honeymoon. We had travelled to many other European countries and for some reason just felt at home here. Once we returned home, I kept thinking about how we could move to Italy. Something in Italy just spoke to us. We felt done in New York and we wanted more out of life than working to pay our mortgage. We wanted to work together. We were sick of the city life and ready for a change. We were totally open to a new language, culture, holidays, metric – everything!
|
|
ExpatWomen: Who are your clients – where are they coming from and how are they hearing about you?
|
| |
Ashley: We were really very lucky because after one of our first lunches for a group of Italians – a woman in the group wrote in to Donna Moderna – the longest running weekly women's magazine in Italy and wrote that the food was fabulous and the farmhouse idyllic. After that, our phone rang off the hook for the entire summer!
Thus our 1st year we had about 90% Italians – a big shock to us since we never expected Italians to visit a farmhouse and agriturismo run by Americans. We had very few Americans our first season – mainly because Americans tend to book six months plus in advance and our web history was not as established. We had a nice mix of Europeans – a few British, Dutch, German, Belgium and a great French family. We love having the Italians as guests though because they know exactly what to expect at an agriturismo.
This year, the tables have turned completely and we have many, many more reservations from the States – thanks to our blog, tripadvisor reviews, Rick Steve's message board posts, Slow Trav, etc. Our area is such a little secret that after reading our blog and understanding all the wonderful day trips, activities and food you can enjoy right here, it helps the client make the decision to book – that combined with our wonderful reviews.
In regards to dining – lunches and dinners – Italians are our main customer. We tend to serve 'festival' lunches – for big holidays and get–togethers – as Italians love to eat together in big groups of family and friends. |
|
|
|
|
|
ExpatWomen: What have you learned about setting up a business abroad and in particular, setting up a business in Italy? |
| |
Ashley: It is difficult! There is the language barrier and associated confusion at times, the crazy amount of paperwork (and everything must be stamped a million times) and understanding/adapting to a different set of rules to running a business. And of course the stresses of money... But all said, I love it – we both do!
Oh and it is not necessarily normal for the business to be in the woman's name as ours is. So that was funny having our business manager explain to me that I must tell Jason that my name is first and I own the majority of our business and that I must be transparent with him – as if he did not know! Jason did not care at all whose name the business was in, just as long as we got started. In Italy there are also more government grants available to businesses (especially agriculture–related) that are run by women.
On an early trip out to look at properties, we met an Italian couple in San Marino with their own successful business. We told them our story, they wished us luck, offered any help they could, but it was the last thing that the wife said that stuck in our heads – "find a shark.... You need someone to be cunning, smart, quick and resourceful to help navigate you through the red tape of Italy"... we found our shark – and our saint – Fabio Centurioni Santo Fabio. He has not only become our friend but also our commercialista (accountant, business advisor, and more). He was the main reason we got our visas when there was a problem at the consulate. Not a small accomplishment. When we first arrived to our agriturismo just a few days before Christmas, the pipes were frozen and the tank was out GPL (gas). We just made this life changing move and we could not even stay the first night in our new place, so Fabio offered up his family's country house until we could move in. His family took us in for the holidays and helped us feel at home.
Before we moved, we found information at the Italian Tourism Board in New York City, we lived online searching websites, forums and especially expat sites such as http://www.expatsinitaly.com – it really helped us answer so many questions. The International Culinary Tourism Association was a great resource as well.
Books we read on starting a business in Italy included Starting a Business in Italy by Emma Bird and Mario Berri, and Living, Studying and Working in Italy by Monica Larner and Travis Neighbor Ward . We also read fiction books to put us in the right mindset and to hear other stories of expats ('fish out of water') in Italy. Everything by Tim Parks. Of course Under the Tuscan Sun. We also took Italian language lessons in NYC.
You get in return what you project. We are the so thankful for the reception we have received. We have wonderful neighbors and friends and incredibly they are all supportive and eager to help. It is also very important to make – a bella figura – a good impression. When we first arrived, we baked pies for our neighbors along our road, introducing ourselves. Everyone seemed to know who we were right away – the Americans! It was like they held a town meeting upon our arrival.
|
|
ExpatWomen: What are some of your most positive business experiences to date? |
| |
Ashley: A few highlights for us: plates returned clean to the kitchen and having a group of Italians ask to take the leftovers home (this never happens in Italy and is a huge compliment!).
We have had guests cancel their next hotel stay to stay with us longer. Three different families have returned within a year (actually closer to three months) because they enjoyed their time so much with us. Wow, what a compliment. |
|
ExpatWomen: To help whet our appetites, please tell us about some of La Tavola Marche's signature dishes. |
| |
Ashley: Our garden is just bursting right now! Here is what Jason is cooking today for lunch:
Antipasta
Porsciutto e melone
Green beans with pomodorini and 30 year old aged balsamic
Figs with aged pecorino & honey
Lentil Salad
Primi & Secondo Piatti
Spaghetti alla chitarra with zucchini and zucchini blossoms
Taglietelle with fresh porcini and sausage
Lesso with salad
Dessert
Cherries maserate in brandy with mascarpone and star cookie
(All of these recipes can be found on our blog)
|
|
ExpatWomen: In conclusion, what makes the Sant'Angelo, Vado area in Italy so special? |
| |
Ashley: It is our tiny slice of heaven. The rolling hills, winding roads and farmhouses are similar to Tuscany but more undiscovered – we did not want to move to Italy to speak English. We were ready for a complete change and cultural education. The people here are fantastic. Super friendly, patient when we stumble through the language, true neighbors and a real sense of community.
Our definition of la dolce vita... waking up, walking 50 feet to work, not dealing with the commute, working together, making our home our castle filled with family and friends, living a life where it is expected that you take a break at a cafe with a friend if you see them in town, taking the long way home. I do not think this definition has changed for us – now we just get to live it!
|
|
ExpatWomen:
Ashley, thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us. We wish you, Jason and La Tavola Marche all the very, very best. |
| |
| |
|
|
| |
| |
July 2009 |
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
