Whoever stops... Is lost? This is not just a simple question. It is the title of the talk presented at FoodExp by Martina Bonci, the award-winning bar manager of Gucci Giardino in Florence. But it is also a suggestion, an enigma of the soul to be answered through one's work and even one's... drinks! The one Martina prepared for the audience features turmeric, elderflower, bergamot gin, and grapefruit bitters. The result? A fresh yet structured drink, easy to drink and in line with all the others that Bonci and her team of professionals serve at Giardino. “Our drinks tell stories of travels, encapsulate emotions, and evoke memories,” she tells us at the end of the talk, “But they also look to the future; they are contemporary.” In short, a mix of eras in which to navigate while keeping the constants of research, experimentation, innovation, and open-mindedness steady: “Whoever stops, therefore, is lost.” And finally, a thought on FoodExp: “It is always a pleasure to return here, meet so many people, and exchange ideas with talented professionals—often young—who breathe creativity into those who listen to them.
