text Mila Montagni
Liquid gold
erena Gonnelli is heir to a long line of oliandoli (olive press workers) dating back proudly to 1585. Her idea of a unique format: to create a restaurant dedicated to Tuscany’s liquid gold and, in the same space, teach how to use it in cuisine
How did the idea for Olivia come about?
When, after ten years of working in the family business, I realized that there was a lot of curiosity surrounding oil but still a lot to explain. Explaining oil is no easy task.
Yet oil is precious, crucial, in cuisine...
But I realize that it was in the restaurants that an adequate awareness was lacking. This is how Olivia was born, to share the experience and make it appreciated, through informal catering.
A year after the launch, would you say you are satisfied?
Let’s say that we begin to have a loyal clientele and continue to enjoy the curious effect provided by the originality of the proposal.
Why do you teach about choosing and using oil?
Because it’s not fat, it’s totally vegetable and healthy. It’s a true medicine for the heart and the whole digestive system, as well as for the skin.
You chose Florence for this adventure, thinking of...?
The fact that I grew up at the Collegio della Querce, and I feel Florentine. Even if I spent my holidays working at the Frantoio di Santa Téa, in the Vertine area, where our 43 thousand olive trees are.
Your place of the heart, in the city?
On Via Vecchia Fiesolana, the panoramic terrace between San Domenico and Fiesole: silent, beautiful, capable of showing a unique city.
