It was the first bridge-type motorway refreshment point built in Europe in 1959, still today among the most iconic symbols of the modernization of our country and of the economic boom of Italy in those years. The Autogrill of Fiorenzuola d'Arda today it is once again the scene of an evolution of catering on the go, becoming protagonist of the new food culture attentive to the enhancement of local Italian excellence. It is right here, on the A1 Turin-Piacenza-Brescia, a historic meeting point for two great flows of travelers but also for important gastronomic traditions such as the one from Piacenza, that Bistrot, the concept developed by Autogrill, makes its debut on the motorway with the collaboration ofUniversity of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG) of Pollenzo and inaugurated last week in the presence of the Deputy Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies, Sen. Andrea Olivero.
"With the opening of Bistrot Fiorenzuola d'Arda we return to the roots of our history to look to the future, a future that fits into the path undertaken by Autogrill which speaks of innovation and excellence through the constant transformation of its offer", he declared Gianmario Tonto Da Ruos, Chief Executive Officer of the Autogril Group. “Strengthened by the success achieved by Bistrot in Europe – continued Tondato – today we are taking a new step forward by bringing this brand onto the motorway in Italy for the first time, aiming to offer and make those traveling by car aware of the excellence of a territory with a great wealth and agri-food tradition".
In fact, Bistrot has already landed in Milano Centrale, in 2013, and then in Rome Fiumicino and Milan Duomo. Also noteworthy was the development abroad: in the airports of Düsseldorf, Helsinki and Geneva, as well as in the Dutch railway station in Utrecht. And soon it will also open its doors at Montreal Airport in North America.
THE CONCEPT: ITALIAN EXCELLENCE AND CRAFTSMANSHIP
Bistro wants to be expression of the new food culture, on the move but not only, attentive to the enhancement of local Italian excellence and al recovery of craftsmanship practices. In the Fiorenzuola d'Arda store, characterized by an interior layout reminiscent of covered city markets, particular attention is paid to the selection of local producers, with a view to seasonality, regionality and a short supply chain, to offer customers a unique experience, capable of blending together the flavors of the regional gastronomic tradition, accessible to all, with the values of sustainability.
Ground floor is situated the oven, with a bakery department directly visible to the customer, which offers a wide assortment of pizzas, as well as a large variety of bread prepared with sourdough and local confectionary specialties such as the typical Torta di Vigolo from the Perazzi pastry shop, a historic shop in the province of Piacenza. But also the Cafeteria, where to find an authentic Neapolitan coffee prepared in the traditional "cuccuma" e the Orchard, area of fresh fruit and vegetables with a wide choice of smoothies, fresh smoothies and fruit salads.
Upstairs (in the bridge that crosses the highway), on the other hand, travelers find the first course specialities Pasta maker, open laboratory that offers a variety of fresh bronze-drawn pasta produced directly in the store with flour from i Molini di Voghera, as well as second courses from Street kitchens, with the grill for grilling meat, like the one from the Morini farm, just 20 km from Fiorenzuola, cold dishes and gastronomy salads. Complete the offer a market, present inside the restaurant, which offers a selection of high quality products from selected local producers, such as the vinegar from Acetaia Bellei with more than 600 years of history.
To make this project Autogrill has launched an important personnel training programme (with over 3000 hours of training) which has made it possible to introduce new professionalism and trades into the sales point, such as bakers, for example, in line with the local offer and the Bistrot philosophy.
