[vc_row el_id=”margineart”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
“If to cook is an act of love, as chef Lino Scarallo says, then two days in Naples is like a torrid love affair.” <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]In mid-May, I revisited the southern Italian city made famous for pizza margherita and for having an active volcano as its neighbour. But this time around, my adventure was part of a special tour curated by DLISH and Eleit\u2014two companies with a shared passion for food and design. Together with a small group of fellow foodies and design lovers, we discovered the chefs, designers, and artisans behind the region\u2019s artistic rebirth. More than just a cultural visit, it was also an introduction to\u00a0The DLISH Table<\/em><\/a>, a concept by company founder Mona Bavar where we gather people around the table to share stories, new experiences, and of course, food.<\/p>\n Like every trip to Naples, this one too begins from the very first step outside Centrale station. Hit by the warm sun, the sound of beeping traffic and locals yelling, the city shouts \u2018welcome\u2019 with its signature liveliness. It\u2019s a shock to the system but once you get acclimatized it\u2019s hard not to find beauty amidst the chaos. I forgo a taxi in favor of the metro and a short walk past Piazza Plebiscito, where there are already queues of people waiting for pizza fritta at Sorbillo. A few streets later and I\u2019m at our hotel overlooking the sea and Castel dell\u2019Ovo. The view paired with the late spring sunshine is a balm.<\/p>\n In the hotel lobby, I meet\u00a0Eleit<\/a><\/em>\u00a0founder Titti Gallucci, who is on a mission to promote Naples and the Campania region through partnerships with culinary experts, artisans and designers. Over the next 48 hours, we\u2019ll encounter some of the partners on Titti\u2019s roster while raising a glass to her newest collaboration with DLISH.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”2361″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]The first stop on our tour is at Michelin-starred restaurant\u00a0Palazzo Petrucci<\/em><\/a>\u00a0for aperitivo and dinner. The restaurant is located in one of Napoli’s\u00a0most beautiful buildings and thanks to the dedication of General Manager, Edoardo Trotta, the\u00a0historical palazzo remains an important symbol of Naples. We are introduced to designers\u00a0400 GON<\/em><\/a>, ceramic artisans\u00a0BHUMI<\/em><\/a>, and chef\u00a0Lino Scarallo<\/em><\/a>. Together, they have collaborated on a series of curiously-designed objects for Eleit that reimagines the ways in which to enjoy traditional Neapolitan food. Under the name\u00a0\u2018Riti<\/a>\u2019<\/em>\u2014meaning \u2018rituals\u2019\u2014the collection comprises \u2018Scarpetta\u2019, an object shaped to catch dripping meatball sauce onto a small piece of bread, \u2018Con-dita\u2019, a sea-inspired piece created to perfectly hold finger food, and \u2018Soffio\u2019, a semi-cylindrical object complete with metal \u2018stuzzichino\u2019 to cool down a piping hot pizza fritta.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”2359″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]As dusk sets in over views of the bay and the 17th century Palazzo Donn\u2019Anna, we\u2014very happily\u2014try out the ceramic objects while tasting the simple yet elegant cuisine of Scarallo. It\u2019s hard to pick a favorite, but the wave-like \u2018Con-dita\u2019 makes an impression thanks to its intuitive design.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”2357″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]Our exploration of Neapolitan ceramics continues the next morning at\u00a0Real Fabbrica di Capodimonte<\/em><\/a>. Set in a wooded park north of Naples\u2019 centre, it\u2019s a historical institute dedicated to the preservation of ancient craftsmanship and ceramic art. First established as the Royal Ceramic Factory by King Carlo of Borbone in 1743, nowadays the institute is home to master ceramists as well as teenage students who are learning the art of decorative porcelain.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”2355″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]We wander around the school and watch the students methodically mould, shape and paint. To an outsider, the process seems meditative. I make a mental promise to myself\u00a0 to enroll in an adult class the next time I\u2019m in Naples. After seeing the students hard at work, we meet\u00a0Raffaella Del Giudic<\/em><\/a>e<\/em>, an architect who has designed a ceramic vessel called\u00a0\u2018<\/em>PYXIS<\/em><\/a>\u2019<\/em>\u00a0for storing and serving mozzarella. Articulated by sensual curves, the voluptuous vessel takes its name and inspiration from traditional Greek vascular art. Adding a Neapolitan twist, Raffaella has specially created PYXIS to drain off the excess moisture that comes with fresh buffalo mozzarella, or \u2018white gold\u2019 as it\u2019s known around here.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”2353″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]We witness PYXIS in action just a short while later during lunch at pizzeria\u00a0Concettina ai Tre Santi<\/a><\/em>\u00a0in the Sanit\u00e0 neighborhood. It must be said that good pizza is easy to find in Naples, but the experience at Concettina ai Tre Santi is something totally different. First formed by the eponymous Concettina in 1951, the pizzeria is now run by her great grandson Ciro Oliva, who has reinvented the place while still staying true to its traditional roots.<\/p>\n During our tasting session, Ciro and his team delight us with a seemingly endless array of dishes, all served with jokes and laughter. Highlights include pizza fritta laid on top of Neapolitan tomato sauce, a special mozzarella show starring\u00a0PYXIS<\/em><\/a>,<\/em>\u00a0and of course, the queen herself, Margherita. I only wish I had hollow legs to fit everything in.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”2349″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]Filled to the brim with pizza, the next stop on our tour is at the other end of the city on\u00a0Rua Catalana<\/em>. This historic street dates back to 1343 when Queen Joanna I of Anjou granted Catalan metalworkers their own road in an effort to boost trade in the Kingdom of Naples.\u00a0Seven hundred years later and there\u2019s only a small handful of artisans still working here, but with the same passion and dedication to their craft. Walking around is kind of like walking back in time. Their street-facing workshops are crammed with tools and materials\u2014not to mention a poster of the city\u2019s other queen, Sophia Loren\u2014and their workspaces spill out onto the pavement.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”2347″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]It\u2019s here on Rua Catalana where we first catch a glimpse of \u2018La Famiglia Olivia<\/em><\/a>\u2019, the star of this trip and the protagonist of a\u00a0new DLISH gift box<\/a>\u00a0produced in collaboration with Eleit.\u00a0Conceived by Naples-born designer\u00a0Astrid Luglio<\/em><\/a>\u00a0and handcrafted by these very same artisans in tin-plated brass and copper, La Famiglia Olivia is a collection of three objects\u2014Elio, Gea, and Pigi\u2014that invites users to savour the unique fragrance and taste of olive oil.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”2366″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]After watching the craftsmen solder and hammer, we leave Naples for Nerano, a charming fishing village on the Amalfi Coast past the tourist madness of Sorrento. We\u2019re hosted at Michelin-starred restaurant\u00a0La Taverna del Capitano<\/em><\/a>\u00a0by Campania\u2019s first female sommelier\u00a0Mariella Caputo<\/em>\u00a0and her brother, chef Alfonso Caputo. Together, the pair takes us on an exquisite culinary journey while Mariella\u2019s husband and the restaurant\u2019s ma\u00eetre di, Claudio, keeps us entertained. One of Claudio\u2019s anecdotes includes Hollywood actor Tom Hanks, who apparently called\u00a0La Taverna del Capitano\u2019s Spaghetti alla Nerano<\/em><\/a>\u00a0the best thing he\u2019s ever eaten. We press him for the secret recipe but sadly he doesn\u2019t give it up.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”2363″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]In between Claudio\u2019s anecdotes and Alfonso\u2019s sublime cuisine, Mariella gives us a demonstration of two pieces from La Famiglia Olivia collection:\u00a0Elio<\/em><\/a>, which she uses to expertly drizzle olive oil over sizzling fish, and\u00a0Gea<\/em><\/a>, which she fills up with oil for us to dip our bread into.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”2368″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]We discover the third object,\u00a0Pigi<\/a><\/em>, the next morning with Antonio, the owner of an award-winning olive oil company called\u00a0Le Colline Lubrensi<\/em><\/a>. Antonio is a third generation olive farmer and oil producer, and the passion he has for his craft is clear from both the insights he shares with us and the taste of his oils. After showing us part of the production process, Antonio demonstrates how to hold Pigi in order to best awaken our olfactory senses. It\u2019s the first time I\u2019ve actually smelled olive oil and the experience gives a whole new meaning to the expression, \u2018stop and smell the roses\u2019.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”2370″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]Before we finish this special tour of Naples, there\u2019s only one thing we still need to see: buffalo mozzarella. For this, we head to local cheese producer,\u00a0Il Turuziello<\/em><\/a>. The family run business hosts workshops for visitors to experience how mozzarella and other cheeses are made\u2013and of course to taste them too. Like every single person we\u2019ve met on this trip, the De Gregorio family welcomes us with warmth, kindness, and a side of humour. The rocky ride to the farm in their Piaggio Ape\u2014or \u2018Ferrrari\u2019 as they call it\u2014stands out as a particularly memorable experience.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”2372″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]As our two day sojourn comes to an end, we drive back along the Amalfi Coast to Naples. It\u2019s a bittersweet feeling to leave this place, and especially all the wonderful people we\u2019ve met around each and every table. While the car winds around the coastal road, I look out across the shimmering azure sea and savour this view, this warmth, and this unquestionably Neapolitan joy of life.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”2374″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]Click here\u00a0<\/strong> <\/a>discover The Famiglia Olivia Gift Box and find out how you can join the next DLISH Table here<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n