In the Corona year, many businesses suffered - above all the restaurant trade. In many cantons, restaurants and bars had to close or cope with unprecedented losses. In the 25 years that he has been running his Caffè-Bar e Locanda as manager and chef, Antonio Carbone has experienced nothing comparable.
After special highlights in previous years, such as a visit to the SRF show "Mini Beiz - Dini Beiz" or various Best of Swiss Gastro Awards, 2020 was marked by major challenges. However, the native of Apulia is not the sort to complain idly or give up. His motto, "Comfort doesn't get you anywhere in life," drives him anew every day. "Customers notice when you make an effort and look for solutions despite everything." And so they don't abandon their beloved Locanda.
A small but fine delicatessen, café and restaurant in one, Italian pleasure is capitalized here. Antonio Carbone is a passionate cook. "Brasato al Barolo" or "Spaghetti con le cozze" are just a few of his favorite dishes. He owes his skills to his nonna in Puglia, from which he has copied a lot. When he came to Switzerland at the age of 16, he missed the typical products of his region. Whether butter or the best organic olive oil from hand-picked olives, after all, makes a significant difference in taste. Today, he sells authentic Carbone products from the family farm in his restaurant or sources the best wine from local winegrowers directly on site.
If you have wanderlust and want to feel like you are on vacation in the south for a few hours, you should definitely visit the currently open Carbone Caffè Bar e Locanda in Oberwil BL. In our interview of the month, Antonio Carbone tells us what drives him and how he defines success for himself. We wish you a good read and perhaps also a good appetite, should you be traveling in the Basel-Landschaft region
We wish you a good read!
Mr. Carbone, if you had taken a different path when you were younger, what would you have become?
"My first career aspiration was to be a hairdresser. I see myself as a creative and fashion-conscious person and thought I could live out these facets of my personality well in such a profession. A renowned hairdressing salon in a fashion city like Paris would have been very appealing to me at the time. But creativity still comes into play every day in my profession, so I'm very happy about that."
What is your favorite way to start your day?
"An ideal start to the day begins with jogging for me. Unfortunately, that's not the case every day, but what comes next is a fixed ritual: an excellent espresso in my Caffè Bar before I plan my workday. I put on my chef's coat, walk through my kitchen, take a look in the fridge... Such quiet moments in the morning inspire me immensely."
What does success mean to you personally?
"Success for me is when my customers are not only satisfied, but completely enthusiastic and of course always happy to come back. I feel very happy and fulfilled when a customer asks me for recipes or tips for a certain preparation method. I like to share my food and my passion for good Italian cuisine, so I'm happy to reveal a secret or two."
What would you work for free for a week?
"I would use my talent and resources, which means cooking. I do that with heart and soul and a lot of commitment."
What was the best professional advice you ever received?
"True connoisseurs know that a perfect beverage recommendation to accompany a dish is indispensable. I am glad to have received the advice to do additional training as a sommelier. Since then, it has been a great pleasure for me to be able to recommend a suitable wine accompaniment to my guests. It is an art to sell prestigious wines from great wineries. I'm always very happy when I can surprise my customers with excellent drops from rather unknown winegrowers."
We would like to sincerely thank Mr. Carbone for his contribution to this article. This interview was conducted by telephone.
Editor: Neslihan Steiner
Batterman Consulting Basel AG
Executive Search,
Byfangweg 1a, CH-4051 Basel
T +41 58 680 55 55
basel@batterman.ch
