Serena Sparagna is a 31-year-old native of Formia in lower Lazio; she left her hometown at age 19 to pursue studies in languages at the University of Turin. Despite her young age, she has already lived and worked in numerous cities: in the United States, Moscow, and London. Back in Italy, she started a master's degree in Wine and Food Criticism at theItalian Food Academy. Today she is a journalist specializing in food and wine, collaborates with numerous publishing projects as the Espresso Guides, Passione Gourmet and Passione Pasta and works as a press officer for Babol Communication of Treviglio Press e PR Media Relations. We met with her to have her tell us her success story.
Serena, how did your passion for writing and food come about?
“Although my mother was not a professional cook, she always passed on to me a great passion for good food. My grandparents had a vegetable garden and a chicken coop, and I grew up with the understanding that good things require dedication and patience, a concept applicable to the table as well. Working in the high hotellerie in London, I had direct contact with restaurants of high culinary standards. My love of writing is also thanks to my mother. She used to tell me many stories before going to bed, often made up by her, and she used to write short stories, always bringing me books when she returned from the office. From there my passion for writing and reading was naturally born, until I decided to combine these passions into a profession."
Is there a particular anecdote related to these passions of yours?
“I never won a prize in my life, not even a goldfish. In high school I decided to enter a literary contest organized by the principal. I didn't think I would win, so I submitted my writing without much thought. One morning during recess, I hear the Principal talking on the intercom, but I pay no attention to it. That afternoon I get a call from the school: 'Where are you? Why aren't you on the stage?' I, surprised, ask, 'What stage?' and they reply, 'The one at the award ceremony for the literary contest you won.' They had announced my name, looked for me in the crowd, but I wasn't there -- for once I had won!"
Serena, what are you currently involved in?
“I work as a PR&Media Relations Account in a communications company for the food&lifestyle section. I am an editor and contributor for the Espresso Guides, and an editor and columnist for the Passione Gourmet and Passione Pasta publications."
Is there an interview that you particularly remember?
"The one to Alessandro Roscioli. He impressed me with his great humility and his culinary philosophy, faithful to the territory and very authentic. It was a professional conversation but also dispassionate and colloquial, as between longtime friends."
Which chef would you like to interview?
"I would love to interview Alex Atala. We had a brief conversation during Identità Golose 2023 and I listened to his Masterclass on cooking. His busy life and the immense contribution he has made to Brazilian gastronomy are very fascinating to me."
What do you think a good food critic should be like?
"A food critic has a great responsibility: he judges the study, commitment and labors not only of a chef, but often of an entire brigade. It is necessary to have a culture of food and the territory from which the raw materials come, as well as a palate developed only through tasting."
Who do you draw inspiration from in your work?
"I am inspired by Alberto Cauzzi, the current deputy director of the Guides. He was kind of my mentor at the beginning of this journey. The first pieces I wrote for L'Espresso he labeled them as 'not quite there, rewrite them from scratch.' I had to start over, study and challenge myself in the most constructive way possible."
With the advent of ChatGPT, how do you think this industry will change?
"I think ChatGPT is a tool, and like all tools, it depends on how you use it. I use it as a 'quick encyclopedia of ideas' when inspiration is lacking. However, writing must have a soul, and this an algorithm cannot yet do. Talking about food involves conveying emotions, not just describing."
What do you think of IFA's training and master's degree in food and wine criticism?
"The master's program was an opportunity to challenge myself and a watershed between what I wanted to do 'when I grew up' and what I do now. It was an intense ten days in which I learned a lot and gained access to the world of food and wine writing."
What is your dream in the drawer?
"I have written a book, which I continue to keep in the drawer. Sooner or later, maybe I'll pitch it to a publisher, and fingers crossed..."
