Imagine a weekend “at Enzo Ferrari’s house, between bolts and tortellini”. The image is highly evocative and summarizes in a single concept the excellence of Modena in the automotive and agri-food sector through the Piacere Modena project, which again this year features as a protagonist at the Motor Valley Fest – scheduled in the city of the Ghirlandina from 2 to 5 May – with moments of discussion and street activities.
“At Enzo Ferrari’s house, between bolts and tortellini” but it’s the title of the talk show that Friday 3 May at 5pm will be held in the Representative Hall of the Municipality of Modena, of which three characters will be protagonists who link their names with the figure of Enzo Ferrari: from Renata Nosetto – writer of the books on Enzo Ferrari and the drivers of his car company – to Monica Zanetti, nicknamed Lady F40, the first female mechanic at Ferrari. Up to Luciano Guerri, a technician who worked closely with Enzo Ferrari as well as in Lamborghini, De Tomaso and Moto Benelli.
A captivating focus that tells unpublished stories of food and engines in Enzo Ferrari’s home and in the places dearest to him, conducted by the journalist and writer Leo Turrini, a profound connoisseur of the “Drake”, and introduced by greetings from the institutions, from the Mayor of Modena Gian Carlo Muzzarelli to the President of the Modena Chamber of Commerce Giuseppe Molinari, to the Councilor for Agriculture of the Emilia Romagna Region Alessio Mammi and to the “landlord” President of Piacere Modena Enrico Corsini.
“The presence of Piacere Modena at the Motor Valley Fest representing the agri-food sector on behalf of the Agriculture Department of the Emilia Romagna Region – explains the President of Piacere Modena Enrico Corsini – renews and consolidates the commitment that we have been investing in this synergy between the world of motors and food since 2019, the two excellences of Modena par excellence. Two worlds that are not so distant from each other, but which actually often intertwine, giving life to anecdotes that history has not told us but which in fact give shape to the combination of passions that fuel the inhabitants of this land. I would like to reiterate once again the importance of creating synergies and collaborations, because the most effective promotion for a territory is the one that brings together all its excellences, with a common objective which is to create value. Economic, social and cultural”.
The first intervention scheduled is that of Renata Nosettowriter and wife of the historic Ferrari engineer Roberto Nosetto, who lived a life full of emotions alongside her husband on the track, but is keen to underline that “if going around together for work is a great achievement, it is also true that we have never been husband and wife on the circuits – explains – he always told me “you’re not mine” and I didn’t have a career because I had his last name. I went through a long apprenticeship, starting with cutting ham for the mechanics and slowly learning the trade. Then Enzo Ferrari wanted the Imola Autodrome in every way and this represented a great opportunity for my husband and me. And that’s where my involvement happened, initially as a secretary and then gradually growing until I became head of the press office of Formula One, then with Dorna in Moto GP and SuperBike”.
The combination of women and engines produces another name of excellence, namely Monica Zanetti, who in 1979 became the first female mechanic to work at Ferrari and in particular one of the four mechanics who built the legendary red F40. Certainly a pioneer in her genre, Monica talks about her life that flows in parallel with her passion, which allowed her to make space for herself in a predominantly male world. “I just wanted them to teach me how to assemble and fix the machines, I wanted to learn the tricks of the trade but I was always looked at with distrust because I was a woman. But in the end they understood that I didn’t want to steal their job but just learn, overcoming the mentality that it’s not just a male job. Even today, 45 years later, in this world gender difference doesn’t matter to me, we must live together and give women who want it a chance. This happened in Ferrari: women moved forward because of their abilities and not because of a question of gender equality.” Monica Zanetti’s commitment has recently also translated into the foundation of the AWA – Automotive Women Association, made up of women with significant experience in the automotive sector, united by the objective of inspiring and supporting young women who want to be part of history and of the evolution of the automotive industry
The figure of also represents an emblematic point of contact between food and motor valley Luciano Guerri, technical historian of the most prestigious car manufacturers as well as founder, together with his family, of the Trattoria La Busa in Spilamberto. Starting from his experience at Ferrari between 1978 and 1986, he talks about his professional path that took him from engines to the table, always following his passion. Or perhaps it would be appropriate to say that the path was reversed: “When it was born, La Busa was a country trattoria and as a boy I often saw Enzo Ferrari pass by on his way to Baia del Re. In 1969 I had my first interview with Forghieri but it was only in 1978 that I learned that a place had become available in track in Fiorano; I had resigned from De Tomaso after five intense years during which I had learned my skills and had the opportunity to learn a lot by working alongside important designers. Once at Ferrari I continued to work as a designer but there was always a link between engines and food. With Enzo Ferrari we often talked about tortellini, tagliatelle, Lambrusco and Balsamic Vinegar, he was a gourmet. And when we took over the management of La Busa in 2007, Jean Todt and Schumacher came here to eat and we talked about balsamic vinegar and typical Modena food in the room upstairs. Today that bond between engines and La Busa continues to exist through photos and objects that tell of my years at Ferrari.” And it is not uncommon to meet him in the dining room greeting customers with whom he shares a passion for “redheads”.
Participation in the talk show is free and free – with advance registration – until the 50 available seats are filled.
The weekend “between bolts and tortellini” cannot be missed Saturday 4 May from 11am to 7pm in Piazza Grande, the heart of the Motor Valley Fest, the corner of taste with activities dedicated to adults and children, guided tastings of Modena’s PDO and PGI products and the pure Tradition and Flavors basket of the Modena Chamber of Commerce, with related narration of the history and culture of the area, and a “Fast Car and Slow Food” laboratory to experience firsthand the speed of the engines through the car tracks that have accompanied several generations and taste the fruit of the slowness of our products with a journey of supply chain and the creation of a perpetual calendar of its time at the foot of the Modena Cathedral with its thousand-year history. During the day – at 5.30pm – the event/tasting offered by the Department of Agriculture of the Emilia Romagna Region “E-Say your brother’s greeting to me” with Andrea Barbi and Marco Ligabue will be staged in the same location in Piazza Grande, as part of the campaign to promote DOP products and IGP of the region. In this case it will be a focus on the products and their traditions, culture and history in a mix of healthy irony and Emilia-Romagna satire, accompanied by the tasting and distribution of free gifts of PDO and PGI products from Modena.
