Chef Max Mariola, guest at La Zanzara by Giuseppe Cruciani and David Parenzo, after the numerous controversies over his carbonara at 30 euros, declared that that is actually the only really expensive dish on his menu and that the prices are also based on rents in Milan. But is it really like that? We fact-checked his menu, also asking for a critical opinion from two industry experts: chef Guido Mori and the masked critic Valerio Visintin. Here’s what they told us
Max Mariola he said to the microphones de The mosquito by Giuseppe Cruciani that his famous carbonara for 30 euroscriticized by the newspapers for its slightly too high price, it’s the only expensive dish on his menu and that indeed, its prices are in line with those of Milan, if not lower than average, in addition to having to face a very high rent for the place. “This malice towards me from journalists… The guerrilla war has broken out. Everyone massacring me…” He complained in front of Giuseppe Cruciani’s grin. In fact it is very true, life in Milan is very expensive, you can see it clearly in the prices of food, rents and even restaurant bills. But we are really sure that Mariola’s restaurant is really that “cheap” and for all budgets, as he says, and is it just the carbonara that is overpriced for the much-vaunted “show cooking” at the table? We at MOW have carried out an operation of fact checking analyzing all the prices on its menu, also asking for the opinion of two experts in the sector.
Pfirst of all there is to specify one thing, precisely in relation to the carbonara: when the news was launched for the first time in the press, through an interview with Mariola of Corriere della Sera, we were talking about 28 euros per dish. Yet, when the media case arose, and we ourselves had verified, the dish had already risen to 30, with the addition that the menu indicated an indefinite price of 30-35 euros per person, because it is a show cooking at the table, to be requested and ordered for a minimum of two people at a time, without specifying, among other things, the criterion by which the dish goes from 30 to 35 euros. Mariola’s sense of opportunity had already emerged there and, riding the media wave, had increased prices. But let’s go further. How much do the other dishes on the menu cost?
Llet’s say: starters at 16-18-20 euros, with the sole exception of artichokes alla giudia at 14 euros; first courses at 24-26 euros, in addition to carbonara at 30-35, with the sole exception of fettuccine alla Vignarola at 18 euros; second courses at 23-26-28 euros, with a dish based only on radicchio with sesame and cheese (which seems more like a side dish) at 16 euros, but also a “cotolettone” with an unspecified weight and dimensions of 60 euros. In addition we remember a cover charge of 5 euros per person, although the service is very informal and there isn’t even a tablecloth at the table.
Well, according to our modest assessment, the prices are anything but cheap and a little above average, especially considering the cover charge, which is in line with that of some luxury restaurants, where, however, in addition to the tablecloth, the service it’s on a whole other level. Let’s think for example of the case of white pasta at 26 euros at the hotel Portrait of Milan, which had become very popular on TikTok, where the cover charge was similar, and where however the service was decidedly 5-star. However, wanting to remove any doubts, we also submitted our considerations to two experts: on the one hand, chef Guido Mori, director of the University of Italian Cuisine, of the food courses of the UIL university, as well as very active on social media, where he has over 100 thousand followers and where he talks, precisely, about cooking; from the others Valerio Visintin, the famous masked food critic, author for the Corriere della Sera And Live Milan, as well as director of the Scrivere di Gusto school. Here are their respective opinions:
Guido Mori he first explained to us how the costs of a place are distributed, divided into rent (7-10%), labor costs (42-56%), food costs (18-28%) and finally the profit, which is usually around 10-15% of the total takings. One problem that the chef confirmed, however, is the fact that in fact, in some cities such as Florence, and especially Milan, the rents of the premises are really very high, even reaching 30-60 thousand euros per month. The problem with Mariola’s prices, which the chef highlighted to us, is: if it is true that the market and demand guide supply, and therefore there are people actually willing to spend 30 euros for a carbonara, we wonder if today food no longer has ethics and morals. “Today we are witnessing a delirium in which food has become an object, losing its most intrinsic value, like fashion products: you no longer buy the object, but the signature of the person who makes it. The problem, therefore, is that food has become a commodity” the chef told us. Therefore, in Mariola’s case, one has more the sensation of paying for his “brand” or for his “show”, and for this very reason he, even at the microphones of Mosquitoboasted of offering an exclusive “experience”.
Valerio Visintin instead he gave us a clearer assessment of the average prices of the dishes, saying that the latter are actually in the Milanese average, while the former are decidedly expensive, even for an area like Brera, not counting the 5 euro cover charge. “Okay, the rent for the place is high, but it shouldn’t be the customer’s problem” he in fact told us, from which everyone can draw their own conclusions. We only tried the carbonara for 30 euros once and that was enough.
