Luca Bernardini: “In Italy it is difficult to understand ice cream as a product that involves study, expertise and dedication”

Luca Bernardini is a rara avis in Italy, halfway between ice cream, pastry and chocolate. At his Fuori dal Centro, in Tuscany, the semifreddo has a prominent presence. His ice cream pastries shine in particular thanks to a creativity and manual dexterity that are constantly evolving as his knowledge of the ingredients that define the character of his offerings grows.

Below we share a part of the interview that we published in so cool.. magazine 1.

Photos: Damiano Brusegan

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How would you define Fuori dal Centro?

I have always considered it my gym, my training place. It is a space that has no timetable for me. During the day is the time of productivity, but in the evening everything is quiet. That is when I find my moments of intimacy. For me it is very important to write down what I have thought, what I have seen during a trip or during a training session, maybe to write a new recipe, try new ingredients or study new processes.

What brings personality to the ice cream parlor?

For some years now, a greater culture and knowledge generation has been generated around products such as coffee, cocoa, flours, organic and less processed ingredients, etcetera. This trend has given some businesses the opportunity to express their own creativity and style. This is our case. Unfortunately, there is always a downside, ice cream in Italy is often difficult to understand as a product that involves study, expertise and dedication (often even obsession).

“Fuori dal Centro is my gym, my training place. It is a space that has no timetable for me. It is where we produce and also where I find my moments of intimacy”

Creativity in presentation remains an unsolved problem in many ice cream parlors.

Let’s look at three categories of professionals: the restaurant pastry chef is instinctive and creative, the bakery pastry chef has great manual dexterity and manages or optimizes production, and the ice cream maker researches raw materials and is a great ‘calculator’. It is always a good idea to have a pastry base before approaching the world of ice cream because manual dexterity and gestures are learned with experience. To make a good ice cream you need a good palate, a great knowledge of raw materials and know how to balance. To make a good dessert it is necessary to add practice, care and good taste at the aesthetic level and a careful final presentation of the product to the characteristics listed above.

You have always been an advocate and promoter of semifreddo: What does semifreddo bring to ice cream?

When we combine semifreddo with ice cream, we diversify textures, plus we can use acidity in contrasts to increase the desire to consume this product. In general, fresh eggs play a key role in the production of air in sweet products, and is a necessary ingredient for their success.

However, much remains to be done to give semifreddo a higher standard in Italy. A common problem is to organize a rational production
so that in the most important moments of the season we do not neglect this product by devoting ourselves exclusively to the production of ice cream. In ice cream parlors, the semifreddo provides an alternative to the classic pastry. If we educate
our customers about this type of product, it is undoubtedly a valuable ally to de-seasonalize the world of ice cream.

“If we educate our customers about the semifreddo, it will undoubtedly be a valuable ally to de-seasonalize the world of ice cream”

What are the hottest debates in the Italian ice cream world today?

One of the most debated topics I think is how to perfectly control all the costs of your own workshop in order to be viable in the best possible way. Secondly, how to make our customers aware that not all ice creams are the same. And the pizzeria world is achieving this.

Discover the full interview and these recipes by Luca Bernardini at so cool.. magazine