Tommaso Zoboli’s “La Prima Volta”

It’s the middle of the night, a young man is lowering a restaurant’s shutters. He’s tired, but you can see on his face he is calm and satisfied.

This is how we come upon the life of Tommaso Zoboli, protagonist of the “La Prima Volta” docu-series produced by Lavazza.

His past, his present, his future, the people around him that is starting to take shape: opening his own restaurant at the age of 25.

At just 25, he has already gained significant experience at the stoves of Pascucci al Porticciolo in Fiumicino (Rome) and an award as Italy’s Best Chef Under 30.

Deeply attached to his city of origin Modena where, on the 7th October 2023, his restaurant Patrizia opens: a representation of his fervent fantasy where art, world, flavours, travels and tradition coexist. It’s an immersive space in constant movement and mutation at the feet of the Ghirlandina, the bell tower of Modena’s cathedral.

For Tommaso, cooking is an organic, natural art, destined to simulate an emotive response, but it also involves great passion, study and vision. In fact, the young chef from Modena is constantly researching flavours and avant-garde experiences that allow him to share his creativity and nurture his curiosity through continuously learning new techniques and skills.

Lavazza plays a fundamental role in the realisation of Tommaso’s ambitious dream, supporting him in his professional choices through encounters with various experts and mentors, such as Davide Oldani, inventor of “Cucina Pop” (Pop Cuisine) and guide, model and creative inspiration for the young chef. Jannik Sinner, the young champion of Italian tennis, that gives him some advice on how to pursue his path with discipline and perseverance, just like a top-level athlete. And finally, one of the foremost masters of international cuisine: Ferran Adrià, gastronomy guru, a valuable source of support for Tommaso in the development and enhancement of his gastronomic creativity and will advise him on various elements that a young entrepreneur/chef cannot overlook.

Patrizia takes its name from Tommaso’s mother, the more irrational, dreamer side of him and to whom the young chef has decided to dedicate the realisation of his first dream.

Patrizia is not a typical restaurant, but a creative space that adapts itself to concepts and dishes like a plays mise en scène. It is an omakase-style restaurant, in which the chef cooks if front of his diners around a horseshoe-shaped counter. Entering Patrizia means complete immersion into a unique experience that begins at the entrance and takes shape through the changing of the seasons, to savour a cuisine free from any limitations that expresses everything the chef wants to communicate. It’s an entertaining, informal yet also exclusive experience, aimed at creating a wonderful memory.

Coffee too, has a starring role in Patrizia. It will be an integral part of the gastronomic experience and not just a moment to conclude the meal. Lavazza supported Tommaso in the sensorial research of the perfect coffee for his menu at the Lavazza Training Center in Turin.