MBS Inspiration
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The MBS Group
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Finding the magic in LA
I am on my annual trip to the USA, where I am looking at new concepts, brands and stores, and visiting clients. Always on the look-out for something special, as my first week drew to a close, I had yet to find it. I was beginning to worry: is L.A. beginning to lose its mojo? Don’t get me wrong – the merchandising and service never cease to inspire me here, but it’s the magic that I was after… and I finally experienced it last night at a restaurant called Mozza!
Mozza, owned by Mario Batali and Nancy Silverton, is really two establishments in one: Pizzeria Mozza is an overflowing, bustling pizzeria that serves the very best pizzas made from the finest, freshest ingredients – and very reasonably priced, too. Next door is Osteria Mozza, the heart of the brand, where chef Nancy Silverton works behind a magnificent, free-standing, over-sized, marble mozzarella bar! With the help of three chefs, she can be seen making 15 different, fresh creations from mozzarella, burrata, bocconcini and stracciatella – it changes each day, depending on what they can get at the farmer’s market. I ate at the bar – generous enough to accommodate big plates, bowls of fruit and glass vases of tall white flowers. It’s just incredible to watch them slicing huge chunks of meat, squeezing lemons, chopping herbs, toasting crostini, grating cheeses and spooning sauces. Oh yes, and there’s a pasta tasting menu with seven different dishes to try, and they make their own ice cream and sorbet. The third part of the business is Mozza2Go, a take-out and delivery pizza service – again with an outstanding menu. As good as home cooking, in my book.
Nancy herself is remarkable. After working for some of the best chefs in the USA, Nancy taught herself the ancient art of baking sour dough bread and opened La Brea Bakery. La Brea is now a huge business and the bread is available in seven countries. She has written seven cookbooks, is involved in the Garden School Project in L.A. (where she teaches nutrition in schools) and is also part of Meals-on-Wheels in Chicago, L.A. and New York, where she raises funds to feed the elderly.
So, Nancy and her team serve a huge number of people in a day, but the attention to detail and standards are as exacting as they are fantastic! What’s more, their social values seem faultless. Inspiring? You bet, and I will definitely be making a second visit! Please help me with any ideas of where to go, either in L.A. or New York – where I’m headed next. The sun is shining and I will be at the beach this weekend. Wishing you a fantastic weekend, wherever you may be. moira@thembsgroup.co.uk
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