Several of the island?s top gourmand?s mention La Gaetana with a fondness reserved for their mother?s best dishes. So what is it about this small Phuket City restaurant, that has built a steady and very loyal following within the local community? Here Gianni Ferrara talks to Phuket Post about his life, restaurant and his concept of Slow Italian Food.

What your favourite dish at the restaurant?
"Me, I love chocolate, so for me my favourite dishes are the Chocolate Fondant with double espresso ice cream? and the tiramisu."

So is that what you make for yourself at home?
"To be fair, when we are home we eat a mix of Thai and Italian, but we don?t spend a lot of time at home, so we don?t cook much. But we make the ice cream at home. It?s always a pleasure to cook for yourself."

What is Slow Italian Food?
"Slow Italian Food means taking time to eat it. Sometimes there is never enough time to enjoy the food. If you only have ten minutes for lunch you don?t enjoy your food in the time you have. It?s about taking your time to enjoy the flavours."

Are most of your clients local residents, expats, or tourists?
"Mostly our clients live here all the time, we have many Thai, many foreign ? many people from Bangkok as well ? but mostly they are residents here. We have people who are passing by that come in, but most regulars are local. It?s not just for Italians or farang, it?s really multinational."

When you were first starting La Gaetana what were you trying to achieve?
"In the beginning, I think some people were thinking ?these people are a little bit crazy? ? it?s at the traffic lights, there?s no parking, a small house like this. Some people said this to us too. But, even without any potential, since the first day we have always run well. It?ssix and a half years that we have been here? and we?re still here.

"Even as a kid I was working in this kind of job ? in hospitality you?re service minded and you grow with the job. We just try to make our best everyday. Not just do our best, but make our best.

"This is not just our job, this is our life."

La Gaetana
Phuket Road, Phuket City
Tel: 076 250 523
Email: giannifer@hotmail.com

Open everyday except Wednesday
Reservations are recommended
Parking available at the Chinese temple on Phuekt orad or at Robinsons Department Store.