“AT ENZO FERRARI'S HOME, BETWEEN BULLONI AND TORTELLINI”: A TALK SHOW AND TASTE ACTIVITIES IN THE SQUARE FOR PIECE MODENA AT THE MOTOR VALLEY FEST

The role of women in the automotive world and the link between engines and food are the topics that will be addressed by Renata Nosetto, Monica Zanetti and Luciano Guerri, the three protagonists of the meeting moderated by the journalist and writer Leo Turrini.

Imagine a weekend "at Enzo Ferrari's house, between bolts and tortellini". The image is highly evocative and summarizes in a single concept the excellence of Modena in the automotive and agri-food sector through the Piacere Modena project, which again this year features as a protagonist at the Motor Valley Fest - scheduled in the city della Ghirlandina from 2 to 5 May - with moments of discussion and street activities. “At Enzo Ferrari's house, between bolts and tortellini” however, is the title of the talk show which will be held on Friday 3 May at 5pm in the Representative Hall of the Municipality of Modena, of which three characters will be the protagonists who link their names with the figure of Enzo Ferrari: from Renata Nosetto – writer of books on Enzo Ferrari and the drivers of his car company – to Monica Zanetti, nicknamed Lady F40, the first female mechanic at Ferrari. Up to Luciano Guerri, a technician who worked closely with Enzo Ferrari as well as in Lamborghini, De Tomaso and Moto Benelli. A captivating focus that tells unpublished stories of food and engines in Enzo Ferrari's home and in the places dearest to him, conducted by the journalist and writer Leo Turrini, a profound connoisseur of the "Drake", and introduced by greetings from the institutions, from the Mayor of Modena Gian Carlo Muzzarelli to the President of the Modena Chamber of Commerce Giuseppe Molinari, to the Councilor for Agriculture of the Emilia Romagna Region Alessio Mammi and to the "landlord" President of Piacere Modena Enrico Corsini. “The presence of Piacere Modena at the Motor Valley Fest representing the agri-food sector on behalf of the Agriculture Department of the Emilia Romagna Region – explains the President of Piacere Modena Enrico Corsini – renews and consolidates the commitment that we have invested in this synergy since 2019 between the world of motors and food, the two Modena excellences par excellence. Two worlds that are not so distant from each other, but which actually often intertwine, giving life to anecdotes that history has not told us but which in fact give shape to the combination of passions that fuel the inhabitants of this land. I would like to reiterate once again the importance of creating synergies and collaborations, because the most effective promotion for a territory is the one that brings together all its excellences, with a common objective which is to create value. Economic, social and cultural". The first scheduled speech is that of Renata Nosetto , writer and wife of the historic Ferrari engineer Roberto Nosetto, who lived a life full of emotions alongside her husband on the track, but is keen to underline that "if going around together even for work is a great achievement, it's also true that on the circuits we were never husband and wife – he explains – he always told me "you're not mine" and I didn't have a career because I had his surname. I went through a long apprenticeship, starting with cutting ham for the mechanics and slowly learning the trade. Then Enzo Ferrari wanted the Imola Autodrome in every way and this represented a great opportunity for my husband and me. And that's where my involvement happened, initially as a secretary and then gradually growing until I became head of the press office of Formula One, then with Dorna in Moto GP and SuperBike". The combination of women and engines produces another name of excellence, namely Monica Zanetti, who in 1979 became the first female mechanic to work at Ferrari and in particular one of the four mechanics who built the legendary red F40. Certainly a pioneer in her genre, Monica talks about her life that runs in parallel with her passion, which has allowed her to make space for herself in a predominantly male world. “I just wanted them to teach me how to assemble and fix the machines, I wanted to learn the tricks of the trade but I was always looked at with distrust because I was a woman. But in the end they understood that I didn't want to steal their job but just learn, overcoming the mentality that it's not just a male job. Even today, 45 years later, in this world gender difference doesn't matter to me, we must live together and give women who want it a chance. This happened in Ferrari: women moved forward because of their abilities and not because of a question of gender equality." Monica Zanetti's commitment has recently also translated into the foundation of the AWA – Automotive Women Association, made up of women with significant experience in the automotive sector, united by the aim of inspiring and supporting young women who want to be part of history and of the evolution of the automotive industry. An emblematic point of contact between food and motor valley is the figure of Luciano Guerri , technical historian of the most prestigious car manufacturers and founder, together with his family, of the Trattoria La Busa in Spilamberto. Starting from his experience at Ferrari between 1978 and 1986, he talks about his professional path that took him from engines to the table, always following his passion. Or perhaps it would be appropriate to say that the path was reversed: "when it was born, La Busa was a country restaurant and as a boy I often saw Enzo Ferrari pass by on his way to the Baia del Re. In 1969 I had my first conversation with Forghieri but it was only in 1978 that I learned that a place had become available on the track at Fiorano; I had resigned from De Tomaso after five intense years during which I had learned my skills and had the opportunity to learn a lot by working alongside important designers. Once at Ferrari I continued to work as a designer but there was always a link between engines and food. With Enzo Ferrari we often talked about tortellini, tagliatelle, Lambrusco and Balsamic Vinegar, he was a gourmet. And when we took over the management of La Busa in 2007, Jean Todt and Schumacher came here to eat and we talked about balsamic vinegar and typical Modena food in the room upstairs. Today that bond between engines and La Busa continues to exist through photos and objects that tell of my years at Ferrari." And it is not uncommon to meet him in the dining room greeting customers with whom he shares a passion for "redheads". Participation in the talk show is free and free - with advance registration - until the 50 available seats are filled. On the weekend "between bolts and tortellini" you cannot miss Saturday 4 May from 11am to 7pm in Piazza Grande, the heart of the Motor Valley Fest, the corner of taste with activities dedicated to adults and children, guided tastings of Modena's DOP and IGP products and the basket of Tradition and Flavors of the Modena Chamber of Commerce in purity, with related narration of the history and culture of the area, and a "Fast Car and Slow Food" laboratory to experience first-hand the speed of the engines along the cars that have accompanied several generations and taste the fruit of the slowness of our products with a supply chain journey and the creation of a perpetual calendar of one's time at the foot of Modena Cathedral with its thousand-year history. During the day - at 5.30 pm - the event/tasting offered by the Department of Agriculture of the Emilia Romagna Region "E-Say hello to your brother" with Andrea Barbi and Marco Ligabue will be staged in the same location in Piazza Grande, as part of the campaign to promote the region's PDO and PGI products. In this case it will be a focus on the products and their traditions, culture and history in a mix of healthy irony and Emilia-Romagna satire, accompanied by the tasting and distribution of free gifts of PDO and PGI products from Modena.