In London Giacomo Bia is Mr. Gurmetti, he was born in Parma where he grew up. His food acts are like a street performance and he chose his stage name about a year ago, when he decided to turn into reality an idea that he has been playing in his head for a while: an APE truck from Piaggio transformed in a food vending van that operated in the markets of the capital.
Inside the the small Piaggio Ape there is a kitchen with everything he need to cook with an oven,  a grill, a meat slicer, and a  fryer (for the torta fritta!).
It is  ” Italian Street Food ” made with Parma most famous food products like Parmesan cheese and cured meats but all served in the street. At lunchtime you will find him at London’s busiest street food markets and in the evening he is in front of your local pub .

How did you start Gurmetti?

“I left Parma to seek economic stability” says Giacomo. I went to college to become a pharmacist but I did not complete and I left after two years. For several years I changed jobs often, I worked as clerk in shops in Parma’s city center but I was not happy.  At some point in life living in a small provincial town in Italy begins to feel tight. Then in 2008 I was catapulted in London, where I started from scratch.

I started as a waiter in a chain of Italian restaurants. I wasn’t even as a waiter in fact I worked as a  runner,  I was running back and forth from the kitchen to the dining room.

Then everything changed. Now he is on his own boss. Everyday he runs his Ape wearing his mustaches with an endless desire to be around people .

What is the Gurmetti’s typical menu?

The aim of the business is to bring the delicacies of Parma to London. We serve pork traditional cured meats from Parma even some delicacies  from rare Italian breeds namely the black pigs of La corte dei Neri served with torta fritta (traditional fried dough). We also serve Culaccia and salami, but also Pancetta coppata and Mortadella . Of course we also have grilled meats and sausages, but there is also the Minestrone. A lot of Londoners love the pork burger served with gorgonzola cheese rocket and onion marmalade with balsamic vinegar. It is all homemade  or even better  “Ape-made”.

Well done to Giacomo Bias for his great idea that we fully endorse! Emilia Delizia hopes that the great food of Emilia Romagna keeps coming to London.

Roughly translated from original article appeared on the Gazzetta di Parma.