About Bengodi

'... a country called Bengodi, where the vines were tied with sausages and a goose was sold for a penny, and chickens were given for free. There was also a high mountain, entirely made of grated Parmesan cheese, where people did nothing but prepare macaroni and ravioli, cooked in capon broth, which they then threw down to whoever could or would catch them. Near that mountain flowed a wide river of pure, priceless Vernaccia wine, with not a drop of water in it.'

From: Decameron, third story, eighth day. Giovanni Boccaccio, 1351 A.D.

Ciao and welcome to my webshop. My name is Fernando and I am a great lover of good food. I originally come from the Salento region, Lecce is my hometown, but I have also lived in other Italian regions before moving to the Netherlands. I know my long country very well and I have had the opportunity to discover the different regional cuisines and their delicacies, which has irrevocably influenced me, because in Italy there are so many good things!

For me, good things are the traditional, local products, wild aromatic herbs, the sun, the special flavours and scents, sustainability, quality! I am not talking about industrial products, but about artisanal ones, made as tradition dictates; not only because of proven methods and techniques, but also because of the passion, love and respect for one's own territory – and you will find all of this at Bengodi.

If you are interested in Italian cuisine – the real thing, without compromise – there is also the possibility to come and eat at my home restaurant. Or I can come to your home to cook for you and your friends. Contact me and I am sure you won't regret it.

Bengodi is the imaginary land of abundance, brought to life by Giovanni Boccaccio, where you live well by eating (Ben, in Italian) and enjoy life (godi, in Italian)!

Bengodi is a passion for life. To live, we must eat, and if we eat well, we live better!

And Bengodi will be much more, because this is just the beginning. In the future, I want to organize Italian cooking workshops and gastronomic trips. Stay tuned!