Mothers and Families in Food

April 1999

There is something very special about family run businesses. You just know that there’s more care and concern behind the scenes. And there’s usually at least two generations of experience to back that up.

As any mother who has run a restaurant knows only too well, it’s very tough looking after a family and a business. So those places where mother and children are involved together have a lot going for them. Much of the attention and worrying that mums do at home can be transferred to the restaurant and the benefits flow on to the customers. Children are usually helpers from an early age, depending on the sophistication of the establishment, they may not be allowed ‘out front’ for quite a while.

Whilst it’s okay for the kids to help, in their late teens, there are restaurateurs who want a ‘proper’ career for their children and encourage them into different fields of work. From personal experience I can say that the fascination of the restaurant business stays with you and, no matter what other paths you follow, you end up serving people food.

Maria Bortolotto is the daughter of Olimpia, well known for Bortolotto’s (now Coast) in St Kilda. She trained in data management and office work but now runs the office and helps on the floor at Cecconi’s, which the family took over recently. Her sister, Anna, learnt hairdressing and did secretarial work, but she too has also worked out front in the Bortolotto’s restaurants for many years. Now her twin daughters, Nicoletta and Adriana are accomplished waitresses.

Olimpia laughs resignedly, " they should know how hard the work is, we’ve tried to tell them there are easier things to do in life. But it’s fantastic to have them all in the industry. We (she and husband Leo) are now at the stage where we need to wind down a bit and let them take over.."

Tony Canetta and his parents, Anita and Francesco, share very much in the running of Woodstock. Despite the name this is a very Italian business, from the Fiat 550 parked in the middle of the pizzeria back room to the passion for Formula One gear on the walls, massive coffee bean displays and a trolley of digestivi and Italian liqueurs. Then there is the menu of very simple Italian fare which Tony’s parents prepare. Tony doesn’t cook, "I have the gift of the gab, and I look after the customers and make the coffee." Anita often comes out and serves you her gnocchi or brings out some of the good focaccia from the pizza oven. She came from a large family in Calabria (the south of Italy) and was forced, at an early age, to take on the task of cooking for all of the dozen in the family. Her life has always been spent cooking, first in Melbourne it was catering for hospital kitchens. Over the years seeing his mum cook and serve people every day has made Tony into a waiter and restaurant manager without thinking about it. "You just do what you need to, to make people happy."

In Geelong, there are three generations of the Clatworthy/Faull family working together at the Sawyers Arms. Mrs Clatworthy, (known as Mrs Clat) took over the hotel in 1957 with her husband. After his death she ran the business and later her son helped her but he also died prematurely. Her four daughters, Carmel, Lila, Barbara and Mary-Ellen took over the kitchen and established the hotel’s culinary reputation. Now Carmel’s daughter, Eliza Faull, is managing the hotel with her cousin Peter Clatworth. For Eliza there was probably never any real chance of another career. "Since I was 11, I was working here, . . . after finishing school, did a hospitality and catering course at William Angliss" . She then gained further experience with catering companies before coming back to ‘Clat’s Hotel’.

The Sawyers Arms is normally closed on Sundays, " this is the only day my grandmother ( now 89) has off. But for Mothers Day we are open, it’s a huge day and Mater (the family nickname for Mrs Clat) will be there."

Now that’s an example to live up to!

These places will be part of the updated Mietta’s Eating & Drinking in Melbourne. For more information, visit Mietta's web site. www.miettas.com.au