Embarking on a linguistic and cultural journey, over two million individuals worldwide choose to study Italian. Drawn not only by the allure of Italy’s artistic heritage but also by the globally appreciated excellence of Made in Italy, enthusiasts seek a connection to the collective imagination encapsulated in the concept of “Italian living.” 

In pursuit of a holistic approach to learning Italian, Istituto Italiano Scuola (IIS) has proudly partnered with “La Lingua La Vita” in Todi, a picturesque medieval town nestled in the heart of Umbria. Much like IIS, La Lingua La Vita is dedicated to promoting the Italian language through immersive classes and cultural experiences. 

In this exclusive interview, Stefania Belli, the Director of La Lingua La Vita, shares the evolution and vision behind her school. Join us as we delve into her insights, exploring the cultural treasures of Todi, and discovering how La Lingua La Vita endeavors to create a transformative journey for language enthusiasts. 

• What makes your language school unique? 

La Lingua La Vita has been organizing Italian language and culture courses aimed at students from all over the world and of all ages for over 35 years. Our classes are small, ensuring individual attention, and we offer a variety of extracurricular activities to enhance the learning experience, such as excursions to the most beautiful art cities in Umbria, cooking classes, afternoon seminars on art, opera, cinema, and theatre.  We also offer accommodation with selected families and comfortable apartments in the city center. 

• What makes your special programs so important for your students? 

Our success is grounded in student centrality, with a focus on each participant’s needs, interests, and objectives. Through art, history, cuisine, day trips and personalized lessons, our students will have the opportunity to learn about the Italian culture and language in their favorite setting and enjoy a unique and unforgettable experience.  Additionally, our students can experience unique opportunities for cultural exchange and networking, enriching the overall learning experience. 

• What was the main reason for the opening of the language school? 

We wanted to fill a gap in the local educational landscape. We noticed a demand for high-quality language instruction that prioritized immersion and cultural understanding. We wanted to create a space where students could not only learn a new language but also connect with the culture and community in a meaningful way. 

• Could you tell us something peculiar and unknown about Todi? 

Founded by the Etruscans and developed by the Romans and halfway between Florene and Rome, Todi is a very charming medieval town in Umbria and the Region is called “The Green Heart of Umbria”. Thanks to its quiet Renaissance squares and the beautiful panoramic surroundings, Todi provides a perfect backdrop in which to learn Italian and meet people. The rhythm of life and the welcoming atmosphere facilitate a relaxing and enjoyable cultural and linguistic experience. 

• Could you tell us something about the relationship between American people and Umbria? 

The relationship between American people and Umbria is one characterized by a deep appreciation for the region’s natural beauty, rich history, and vibrant culture. Many Americans are drawn to Umbria for its picturesque landscapes, charming hilltop towns, and delicious cuisine. 

In the long and varied history of Italian culture, wine has always represented an element of great importance. Not only as an agricultural product or drink, but as an authentic symbol of a gastronomic and social tradition that has its roots in antiquity. This precious nectar of the vines, in fact, has played a fundamental role in configuring our national identity, profoundly influencing habits, customs and way of life. 

In Italy, wine at the table represents a real ritual, a moment in which we rediscover the pleasure of being together and share the experience of taste. It is no coincidence that, in our country, great importance is given to choosing the right wine for each dish, in the search for perfect pairings, which is a real art. 

Because one of the main claims of the school is “Taste Real Italian”, and the wine culture is embraded in our roots, we created a partnership with Emilia Aiello, the owner of Cittavino & Co, an online wine company dedicated to the study and promotion of lesser-known southern Italian wine regions. 

Emilia is a Californian native, born to an immigrant Italian family.  

What makes your business unique? 

Cittavino & Co. focuses on southern Italian wine, a rather underrepresented wine region of the world. The website is not only an ecommerce platform, but a resource for consumers and wine professionals alike. The material I write is based on my personal studies, from reading technical texts in Italian to continuous travel to Italy, meeting with producers, perhaps even working harvest with them. In choosing such a specific area, I have the possibility to delve into the intricacies of a highly nuanced part of the world. My goal is to offer information on those intricacies in a palatable manner, making wine and wine language accessible. Beyond the hyperfocus on southern Italian wine, my hope is that Cittavino & Co. reconnects us with our consumerism. We live in a world where the things we buy, even our food, are a mystery to us. We can’t all be farmers, but humans are suffering from their lack of connection to the earth. In my view, the next best thing is to know where our products come from, especially food- know the farmer, how the product is made, and support the values we want to support. Our purchase is political.  

Which are the pillars of your business? 

The three C’s: Consumo Critico (Critical Consumption); Customer Service; Community 

The Consumo Critico is an Italian term for Critical Consumption. There is such a lack of transparency in our supply chains to the point where we accept it as unavoidable and that it just is the way it is. But that’s not true! We can make choices based on our values and we should feel empowered to do so. Cittavino & Co. sources small production, minimal intervention (no additive) wines, and not because those are buzz words, but because I am able to learn more working with smaller producers. They have more control over their product and often, it’s not just about making wine, for them it’s about an entire lifestyle. I have since expanded Cittavino & Co. to include food products and pantry items, because wine is food. It’s a whole ecosystem and the Consumo Critico isn’t just about purchasing organic products, it’s about humanity too- who are you supporting, who are you connecting with? 

Customer Service- I grew up in my wine career in New York City, where the stakes are high and customer service is #1. I view Customer Service as I do the Consumo Critico- it’s about making a human connection and knowing the people behind your purchase. I’m online based, but I want people to know who I am, to know it’s me on the other side of the e-mail. I also want people to know that I value them- spending money with someone means something, and I want my customers to know that when they order with me, there is a quality guarantee. If it comes from my shop, you know it will be special.

Community. The three C’s are all linked and one cannot exist without the other. Ultimately, it all comes down to building a community of people with similar values. I make a big effort to go out in person, host tastings, and have opportunities to interact on a face to face, personal level with my customers. Additionally, finding the intersection of social justice and wine/food is a constant practice of mine. Again, it’s about the entire ecosystem, which does not just pertain to plants and animals, but humans as well. Cittavino & Co. regularly partners with non-profits and makes wines from community driven wine producers the center of our focus. It’s a loaded term, but for me that means really honing in on producers that have values and who make wine not just as a business endeavor- perhaps they have created their own consorzio/consortium of sorts to support one another, maybe they grow grapes on confiscated Mafia land, etc. 

What were the challenges of the Wine Industry? 

The challenges I face are mostly amongst other wine professionals, who are indoctrinated with certain ways of thinking about certain wines. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve told another industry professional that I focus on southern Italy, and someone asks, “what, you mean like Puglia?!” (because Puglia does not have a reputation as a great wine producing region). But that’s precisely why I’m here- yes even regions like Puglia make great wine.  

Being so niche has also been difficult on the actual business side- it’s not a category that has a pre-existing demand, like Burgundy or Sancerre.
With that said, I have also met extremely supportive and interested wine professionals, and they have really given me inspiration to keep going. Imposter Syndrome is a personal challenge of mine. I suppose that would be true in any industry, but the wine industry has a reputation for being comprised of “know-it-alls” and admitting you don’t have the answer or someone else, professional sommelier or not, might know more than you on a certain subject is tough for the ego. Confronting ego, my own or others’, has been the biggest challenge about starting this business. 

Which are the secrets for maintaining a successful business? 

Still figuring this out but in the spirit of curiosity and admitting I don’t have all the answers, I think it’s just that- knowing that there is no magic formula and you have to be willing to observe, gather information, and pivot. You also have to be willing to work harder than you ever have before, not just in hours, but mentally, because confronting yourself and your insecurities, and knowing when you are making decisions based on those insecurities, is the most exhausting part. What’s a risk, what’s a calculated risk- nothing is certain.
Lastly, tracking your finances! Not just your purchasing and sales, but all of it. Profit margin, sales goals, making sure every receipt is accounted for, keeping track of your inventory… making decisions based on your financial information is perhaps the most concrete and secure thing you can do.

Can you tell us what are the reasons you linked your business to our school? 

Well, the focus is on Italian wine of course, but I also speak Italian. I had to learn and study it for a long time, so I am a success story about how persistence is really the key to language skills. It takes a long time, but if you’re committed you’ll get there! And speaking Italian fluently is why I can do what I do- I gain access to all kinds of people and information. Language really is the key for creating connection when you’re travelling. Even if just a word or two, approaching someone in their native language might just be the thing that helps you discover a detail, or connection you might have otherwise missed.
Personally, it’s also great practice for me and my vocabulary- I want to be able to toggle back and forth between English and Italian, and teaching the lessons keeps me on my toes. 

Tell us one thing our students absolutely need to know about you… 

Making genuine connections with people has been at the forefront of my entire life. I suffer from anxiety, certainly triggered in social situations, and seeking out a real, vulnerable moment with someone brings me back down. Ultimately, that’s what Cittavino & Co. is all about. Through a very niche lens, but I really want it to be about genuine human connection. 

The San Francisco Italian Athletic Club, known as SFIAC, created the SFIAC Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on community events that enhances the Italian culture and history of North Beach, the neighborhood where the Foundation belongs. The mission is to strengthen the local community and its businesses, by sponsoring events that bring together family and friends through the Italian culture, language, and history in which it was rooted, and by investing in issues and endeavors that elevate local commerce and create opportunities for North Beach to thrive.  

The relationship between Istituto Italiano Scuola and the Foundation is very strong, we believe in the same values, leading to having not only Italian classes in their spaces, but also the classic “Aperitivo Sociale” where students can get the opportunity to know our teachers, our Board of Directors, and meet in person other students.  

To learn more about the SFIAC Foundation, we interviewed Keely Batmale, the Operations Manager of the Foundation. She joined the team in 2021 and she immediately found a family. 

Keely is a very enthusiastic person who shared important thoughts and topics for realities like the Foundation and our School. 

• When and why did you decide to take part in this Foundation? 

I met the Executive Director in 2021 and heard about the SFIAC Foundation and all its efforts to elevate the community, culture, and history of North Beach and the Italian community in the Bay Area. Its mission stood out to me, also because their events and community have been so welcoming and fun for people of all ages. 

• What makes the Foundation unique? 

We serve as a central networking station for all things Italian in San Francisco. We pride ourselves in not only knowing the history of North Beach, but also our community’s members and organizations and connecting them with the greater Bay Area community. 

• Can you tell us a little bit more about the Foundation? Has it changed during these years? 

Our Foundation has been around for a while, but has really taken off in the last two years. This year alone, we are introducing five inaugural events, including the San Francisco Pizza Festival with 13x World Pizza Champion, Tony Gemignani! We have put together a top-notch board of Italian Americans on our Board of Directors, set-up strategic plans, and are about to launch our second Annual Appeal this Fall. 

• Since we offer some Italian classes at your location, can you tell us about the relationship between the Foundation and our School? Are there other reasons why we are connected? 

Our Executive Director, Nick Figone, joined the board at Istituto Italiano Scuola because we share similarities in our strategic goals. The IIS hosts their Italian language classes in our building two time per week, year-round. We are so fortunate to be able to work together and reach the greater Bay Area community and educate them not only on Italian language, but the culture as well. 

• In your opinion, which is the best art of representation the Italian culture and values? 

Architecture and design! It is always lovely to see buildings and structures here in San Francisco that remind us of the streets of Italy. Our Foundation works hard to encapsulate the Italian pride throughout the North Beach neighborhood and build off of the designs already here. Next time you are here, take a peek for the Italian flags painted on the street poles. And feel free to come help us repaint at the end of the year! 

• Which are the most important Italian events in the Bay Area that everyone must attend? 

Our two-day street festival, Festa Italiana and Statuto Race, will be held on June 1st and 2nd, 2024. It’s free for everyone, please come out and enjoy! We are also hosting a Cornhole Tournament with the Olympic Club Foundation on October 20th, and a Christmas Concert on December 1st, 2023, with Pasquale Esposito. 

• Tell us one thing our students absolutely need to know about you… 

We love visitors! Come by and say hello and meet our Foundation team next time you are in North Beach. We know the best food spots, too! 

At the Istituto Italiano Scuola we believe that building partnerships is a form of successful education because you can learn from other realities that share the same values and principles. Having a strong community with common goals and working together is important to increase trust and success in your business too. That’s why we interviewed the owner of Sugo, Caterina, to learn about her business and the reasons that led her to interact with our school. 

Caterina has a huge passion for authentic and traditional Italian food. She moved from Italy almost 8 years ago and she decided to open Sugo, a small Italian food business, to sell her tasty lasagna, pasta and much more to all the pasta lovers in the Bay Area. Sugo means “sauce” and she prepares with her team every sauce with care, using only the best ingredients. The dough of her lasagna is rolled out exactly how her mom and grandmothers taught her, respecting the tradition of lasagna served at every family reunion. They sell their food in several farmers’ markets in the Bay Area, but also online through their website and they do caterings for companies and private parties. 

• When and why did you decide to open Sugo? 

I opened Sugo in June 2018. I have a huge passion for Italian food, I love cooking (and baking) and I wanted to share my food with everyone. 

• What makes your business unique? 

At Sugo we cook and prepare everything from scratch (even the pasta for lasagna!) using only fresh and natural ingredients. All our foods are made with passion and love. We cook the same way we cook for our families! 
 

• Why did you choose to sell your products through the Bay Area farmers’ markets? 

We started to sell our products at the farmers’ markets because we love connecting with people, we love the farmers’ markets vibes and it’s very important for us to build a solid relationship with our customers. Farmers’ markets are the best places for this and very soon we found out that they are also great to have immediate feedback from our customers.  
 

• Can you tell us what are the reasons you linked your business to our school? 

We like being partner to Italian businesses in the Bay Area. We believe that joining our energies, abilities and skills is a great way to create something unique for everyone who is passionate about our beautiful country. 

• In your opinion, what is the best representation of the Italian culture, art, and values?  

In my opinion, food is one of the best ways to deliver Italian culture and values! Good food is art, culture, lifestyle. Spending time with people around a table full of good food is probably the best way to know each other and build relationships. One of my favorite “weekend activity” is cooking with my best friends and eating together chatting for hours. 

• Which are the secrets for maintaining a successful business? 

For me, “success” is to do what I like and do it the best way I can. This is my “philosophical” answer, but the real one is to work every day, try new activities, new markets, and new ways to do business and increase sales. And always check the numbers and cut whatever doesn’t bring profit and/or visibility. Customer feedback is always super important and something to pay good attention to. 

• Tell us one thing our students absolutely need to know about you…

I started to cook when I was about 30 years old, and I never stopped. When I was younger, I didn’t even know how to cook an egg! I believe with passion and love; we can do anything we want.