WITH THE MILAN COFFEE FESTIVAL JUST WEEKS AWAY, WE'RE EXCITED TO SHARE A FEW VIGNETTES FROM OUR PEOPLE OF MILAN PHOTO SERIES, CELEBRATING THE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAKE UP THIS RICH CULTURAL CITY.

The world of coffee in Italy is changing more and more with the passage of time. Aesthetics and professionalism are the pillars of high quality research. Coffee shops are constantly renewed as are the espresso machines, always in line with technology that tries to help the barista – both in a practical way and in the relationship with the consumer - based on a future without barriers.

For this occasion, we had the pleasure of chatting with Chris Salierno, Marketing Director of La Marzocco. He told us a little about his life, a few of his memories, and how style and design have become fundamental and essential elements of the industry.



Ciao, Chris! What is your favourite way to take coffee?​​

Espresso is my absolute favourite when I'm here in the office working. It is the extraction method that accompanies meetings with the team, in the morning when we have just arrived and are discussing what to do.

During holidays with the family, I often use AeroPress instead. I share it with my two boys while traveling.

What is your favourite place in Milan?

Just my office! We have furnished it in such a way that we all feel at ease, at home. Otherwise, my favourite Milan neighborhood is in the Tortona area, where I live. It's nice to have a classic Italian breakfast in the bar nearby: croissants and cappuccino.

What is your favourite dish?

I was born in America, Florida, from an American mother and an Italian father from Capri. I was lucky because I've always spent my holidays in Capri, and that's where I have the best memories. Every time I returned to Florida my suitcase was always full of coffee my family gave me. There are several dishes that I would prefer to eat right now, three in particular: Pasta alla Puttanesca, Spaghetti alle Vongole (with clams), and La Genoese, which, as expected from the name, is a typical Campanian dish.

Who is your favourite designer?

Eh, this is a difficult question, because there is not only one and it depends very much on the context. I really like Poltrona Frau. I find it very minimal and elegant. Among other things, he acquired Ceccotti, another brand to my liking that traces a very clean and refined style. For coffee shops I really like Scandinavian and Australian design. In the latter the coffee places are characterized by an "open" style, in other words a very open view of the consumer. There are no barriers with the barista. The minimal and effective furniture facilitates interaction; visual contact is the priority.

What is your essential piece of clothing?

I have always preferred comfortable clothing lines, which make me feel at ease. Casual, like Ralph Lauren, which has recently become vogue again, even among the young. My kids love it.

SEE THE PEOPLE OF MILAN PHOTO SERIES EXHIBITED IN FULL AT THE MILAN COFFEE FESTIVAL. TICKETS ARE COMPLETELY FREE, AND AVAILABLE HERE.