Marigold is a restaurant in Rome.
In March 2020, Italy entered a 3-month national lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The lockdown tested the resilience of all businesses but none more than restaurants.
In just 24 hours, we transformed the Marigold experience into a delivery service, keeping the staff employed, the lights on, and the community fed.
In a city where most restaurants chose to do nothing, Marigold did not.
This is its story.
I wrote this book by myself, for myself. All views are my own and don’t reflect those of the owners or staff at Marigold.
As a hospitality consultant who works with restaurants and hotels all over the world, this experience was unlike any other. I wanted a record of what it was like to run a restaurant during a global pandemic. I wanted to remember the challenges we faced, the decisions we made, the failures we experienced and the successes we enjoyed.
Furthermore, I took thousands of photos with my phone over those months. At the time, I snapped shots to share with the Marigold community through social media and newsletter. I see now the photos capture the raw conditions and emotions of the time. Not only the exhaustion, uncertainty, stress and frustration but also the camaraderie of a small but mighty restaurant family and the sheer tenacity of its owners. More than 100 photos taken during the lockdown and shortly thereafter animate the pages.
This book offers a peek behind the curtain of what it was like to run a restaurant during one of the most tragic periods of modern history. You’ll get to know Marigold and the seven members of the Marigold family – Sofie, Domenico, Doris, Libby, Pablo, Rafiq and myself – who kept it going during extraordinary times. I hope that reading it will give you a greater appreciation for the people who run these businesses, the servers and the dreamers alike.
Download the Introduction for free!
Click on the image below to download the Introduction in English or Italiano for free.
Languages · Lingue
My book is available in American English and Italian. A shoutout to Rosalba in Catania for her stellar translation of my text!
Il mio libro è disponibile sia in inglese americano che in italiano. (Ringrazio particolarmente Rosalba di Catania per la sua traduzione stupenda!)
Availability · Disponibilità
Books are available for purchase directly through me or at the Marigold Corner Shop in the restaurant.
Il libro è disponibile direttamente sul mio sito o presso Marigold a Roma.
Shipping · Spedizione in Italia e oltre
Shipping is available within Italy and worldwide through DHL express courier. Shipment should take between 2-7 business days depending on your address. I’ll send tracking information once your book has been shipped.
La spedizione è disponibile in Italia e in tutto il mondo tramite il corriere espresso DHL. I tempi di spedizione sono circa 2-7 giorni lavorativi a seconda della destinazione. Appena il libro sarà spedito, riceverai il codice di monitoraggio.
Shipping Rates · Tariffe
- Within Italy €10
- Within the EU €15
- UK & Non-EU €20
- USA + Canada €29
- Worldwide €49
Shipping rates are valid for 1-2 books. For more books, contact me.
Please note: some remote addresses may incur a surcharge applicable after checkout.
- In Italia €10
- In U.E. €15
- Non-U.E. e Regno Unito €20
- USA + Canada €29
- Il resto del mondo €49
Le tariffe sono valide per 1-2 libri. Per ordinare più libri, contattami.
NB: le tariffe sopra indicate potrebbero richiedere un supplemento a seconda dell’indirizzo di destinazione.