Since September last year, Gian Luca Demarco and his team have been taking care of the meals of students and staff at Erudito Lyceum in Vilnius and Kaunas.
So it is no coincidence that in the premises of the lyceum on Aguonų Street in Vilnius, a cafe opened its doors very recently, which is open not only to students, but also to everyone who wants to have a more serious meal, snack, or maybe just drink a cup of coffee.
“The idea of such a cafe was born both to the owners of the lyceum and to me, that’s why we implemented this idea so quickly and easily. We thought that it would be a good place for the high school students themselves, and for the parents who welcome them, and for anyone who lives or works nearby, has a meeting, or maybe is passing through,” says the chef, how the idea of opening a cafe in the capital’s Naujamiestis came about.
Although Aguonų street may not be known to all Vilnius residents, it stretches in the revived and increasingly densely populated area of Naujamiestis, where new residential blocks and apartment buildings have been built over the past few years, and various institutions have been established. And the lyceum itself was located on this street quite recently: the building that was already standing here was expanded and adapted to the needs of the educational institution with the help of many modern solutions and innovations. Even the internal kitchen of the lyceum, where food is prepared for students, is extremely modern, for example, the kitchen equipment here is controlled by iPads.
The new cafe “Take A Break” combines both modernity and home comfort. Here you can sit down for a short time or settle down for a longer time, read a book on the shelf right here, and do some work.
“Students of the lyceum can enter the cafeteria directly from the internal premises using the available entrance cards. Another door opening from the street side is for all other guests. As soon as the cafe started operating, we only worked on weekdays, but from now on we will also be open on weekends, because there is a large community living around, and we really want to be visited by our neighbors,” Gian Luca said about the expectations.
When asked what style of dishes visitors can expect, how much Italian is in them, the chef says that the dishes are “Lukiski” – the kind he prepares himself. Hence, they are both Italian and reflect the creator’s own cooking style, incorporating his favorite ingredients.
“I wanted the food to be seasonal, colorful, diverse, and also so that the eater could put it together and choose the accessories. For example, you can find various bowls of semolina, which are flavored with different additives – meat, vegetables, some of them are richer, others are lighter. Everyone will be able to choose. We also have sandwiches that use Italian focaccia, our own baked Italian buns with sour cream are perfect for coffee, the coffee is made from beans roasted in Italy,” said Gian Luca.
He added that when he was just creating the cafe’s menu, he probably thought about what teenagers would like like never before. That is why sandwiches occupy such an important place in the menu – prepared with freshly baked, high-quality bread, with the selection of nutritious, tasty, complementary accessories, they can become a valuable, energizing dish.
