Chef Gian Luca Demarco, who is not afraid of challenges, especially when they are related to food, invites the people of Vilnius to a new cafe when spring arrives. It is located in the premises belonging to the educational institution, but is open to all citizens – starting with students and their parents, the community of neighbors, and ending with everyone who is just passing by. High-quality food with Italian accents, coffee roasted in Italy and a cozy environment – this is the combination you can find at Take A Break cafe, whose menu was influenced by teenagers.
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. The managers of this educational institution aimed for the children not only to receive the highest quality of education, but also to have the opportunity to fill themselves with nutritious, seasonal and delicious dishes. It is not so easy to please children, but it is clear that Gian Luca and his team succeeded. Can it be different when schoolchildren are spoiled with both pizza and lasagna? Of course, not every day, because the variety of food is extremely important to the master chef from Italy.
So it is no coincidence that Vilniaus Aguonų str. in the premises of the “Erudito” lyceum, a cafe opened its doors very recently, which is open not only to students, but also to everyone who wants to eat more seriously, have a 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 “Erudito” 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 – similar to the Culinary Studio owned by Gian Luca in another part of the capital. You can sit here for a short time or settle in for a longer time, some visitors chat with each other, others take a book from the shelf, of which there are many, and others get ready to work right here.
“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 the visitors can expect, how much Italian is in them, the chef, full of ideas, smiled that the dishes are “lukiški” – 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. Therefore, although the format of the cafe can be called new, in it the chef Gian Luca Demarco again demonstrates what is important to him: attention and love for food, quality products and the desire to transfer that love and attention to all diners, from the youngest to the oldest.
