At one of Italy’s most highly regarded restaurants, two-Michelin-starred Madonnina del Pescatore in Marzocca, Senigallia, Mariella Organi, wife of Chef-Patron Moreno Cedroni, cuts an ethereal figure as the lady of the dining room, where she imbues the temporal and physical space with class, elegance and positivity. It is for her leadership in the creation of a restaurant culture that she was nominated as one of Fine Dining Lovers’ Hospitality Heroes in 2023.
If the ‘Madonnina’ is the lady who watches over the fishermen at sea, you could say that Organi is the lady who watches over the workers and guests on this piece of sacred land.
Her leadership style is quiet: rather than bending things forcefully to her will, she starts from a place of evident humility. When asked why she thinks she may have been nominated for an accolade that celebrates leadership in the hospitality industry, she says: “Perhaps [the nomination was received] for being a reassuring professional figure, for having survived the feelings of guilt, of never being enough of a mother, enough of a wife. For having worked with obsessive dedication.”
“I think I'm a light, patient and reserved figure,” she adds, with a self-awareness that perfectly reflects her presence and leadership style.
The industry, especially at the higher end, is subject to the vagaries of economic fluctuation, to the scarcity of skilled and dedicated professionals, and to the constant pressure on profit margins and increased costs. Soft leadership skills are an important unseen force that binds the myriad elements together.
Organi creates an inspiring and positive work culture at Madonnina del Pescatore “with sobriety and sacrifice,” she says. “By favouring dialogue, nurturing talents and remaining focused on daily work.”
It was as a 24-year-old student of architectural conservation that she knocked on the door of Madonnina del Pescatore and began work in the dining room. Before long, a romance blossomed with chef and owner Cedroni, and over 20 years the married couple has patiently built one of the best restaurants in Italian fine dining.
It was a process that involved a journey of personal growth as well as the development of a coherent business model. Through it all Organi has dedicated herself to “travelling, tasting and comparing myself with many experiences. Training taste is the priority, the first skill, the memory that resurfaces and stratifies.”
With so much achieved in that time, there is still much to strive for, she says. The cultivation of togetherness is a priority for her. “Cultivating a sense of belonging and continuity, running a historic workshop has great collective value,” she says about her ambitions for Madonnina del Pescatore.
A wise, accomplished professional should be a resource for those plotting a course of their own through the choppy waters of the industry. What advice would she give to someone dreaming of making their way in the restaurant business?
“To fight neglect,” she says. “To remain focused and dedicated to the profession. Our best time spent is that dedicated to details, to study, to authentic care of guests.”
Challenges will always present themselves, says Organi, but it is in these moments that the greatest opportunity for growth exists.
“These are the periods in which I have greater clarity and determination,” she says. “Often when you are in difficulty there are many figures around you who offer advice, but often they are not the solutions that are suited to your values. We have to know how to listen to each other and start again, nothing gets accomplished in a short time. I am temperamentally not inclined towards performance; I prefer to achieve my goals with the necessary time.”
