As he does every year in commemoration of his passing, Daniele Cernilli turns his remembrance to Stefano Bonilli, a lifelong friend and companion in his professional and food and wine adventures.
On the evening of August 3, 2014, eleven years ago, he left us suddenly Stefano Bonilli. I remember him every year since then because I think it is right and proper to do so. Stephen was the founder of the Gambero Rosso, which came out as an insert of the Manifesto on December 16, 1986, then became a supplement, the first to come out with a newspaper (albeit once a month) and finally, in February 1992, a stand-alone monthly magazine.
Creator of a journalistic revolution
You can say what you want, but there is enough agreement that he, at the head of a group of young enthusiasts, has not only renewed, but even revolutionized the way of writing about food and then also about wine. The first editorial staff included, in addition to yours truly who was in charge of wine, precisely, Cristina Barbagli, Laura Mantovano, Andrea Gabbrielli, Mara Nocilla, who were later joined by Marco Sabellico, Raffaella Prandi, Franco Dammicco, Susanna Gulinucci, Monica Lombardi, Cristina Tiliacos, Eleonora Tiliacos, and Luciano Del Sette. They were followed by Fabio Parasecoli, Marco Bolasco, Giancarlo Perrotta, Clara Barra, Annalisa Barbagli, Francesco Arrigoni, and Stefano Polacchi.
At least among those who worked in the newsroom, because of outside contributors There were dozens of them. Many others came later, Antonio Boco, Paolo De Cristofaro, Eleonora Guerrini, Giuseppe Carrus, Elisia Menduni, Riccardo Viscardi, but I cannot mention them all here, and I apologize to those I had forgotten.
The partnership with Arcigola
Bonilli was the visionary, the inspirer., he had also pulled in Arcigola, with Carlo Petrini, Gigi Piumatti, Piero Sardo and the whole Bra group, which later founded Slow Food. The guide Wines of Italy acted as a glue for two decades, and something that might have seemed seemingly futile became a benchmark for communication in the industry. Not only that, but all this represented a school, of journalism and beyond. This created Bonilli, and at least once a year he should be remembered. This is also meant to be an invitation to all those who worked with him during those years: let us remember him more.
