Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/844299
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 2 JULY 2017 17 Interview catch a cheap bus to wherever. It's a Maltese dynamic. And also renting is insane now... it's unaffordable." A bleak future for Europe's culinary 'rubbish dump' The irrepressible Tommy says he finds the local restaurant scene depressing. "Malta is the rubbish dump of Europe in food. Good food doesn't come to Malta, it's not true. It's a lie. In the culinary world we are the worst- case scenario. Nobody eats as badly as we do." Tommy says the Maltese have the world's biggest food handicap. "The consumption of salmon is through the roof – we're sur- rounded with the Mediterranean Sea and we're eating farmed, Northern fish. What? Go to Sicily and try to find salmon, it doesn't exist. You'll find smoked salmon in a packet. But we don't eat anchovies. You're on a tiny island in the Mediterranean, Sicily, Greece it's all anchovy this, anchovy that. In Malta we don't eat it." In Sicily, Tommy says, there are about 20 Michelin stars. Licata has two Michelin starred restaurants. Gela ("the arsehole of Italy and Licata is the pimple on the arse")…. "Have you been to Licata? It's terrible, but they have one Michelin star, La Madia [run by leading chef] Pino Cutaia and another restaurant is going to get one soon." "Who's going to open a Michelin star res- taurant in Malta? In Malta we haven't even scratched the bottom of a spoon. Nothing. Iceland has. Faroe Islands, with a popula- tion of about four goats, has a Michelin star. Malta? Not even close." Tommy says he wants to expand the NYB brand overseas, but his contempt for his own market is gut-wrenching. "I don't like Malta. I don't like Maltese people," Tommy says, claiming that Malta doesn't reward hard work. "It works like this: 'I know a guy, so now we cheat, and then we do this and that...'", and he turns to the recent election result that saw Labour re-elected by a 36,000 majority. "We're not OK with corruption, we love it because we feel we can get something out of it." Malta, Diacono says, is all about "short-term, low- hanging fruits." The election was the cherry on the cake that convinced Tommy to leave, he says. "This country's schizophrenic. I don't know how they're going to pull it off now, this situ- ation makes zero sense. It would have made sense had Labour won by 10,000 votes – I'd have said wow, they won despite all these scandals, but 40,000? Good bye. Have fun, idiot." "I haven't procreated yet, but I don't want my child to be raised with these people. It's a poisonous country of mediocrity… Har- mont & Blaine, collar up, Rolex at a tratto- ria going 'hawn namber wann! il-King, dan il-King!' Look at the new buildings: cheap aluminum, graffiato, the same ugly colours – this is going to be around for another 20 years. A tree? Fuck trees. Trees are a has- sle, you have to water them. You know what we'll do? Put a giant fucking ceramic lion outside. That's a good idea. This little mai- sonette in Birkirkara, and he puts a lion out- side. He comes home from his 9-5 and puts a lion outside." Entrepreneurship To those considering starting their own business, Tommy has one message: "Go for it. There's never going to be a right time, where you go 'ah now's just right.' Do your homework and make sure it's something you're psycho passionate about." Selling real estate doesn't count though. "If you work in real estate, you rent out a flat, get a grand a week to go 'kitchen, living, dining,' stress free. You work whenever you want, they call you self-employed so you feel like you're an entrepreneur, renting flats. It's genius isn't it?" "You have to have balls," says Nicholas. "If you have a good idea, you have to just go all- in. If you don't, it's never going to happen. It's never going to be a cushioned, comfy transition. That's what I've learned in my experience. Lots of risks." The Flying Carpet Importers of hand-knotted Oriental carpets THE FLYING CARPET - OLD RAILWAY TRACK, ATTARD Mon - Tues, Thurs - Sat 10am – 12pm • Wednesday morning closed Mon - Fri – 4.30pm - 7pm Importers of: Various hand knotted carpets and Kilims, Non Slip Underlay, Dry and Liquid shampoo. Mobile No. 7953 7664 Big boss man: Nicholas Diacono smiles for the camera at Fat Louie's, the sister to New York Best, while Tommy Diacono (inset) gets his hands dirty with cooking legend Rita Diacono, their grandma. Malta is the rubbish dump of Europe in food. Good food doesn't come to Malta, it's not true