So, by the age of 20, Roberto became a bit of a global nomad. His first stop was the bright lights of London where he worked initially as a bartender, appreciative of London’s nightlife and live music scene.  Hard work and persistence saw him promoted to running the bar within a year. I highly suspect Roberto’s personable nature and his seemingly effortless ability to open interpersonal dialogue also had a hand in his quick rise in the business. Over the next decade or so, Roberto lived and worked in many places, making the most of opportunities as they arose, all the time appreciating that there was more to see, more to do, and most importantly, more to learn. This drive to keep experiencing new things and continuing to learn has been the most prominent common thread in all the lives of the wonderful individuals I have had the pleasure to write about.

Roberto is now 38 years of age and seems to have worked the wanderlust out of his system.  He is ready to settle down and Hua Hin is just the right place for him to do that. Living 12 years in Spain had a real impact in his youth, so it is hardly surprising that Roberto and his Spanish partner Vanessa Humbert have chosen to build on their complementary skills and expertise in establishing their own little piece of Spain here in Hua Hin. Yet, it was not deliberate decision, but rather serendipity and fate which brought Roberto to reside in Hua Hin.  He first visited 15 years ago and wasn’t particularly impressed with what he saw.  He was visiting his uncle Enrico who is the founder of Lo Stivale, one of Hua Hin’s most long-standing Italian restaurants, which has operated for 35 years. At that time, Hua Hin seemed to Roberto to be merely the Italian version of San Benedetto del Tronto, just another place that wasn’t the right fit for him and so his journey of world discovery continued.

While Covid crushed some and decimated others worldwide, leaving a trail of permanently closed hospitality businesses in its wake, to Roberto it presented an opportunity.  He had noticed a gap in the culinary offerings in Hua Hin and was keen to exploit the growing market of Thai holiday-makers venturing to Hua Hin whilst other destinations were unavailable to them. Between them, Roberto and Vanessa had expertise in food and wine sourcing and preparation along with restaurant design and hosting, so the establishment and growth of Little Spain had a solid starting point in August 2020. Vanessa is in complete control of the kitchen, and Roberto is responsible for the front of house. For Roberto, there was another real opportunity for learning and growth as he has developed key skills in using multiple social media platforms to connect with potential patrons and promote the restaurant, which is located in Soi 102 and a little off the most well-worn restaurant strips in town. 

Roberto chatted to me from the beautiful covered pool-side terrace of Little Spain, under the roof lined with a red cloth.  He cultivates the image of being a rather laid-back, cool guy, but I have the impression this too is just part of his “on stage” persona. He is aware that in his role as restaurant host, he needs to be personable, witty, attentive and charming, all at the same time. He has a distinct “at work” character that isn’t exactly the same as his normal, much more reserved mien.  I was quite puzzled at first to see his hair looking quite ginger until he pointed out the ceiling to me. 

 Roberto and Vanessa have been able to navigate the pandemic to build themselves a dynamic restaurant which combines a great ambiance with a menu drawing on very traditional Spanish ingredients with a twist of modern flair and inspiration. Starting and operating a new restaurant from scratch is perhaps the most difficult job in the world, according to Roberto and I certainly shan’t be arguing with him.  It is working so well for him, I understand, because of the beauty of the restaurant, the teamwork of the staff, carefully selecting the best ingredients, touching them as little as possible, and having absolute trust in the skills and intuition of his partner Vanessa.

I asked Roberto to explain to me his understanding of the difference between Italian and Spanish cuisines.  We discussed how the cuisines of the Mediterranean countries have many more similarities than points of difference and the role of both wine and olive oil in the culinary experience.  He described Italian and Spanish foods as brothers.  And talking of this brotherhood, our conversation had to extend to the World Cup 2022 currently happening in Qatar at the time of our discussion.  I am still to meet an Italian man not a passionate follower of the round ball game, and Roberto told me how a great swathe of the Italian population is supporting Spain, since unfortunately Italy, cough, cough, DNQ (that’s “did not qualify” for the non-football fanatics like me, sorry Roberto and Italy!)