Latest news with #FrancescoRivella
Telegraph
09-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Will Blue Nun and Ferrero Rocher ever escape the taint of naffness?
As the spring sunshine falls on the dust and smears of winter, minds turn to spring cleaning – but not for long. Soon, like Mole in The Wind in the Willows, we may find ourselves saying 'Hang spring cleaning!' and heading for more convivial pursuits. Perhaps we could invite the neighbours round for a meal. But then there comes the question of what to make. Television shows such as MasterChef and Come Dine With Me have turned cookery into an extreme sport with a rich potential for humiliation. And like all the performing arts, food is subject to trends that change with capricious speed. Those once cherished totems of aspirational 1970s dining, prawn cocktail, chicken Kiev and baked Alaska, became objects of derision for decades before their current rehabilitation on the dinner tables of fashionable foodies, well-seasoned with cheffy irony. Last week The Telegraph published obituaries of two brilliant innovators who created products that traced an ignominious trajectory from aspirational to naff. Francesco Rivella, who died last month aged 97, was an Italian chemist (and friend of the chemist and author Primo Levi) who joined the confectionary firm of Ferrero, where he helped devise such globally popular delicacies as the chocolate spread Nutella and the knobbly, gold-wrapped bolus, Ferrero Rocher. Sixty years after the first jar was sold, the appetite for Nutella remains as keen as ever. But Ferrero Rocher is indelibly associated, at least in Britain, with the notorious 1990s 'ambassador's reception' television commercial. Featuring an elderly white-gloved butler handing around a pyramid of Rochers at an Embassy party, with the punchline 'Monsieur, wizz zeez Rocher you're really spoiling us', the ad became a kitsch icon. So, alas, did the chocolates. A 2003 remake by the filmmaker Martha Fiennes replaced the old retainer with a dashing younger model, but (perhaps unsurprisingly in a nation whose collective ear is so finely attuned to the social aspirations of Hyacinth Bucket and Margo Leadbetter) it failed to erase the indelible aura of comedy that surrounds Ferrero Rocher as firmly as its gold foil wrapping. Peter Sichel, who died aged 102, 10 days after Rivella, had an even more remarkable career. Born into a German Jewish wine-making family, he served with the US army during the war and later joined the CIA. In 1960 he returned to the family wine-making business and began an astonishingly successful campaign to promote Blue Nun in Britain and the US. Social anxiety played a role here, too. In markets where wine wasn't an everyday drink, the reassuring tagline: 'The delicious white wine that's correct with any dish', increased US sales by 500 per cent. The wine became embedded in popular culture, providing impromptu percussion on the Beatles' White Album, and appearing in Jonathan Coe's novel, The Rotters' Club. But as consumers became more fluent in winespeak, Blue Nun became a comic shorthand for lack of sophistication, its decline epitomised when Steve Coogan's hapless character, Alan Partridge, ordered a bottle at lunch with a BBC executive. With global wine consumption down 12 per cent since 2007, and vineyards being replanted with more profitable olive trees, a renaissance in the fortunes of Blue Nun seems unlikely. But the inexorable churn in food fashion continues. In troubled times our appetites turn from the exotic to old favourites. Data from the pandemic recorded a sharp rise in sales of instant mash, stock cubes and – of all things – suet. As global instability suggests a return to comfort food (Steve Coogan predicts 'a resurgence of white pepper' – a taste he shares with the great Simon Hopkinson), what fashionable comestibles might we consign to the recycling bin? Personally, I'd be happy to see the disappearance of salted caramel anything, along with the ubiquitous worms of cacio e pepe, and small plates – those stingy restaurant elevations of generous bar snacks (tapas, cicchetti) into an indigestible approximation of a meal. But even if they were to vanish, the chances are that eventually, they'd be back. As the film critic David Thomson remarked of Beverley's supposedly gauche (but now quite acceptable) chilling of a bottle of Beaujolais in Mike Leigh's play, Abigail's Party, 'the gaffe has turned suave'.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What Happened to Francesco Rivella? Inventor of Nutella Passes Away
death has left many heartbroken, sparking curiosity about his legacy and the cause of his passing. Known for his groundbreaking contributions to Ferrero, Rivella played a key role in shaping some of the most iconic confectionery products, including Nutella. So, what happened to Francesco Rivella, and what is the reason behind his death? Here is everything you need about Rivella's demise and his impact on the world of business. Francesco Rivella reportedly passed away on February 14, 2025, at the age of 97. However, the exact cause of death remains undisclosed. Rivella was born on Barbaresco in Piedmont. After attaining a degree in bromatological chemistry in Turin, the 25-year-old young man began working in Ferrero's chemistry lab located in Alba. (Rivella joined Ferrero's team dealing with raw materials to create new products through refining to find the ideal or perfect flavor. He went on to contribute to the creation of numerous iconic products by the brand like Kinder and Ferrero Rocher. Rivella continued to progress and ended up becoming the senior manager of the company. He also became a close associate of Ferrero's son Michele Ferrero who took over the family business. (via New York Post) As per Italian journalist Gigi Padovani's book Mondo Nutella (Nutella World) Rivella and Micheal Ferrero took a tour of the world to purchase sweets. However, they did not wish to replicate the products and instead wanted to refine and make them better. Nutella's first iteration was originally named Giandujot and was first sold in 1946. As per Nutella's website, the sweet paste of the first recipe was made into a loaf meant to be spread on bread. However, by 1951, the paste turned into a creamy product that was simple to use. Further, the first-ever jar of the delicious product was ready in 1964. After retiring, Rivella settled in Alba, where he developed an interest in fruit farming and the traditional Italian game, pallapugno. His funeral took place on February 17, 2025, and reports suggest he will be laid to rest in Barbaresco. Rivella who was a widower is currently survived by his three sons, one daughter, and seven grandchildren. The post What Happened to Francesco Rivella? Inventor of Nutella Passes Away appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Al Bawaba
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
Francesco Rivella: Nutella creator dies on Valentine's Day at 97
ALBAWABA - Renowned Italian chemist Francesco Rivella, best known for working hand in hand with Ferrero to create the world's most famous chocolate spread, Nutella has died at 97 on Valentine's Day, according to his family. Crowned the "Father of Nutella," Rivella was a widowed father of four who worked with Ferrero for more than 40 years in Italy's Alba. The famous chocolate hazelnut spread originated in a small pastry shop. The chemist joined Ferrero back in 1993 but witnessed the company grow to the franchise it is today including the creation of TicTac, Kinder, and Ferrero Rocher. Additionally, Franceso was considered Giovanni Ferrero's "right-hand man" who traveled across the globe to sample ingredients and improve the company's chocolate brands. According to The Daily Mail, Francesco Rivella named the chocolate spread "Nutella." Its name echoed across the world and became the staple of chocolate spreads, similar to how people describe sticky notes as Post-it Notes and food containers as Tupperware. His funeral was held on Feb. 17, 2025, surrounded by his loved ones in his hometown Piedmont. His passing comes days after Alba witnessed the tenth anniversary of Michele Ferrero's death. TikToker Karissa recently visited Alba to check if the famous chocolate spread tastes different from where it originated, and added that "All the bakeries have like Nutella cookies and Nutella cakes." She shared further "I was curious if Nutella actually tastes different here, and I think it does. It's a lot nuttier and thicker and definitely less sweet" Karissa added, "They also have a plant-based Nutella, which is definitely a bit thinner and not quite as rich as the original, but hey, it's still delicious. Like, my dad can't have dairy so he was so excited."
