So, I’m having a client meeting at an Italian restaurant.
We sit down, open menus, look at previous iterations of commercial ads, chat ideas, and talk through concepts.
From where I’m sitting, I can see into the kitchen.
I notice an elderly woman in there talking to the chefs and staff as they do their work. Even from a distance, it’s clear she’s highly respected.
So I ask the owner who she is.
“Oh, that’s my Nonna,” he says.
And just like that, the real story appeared.
When the Real Story Reveals Itself
I told him,
“That’s your commercial.”
Not the specials.
Not the menu.
Not the décor.
Her.
She is the story, with all the family recipes and family stories.
When I pointed out that she’s the one who taught him his love for food and why he opened this restaurant in the first place, he cried.
Now, we don’t usually aim to make clients cry during a creative meeting. But in this case, it was a good cry.
The whole conversation shifted to a narrative about family, heritage, and the love behind every dish.
The Lesson
Storytelling is part craft and part detective work.
Sometimes it takes observation.
Sometimes it takes curiosity.
Sometimes it simply takes asking the right question.
Because very often, the story behind the story is the one that matters most.
A Question Worth Asking
So, who’s the Nonna in your kitchen?
Are you telling that story?
If you’re looking for the Nonna in your story, let’s chat.
Bon appetit.
If you’re looking for the Nonna in your story, we’d love to help you find it. At Bellastrega Media and Design, storytelling is where strategy begins.
