Known for its elaborate tables and ornate interiors catering to the city’s elite and European gentry, Firpo’s, may have shut down in the 60s, but maverick Italian restaurateur Angelo Firpo’s legacy lives on. CT caught up with Dr Enrico De Barbieri, his great-nephew, on his first trip to Kolkata to know more.
‘He seemed like a mythological figure from some other world’
Barbieri grew up hearing stories about Angelo Firpo and was so captivated by the anecdotes that it was hard for him to view Firpo as just a family member. “I am the grand-nephew of Angelo Firpo. My mother was his favourite niece. I have grown up listening to stories about Firpo, who to me, seemed like some mythological figure from another era – a person who was respected as a different character altogether,” recalled Barbieri, adding, “I started collecting information and news articles about my uncle because I wanted to highlight the work he had done on a global level.”
A marketing pioneer and go-to person for all things related to food
According to Barbieri, Firpo’s was the most popular restaurant in the region stretching from Cairo to Shanghai, and had 500 people as employees. “He was the official caterer and the go-to person for the Governor Generals and Viceroys of India for five consecutive years. This was not only due to the exceptional quality of the food, but also because he was a pioneer in marketing, understanding that the key to successful business lay in strategic promotion,” Barbieri explained. He added, “Firpo was a visionary, always focused on client satisfaction. The customer was always his top priority, along with service, and cleanliness.”
‘The independence of Kolkata would have amazed him’
Reflecting on Firpo's pivotal role in introducing jazz music to Kolkata and infusing the city's cuisine with a continental and Italian touch, Barbieri shared what else would have impressed the legend. “Kolkata’s sense of independence would have amazed Angelo Firpo,” he quipped. To this, Consul General of Italy to Kolkata, Riccardo Dalla Costa, added, “Firpo would have been amazed by the standard set by him in the city and and how the people of Kolkata continue to live by them.”
'A new Bengal Renaissance must take place, and Angelo Firpo, through me, will serve as the gateway to the future. A gateway is essential for dialogue, collaboration, and mutual respect. Kolkata is the soul of India and it can be the door through which India can move ahead in the future'
- Enrico De Barbieri
The legacy of Firpo is very much alive in the city, and we are committed to promoting what adds meaning to Kolkata – something the city values and something that represents Italy. This part of India has seen the migration of remarkable Italians, not in terms of numbers, but in the lasting impact left by them
- Riccardo Dalla Costa
Firpo’s restaurant in Calcutta from the pages of history:
Firpo’s Restaurant in Calcutta, established around 1917 by Angelo Firpo, an Italian entrepreneur, became a favourite of royalty and high society. Firpo, known for his refined cuisine, opened a tea room, named Firpo’s Restaurant, with a pastry shop, and a popular catering service. The place served Lord Irwin, the Viceroy of India, the maharajas, and other dignitaries. The Governor-General and his officials dined there every Sunday, making it an exclusive haunt of the city’s elite. The restaurant featured European cabaret acts and a live orchestra, with trumpets, saxophones, trombones, and a full string quartet with drums. Its dance floor was the only sprung floor in India, offering an extra lift for dancers waltzing and tangoing through the night. Apart from that, the restaurant had its own specialities:
>In their la carte menu, there were no separately prices items, instead they maintained a pre-set menu known as ‘Table d’hote’. In this, multi-course meals with restricted options were charged at fixed total price
>Five course meal was always served with perfect options
>The Lido room used to treat its guests with six cabarets in a single night with the first Bengali dancer, Arati Das, becoming famous as the queen of cabaret in the sixties
Remembering Firpo’s on Chowringhee
Notable people from all over the city attended the event as they recalled fond memories of the iconic place.
‘At Firpo’s with one bottle of beer one would get free sausages. So back then, I used to go there with two of my friends.. We made sure to order one bottle of beer at a time because that would ensure free sausages with every bottle’
-Mmchatrath
‘My mother-in-law often told me about the four-course luncheons at Firpo’s, priced at just 2 rupees 12 annas. I remember enjoying waffles and special ice cream on the Chowringhee balcony. When my husband and I were courting, Firpo’s had closed, but the Lido Room was still open. Every time we entered, the band would start playing, making it feel personal and special’
-Anita Mukherjee
‘Beer costed half a rupee when I used to vist Firpo’s in my 20s. I used to go there with my father and aunt, but never been there at night’
-Pankaj Parekh
‘My grandparents went to Firpo’s for a meal once, when my grandfather realised his false teeth were missing. So, a car was sent back to the house to get the teeth and it was brought to him on a platter by a gentleman with white gloves who had said ‘your teeth sir’
-Nayana Gangooly
‘He seemed like a mythological figure from some other world’
Barbieri grew up hearing stories about Angelo Firpo and was so captivated by the anecdotes that it was hard for him to view Firpo as just a family member. “I am the grand-nephew of Angelo Firpo. My mother was his favourite niece. I have grown up listening to stories about Firpo, who to me, seemed like some mythological figure from another era – a person who was respected as a different character altogether,” recalled Barbieri, adding, “I started collecting information and news articles about my uncle because I wanted to highlight the work he had done on a global level.”
A marketing pioneer and go-to person for all things related to food
According to Barbieri, Firpo’s was the most popular restaurant in the region stretching from Cairo to Shanghai, and had 500 people as employees. “He was the official caterer and the go-to person for the Governor Generals and Viceroys of India for five consecutive years. This was not only due to the exceptional quality of the food, but also because he was a pioneer in marketing, understanding that the key to successful business lay in strategic promotion,” Barbieri explained. He added, “Firpo was a visionary, always focused on client satisfaction. The customer was always his top priority, along with service, and cleanliness.”
‘The independence of Kolkata would have amazed him’
Reflecting on Firpo's pivotal role in introducing jazz music to Kolkata and infusing the city's cuisine with a continental and Italian touch, Barbieri shared what else would have impressed the legend. “Kolkata’s sense of independence would have amazed Angelo Firpo,” he quipped. To this, Consul General of Italy to Kolkata, Riccardo Dalla Costa, added, “Firpo would have been amazed by the standard set by him in the city and and how the people of Kolkata continue to live by them.”
'A new Bengal Renaissance must take place, and Angelo Firpo, through me, will serve as the gateway to the future. A gateway is essential for dialogue, collaboration, and mutual respect. Kolkata is the soul of India and it can be the door through which India can move ahead in the future'
- Enrico De Barbieri
The legacy of Firpo is very much alive in the city, and we are committed to promoting what adds meaning to Kolkata – something the city values and something that represents Italy. This part of India has seen the migration of remarkable Italians, not in terms of numbers, but in the lasting impact left by them
- Riccardo Dalla Costa
Firpo’s restaurant in Calcutta from the pages of history:
Firpo’s Restaurant in Calcutta, established around 1917 by Angelo Firpo, an Italian entrepreneur, became a favourite of royalty and high society. Firpo, known for his refined cuisine, opened a tea room, named Firpo’s Restaurant, with a pastry shop, and a popular catering service. The place served Lord Irwin, the Viceroy of India, the maharajas, and other dignitaries. The Governor-General and his officials dined there every Sunday, making it an exclusive haunt of the city’s elite. The restaurant featured European cabaret acts and a live orchestra, with trumpets, saxophones, trombones, and a full string quartet with drums. Its dance floor was the only sprung floor in India, offering an extra lift for dancers waltzing and tangoing through the night. Apart from that, the restaurant had its own specialities:
>In their la carte menu, there were no separately prices items, instead they maintained a pre-set menu known as ‘Table d’hote’. In this, multi-course meals with restricted options were charged at fixed total price
>Five course meal was always served with perfect options
>The Lido room used to treat its guests with six cabarets in a single night with the first Bengali dancer, Arati Das, becoming famous as the queen of cabaret in the sixties
Remembering Firpo’s on Chowringhee
Notable people from all over the city attended the event as they recalled fond memories of the iconic place.
‘At Firpo’s with one bottle of beer one would get free sausages. So back then, I used to go there with two of my friends.. We made sure to order one bottle of beer at a time because that would ensure free sausages with every bottle’
-Mmchatrath
‘My mother-in-law often told me about the four-course luncheons at Firpo’s, priced at just 2 rupees 12 annas. I remember enjoying waffles and special ice cream on the Chowringhee balcony. When my husband and I were courting, Firpo’s had closed, but the Lido Room was still open. Every time we entered, the band would start playing, making it feel personal and special’
-Anita Mukherjee
‘Beer costed half a rupee when I used to vist Firpo’s in my 20s. I used to go there with my father and aunt, but never been there at night’
-Pankaj Parekh
‘My grandparents went to Firpo’s for a meal once, when my grandfather realised his false teeth were missing. So, a car was sent back to the house to get the teeth and it was brought to him on a platter by a gentleman with white gloves who had said ‘your teeth sir’
-Nayana Gangooly
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