Dundarave will miss the Verdicchio veal

IT WAS reported in this newspaper that Joe Verdicchio and his “silent partner’ had sold their West Vancouver institution, Peppi’s, at Dundarave Pier.

This created the intriguing im- agery of some Marion Brando mafia figure lurking behind the scenes.

If you were at the wrong table at any time during the past 27 years, there were moments when you would indeed wish that brother Alfredo was more silent.

Invariably, he’d be downstairs preparing the veal for the piccata, saltimbocca and similar dishes. As he pounded the cutlets flat, it sometimes seemed as if a carpen- try competition was going on down below.

Alfredo has likely prepared two million cutlets and many more cannelloni dishes in his lonely basement shop.

The mind boggles at the numbers of people he and his kitchen staff have fed. With veal alone, he’d carve and prepare be- tween three and five legs per week — up to 750 individual servings.

The legions of friends have never been in doubt about the special partnership, friendship and dedication of these brothers in business: Joe in front and Alfredo in the back.

With their life savings at risk, they raised a downpayment to buy the business known as St. Mawes by the Sea and to lease the Dun- darave house from West Van- couver,

They served their first customer Jan. 10, 1964. They ceased to own Peppi’s on Easter Sunday 1991. Joe and Alfredo had forged a phenomenal success story for their entire family,

So many Verdicchios have played a vital role in the character and the development of Peppi’s, and through it the culture of West Vancouver, they should have published a program.

They grew up in a Neapolitan family of seven boys and three girls.

Joe, the second youngest, was invariably the pioneer. His adven- tures took him to Ottawa in 1953, followed shortly thereafter by the youngest of the family — Franco — in 1955.

Alfredo and their mother came next (Father died in 1953).

Mama shuttled back and forth between Naples and Canada be- fore finally settling in Vancouver after Peppi’s was established.

Until her death at the age of 94 in 1984, she would regularly be seen at the restaurant holding court with three generations of Verdicchios.

Despite 30 years in this country, she never learned to speak English, but, Joe said, ‘‘She could understand every word on the TV .. I'd hear her shout ... ‘get him!’ ... ‘kill him!’ and so on at the bad guys.””

Joe was the first to head west, originally to Jasper Park Lodge and then the Derrick Club in Ed- monton, but Alfredo and Franco soon followed. By 1961, other family members had immigrated to Canada.

And then Joe and Alfredo set up shop in West Vancouver.

From day one, between the ex- igencies of motherhood events, Joe’s Montreal-born wife Anna has been the personification of Peppi’s style, hostess, maitre d’ and reservations director.

Brother Mario has been a fix- ture on the floor.

Until his death, the oldest brother Gino worked in the business.

Franco has had his own restau- rants over the years, but he has been back at Peppi’s as chief chef

Gary Bannerman

OPEN LINES

for the past three years and at this writing he was considering staying on with the new owners to main- tain continuity.

Another brother — Jimmy — made a multi-year contribution.

Not too complicated so far? Well, if you meet an elegant look- ing white haired gentleman, it’s probably Umberto (brother-in- law).

And if you heard recently that there is another Mrs. Verdicchic around these days, it’s not a new face. Sharon, Peppi’s most out- standing waitress over many years, was married this year to Franco.

This courtship went on for some time. In fact, archeologists took less time to find Tutankhamen’s treasure than it took Franco to find a wedding ring.

You might see two fine-looking women surveying the realm with a maternal eye. These would be Menrna and Maria, Verdicchio sisters, of course.

One is married to Umberto. The other is married to Eric, a Welshman. Just when you think you've got it straight, well-traveli- ed sister Tina and husband will arrive from Naples en route to Hawaii.

In recent times, looking like the kind of sharp young Italian mothers are wary about, nephew Roberto (Gino’s son) has been gaining confidence as Joe’s alter ego; at least when the boss wasn’t looking...

West Vancouver politicians jearned a harsh lesson in 1976. In their quiet little backwater that big city press had consistently ig- nored, they were shocked to be the target of full scale media war- fare.

Some foolish official threatened to put Peppi’s on the auction block at the renewal date of the Verdicchio lease.

When Ed Keate was advised of this, he started a campaign in the North Shore press and it soon ex- ploded city wide.

Jack Wasserman, in a blistering attack, referred to ‘‘West Van- couver’s sorry handling of the Peppi’s Restaurant situation,” and, on CKNW, the late Earle Bradford added: ‘‘The entire thing is one sorry mess and how the powers that be expect anyone to improve matters there is a puz- zle.””

Earle went on to rave about the restaurant.

West Vancouver Council climb- ed into a figurative bomb shelter and we never heard a peep out of them for years after.

In fact, it is the same leas - in- security that finally forced Jue and Alfredo to sell.

They were told that the lease will be auctioned again in 1994. Their life’s work would be wor- thless at that point and their per- sonal family planning had to con- sider retirement in the future with hopefully some realization on the asset value of their considerable business.

They have sold the restaurant to one of the most talented people | have ever met in the hospitality industry, former convention centre manager and Expo vice-president Klaus Fuerniss. Fuerniss and two business partners have exciting plans.

But £ felt that a little piece of me died on Easter Sunday. This delightful Verdicchio atmosphere was coming to an end. We are among thousands for whom Pep- pi’s has represented anniversaries, birthdays, family gatherings, awestruck visitors (at the water view) and just a place where weary travellers can rest.

The location is magic. Others can prepare good food. But the ambience is Verdicchio. And that is no more.

BRENDEN SHERWIN SALES MGR.

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