Thomas Carletti And The Revolution In The World Of Fish

Thomas Carletti And The Revolution In The World Of Fish. In the green heart of Umbria, a young entrepreneur has decided to dust off his family roots and turn them into a unique culinary adventure. Thomas Carletti, with a passion inherited from his mother and grandmother, has reopened Sapore di Mare Amelia, a place that blends tradition with innovation. An adventure that promises to excite not only the palate but also the curiosity of those who love good food, thanks also to the help of the Stagionello® Fish Curing Device.

THE ORIGINS

“The fish shop was originally opened by my mother and grandmother in 1997,” Thomas explains. “My grandmother, who had always worked in the old fish markets of Terni, passed on this passion to my mother. They decided to open a fish shop in Amelia, a small town just twenty minutes from Terni, and it was an immediate success thanks to the quality of the fish and the way they engaged with customers.” In 2017, the shop was sold, and the business seemed to have come to an end. However, in 2021, Thomas decided to leave Spain, where he had been living with his family, and return to Italy to reopen the fish shop with a completely new approach. “I wanted to do something of my own, something different, combining my family’s tradition with a modern twist,” he explains. “I added a rich street food menu based on fish, including raw dishes, poké, pasta, and especially fish burgers, which have become our flagship product.”

MEETING STAGIONELLO®

The encounter with Stagionello® technology marked a turning point for Thomas and his business. “I discovered Stagionello on social media, following chefs like Moreno Cedroni, who has been making sea-cured products for years, and later by reading Josh Niland’s book,” says Thomas. “When I decided to explore further, I contacted the company and had the pleasure of meeting Antonio Cuomo. His availability and the passion with which he spoke about the Stagionello world convinced me to integrate this technology into our business.”

TRAINING AT THE ACADEMY

The training at the Stagionello Academy enabled Thomas to fully grasp the potential of the Stagionello® Fish Curing Device: “It was essential for me to understand how the machine worked and how it could help me create innovative and unique products.” During the two intense days of training, Thomas Carletti discovered a true passion for the Stagionello world. “It was amazing to meet everyone, from the company’s top management to the guys who build the machines. That experience made me feel part of something big,” he says enthusiastically. Those two days were crucial for the young entrepreneur, who had just reopened his family’s fish shop. “For a 24-year-old, reopening a fish shop was a huge step, but that training gave me the confidence to pursue this journey.” Thomas’s motivation is clear: to combine the tradition of Umbrian cured meats — “a sort of religion for us, where every family has at least a few kilos of dried sausages in the cellar” — with ingredients from the sea and lakes. “I wanted to create something new and unique, and Stagionello gave me the tools to do it.” Integrating the Stagionello® technology brought numerous benefits to Sapore di Mare: “Customers were fascinated by this novelty,” Thomas shares. “Being the first in Umbria to use this technology drew attention not only from our regulars but also from new customers across the region.”

THE STAGIONELLO® FISH CURING DEVICE

The Stagionello® Fish Curing Device enhances the flavor of each product in a unique way. “We’ve had great success both in taste and sales,” Thomas affirms. “The strong, bold flavors of our products have won over a new clientele, and demand keeps growing.” Taste, innovation, and tradition meet in a professional-grade unit that allows the production of ready-to-eat foods, revolutionizing sea-cuterie with never-before-seen seafood mortadella. Inside the Stagionello® Fish Curing Device are 28 climate recipes already validated and certified by the project’s partner universities. It also offers endless opportunities for experimentation for those eager to explore new flavor combinations. This innovative technology opens up a new frontier of taste, unleashing chefs’ creativity and captivating the most curious palates.

CURRENT PRODUCTION AND FUTURE PROJECTS

“At first, we started with small productions to test the machine,” Thomas explains. “At Christmas, we completed our first major production of 70 kg of processed fish. We made sea-cured meats like dried amberjack and chive sausages, salmon trout salami, and tuna salami, among others.” Over the months, Thomas combined the knowledge gained during the Academy course with traditional Umbrian recipes to create unique products. “I merged traditional flavors with modern techniques, and the results were exceptional,” he says proudly. Looking ahead, Thomas has big plans:”We have many ideas in the pipeline, and we’re working on something exciting that we’ll reveal soon. We also plan to expand the distribution of our sea-cured meats across Umbria and beyond.” The goal is to make the products available not just to local customers but to other fish shops and restaurants as well: “Our seafood mortadella, for example, has been a huge success, and we want to bring it outside of Terni too.”

BALANCE BETWEEN PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE

For Thomas Carletti, balance is a meaningful word — but also a constant challenge. “It’s not easy, especially for a young guy like me who’s still working his way up,” Thomas admits. “I put a lot of effort into what I do, and alongside the work, there’s a lot of studying too.” Despite the challenges, Thomas emphasizes the importance of remembering his age. “I’m 25 years old, and the first piece of advice I would give is: do what you love. It’s essential, because work becomes lighter, you can be yourself, and you’re happy. It doesn’t feel like a burden at all.” Another piece of advice Thomas shares is to keep dreaming. “Even though we’re taught to dream less and less, you still need to dream. Until recently, I thought all this was just a dream. And today, I’m talking about reality — real things we’re doing and experiencing firsthand.” For Thomas, balance also means making time for himself. “It’s not easy, but it’s essential to recharge. I love traveling — it’s my greatest passion. I run all year long, between the fish shop and my work as a private chef. Sometimes I work 20 hours a day, even for weeks without a break, but I know I’ll always carve out a little time for myself.” He concludes with a hopeful message: “Never stop dreaming. It’s essential. I feel lucky, because every morning I wake up happy to do what I love.”