Brotherhood, Complicity and Entrepreneurship: Jacopo and Leonardo Signani

The story of two successful entrepreneurs: Jacopo and Leonardo Signani.

The light filters discreetly and illuminates furnishings in deep tones of cobalt blue, peacock and teal, precious details in light marble and brass. We are in the heart of Brera in central Milan, in that point where the historic district tends towards the contemporary vibration of the new Porta Nuova area. The restaurant's activity begins with preparations for the evening, there is an energy of awakening that breaks the silence. Jacopo and Leonardo Signani Corsi are the souls of this place with a warm and international atmosphere. Pacifico is a welcoming space, where the design played on chiaroscuro and the study of light convey a sense of relaxation and comfort. Thanks to the happy intuitions of the two owners who launched the challenge of creating the first nikkei restaurant in Milan. Nikkei cuisine is Peruvian cuisine with Japanese influences, two very different cultures that blend together to create dishes with contrasting aromas and tastes. A success story born from the complicity and affection of two brothers, two young Italian entrepreneurs involved in the fields of food, hôtellerie and lifestyle.

Brothers, friends, accomplices, how do you maintain this harmony?
JS: I think it's thanks to our parents who managed to convey a sense of serenity to us. We are complementary, having different skills and backgrounds, so neither of us encroach on the other's field. We are very similar but also very different, this helps us both on a personal and professional level.

What training do you have?
JS: I am an architect and I studied at the Polytechnic of Milan, while Leonardo studied economics at the Catholic University.

Is there a division of roles or do you decide everything together?
JS: Absolutely yes, also because of different training. I am the creative and strategic part, I have always dealt with this, I worked for several years in the studio of the designer Giovannoni. Leonardo is the management and managerial part.

"Pacifico, the first Nikkei restaurant in Milan"
Jacob Signani

The success of Pacifico was your first achievement, how did you achieve it?
JS: The basis of the success is the formula we created, a perfect storm that fell on Milan. Nikkei cuisine was exploding all over the world and no one had yet brought it to Italy: Japanese influences and traditional Peruvian cuisine, a mix born from the great Japanese immigration to Peru.

"The concept of the place also contributed to its success: a contemporary place with an international atmosphere, nothing to do with ethnic or Peruvian."
Jacob Signani

Could we say that you have launched a real trend?
JS: Let's say it's a format that has been copied a lot both in terms of menu and design. There is no trendy restaurant Milanese who did not include a ceviche dish in his offer. 

What is the most successful dish?
JS: I would say ceviche. Ours is a gourmet interpretation.

"We have one of the Peruvian chefs among the best in the world, who is constantly working on our menu." 
Jacob Signani

What other projects are you involved in besides Pacifico?
JS: We are preparing the launch of Holy . A large fund has believed in this project that we have been working on for years, for which we are about to release with an international distribution. 

What is Holy?
JS: It is a wellness drink based on vitamins and mineral salts that will revolutionize the market of carbonated drinks. Drinks related to the world of wellness are always artisanal such as juices and extracts that have a short shelf life, while we aim at the large market with a worldwide diffusion.

Is there still an Italian talent and lifestyle that is sought after and appreciated in the world?
JS: Absolutely yes, both in terms of product quality and experience.

"Traveling, eating, living in Italy, still makes a difference."
Jacob Signani.

What do you think of Milan right now?
JS: It is our city: it welcomed us when we came here from Carrara to study. We have learned a lot in these years and now as young entrepreneurs we feel we are giving something back, that we have brought something new. In the last fifteen years we have lived through the various phases of the city, and now we feel a truly extraordinary atmosphere and energy.

"The Talent of Mr." is a project by Paolo Pecora Milano that investigates, through a series of interviews, Italian talent at 360°.

We have selected different stories that represent the excellence of Italian craftsmanship: from communication to creativity, to architecture, to cinema and the world of food. To tell a lifestyle that is unique in the world. The project in collaboration with the curator and journalist Alessio de'Navasques, was born with the idea of ​​focusing on that ineffable element of Italian talent, difficult to define and describe, an expression of a DNA and a cultural background that is lost in time.