Gianmarco & Federica
In the kitchen
They carry El Caracol's cuisine forward every day with consistency, experience and attention. The recipes change little, because what truly works deserves to be kept.
About us
Three generations, one single story
Antonio, Elsa, their son Gianmarco with Federica, and today the grandchildren in the dining room. Since 1977, in Mulazzo.
Our story
1960s
A meeting in Lausanne
Antonio Novoa leaves Galicia and arrives in Lausanne to work as an upholsterer. Elsa Giannardi leaves Mulazzo and finds work in a restaurant in the Swiss city. They meet there, far from home, and from that meeting a family is born. Many years later, from that same family, El Caracol would be born.
1977
El Caracol opens in Mulazzo
Antonio and Elsa decide to return to Lunigiana and open El Caracol. They bring with them the flavours, habits and memories of Spain, which here meet the local landscape. The name, in Spanish, means snail: a simple symbol, yet full of meaning for those who carried their home with them and turned it into a place of welcome.
1980s–90s
Gianmarco enters the kitchen
From a young age Gianmarco grows up beside Antonio, watches his work, learns the gestures, helps in the kitchen. It doesn't come from a formal decision, but from what happens naturally inside a family restaurant: you walk in, you watch, you learn, you carry on.
2010
Three brothers in the new generation
Over time, Gianluca, Alessandro and Gioele also begin to contribute to the life of the restaurant. Three different personalities, raised in the same place, with the same understanding of hospitality and family continuity.
Feb 2026
Italia 1 tells the story of El Caracol
In 2026 the cameras of Italia 1 arrive in Mulazzo to tell the story of our paella and the history of El Caracol. A recognition that makes us proud and that carries beyond these walls a family story kept for decades.
Today
Almost fifty years later
Today in the kitchen are Gianmarco and Federica; in the dining room Gianluca and Alessandro. Gioele, alongside his university studies, contributes to the development of the restaurant behind the scenes, overseeing communication, digital strategy and online presence. Times change, but not the spirit with which El Caracol continues to grow while remaining true to itself.
Our team
Gianluca
Front of house
He welcomes guests with ease, attention and memory. In a family restaurant, knowing people and remembering their habits is part of what it means to be in the dining room.
Alessandro
Front of house
He has a watchful eye and a direct manner among the tables. He knows when to be present, when to give space, and how to pace the service with rhythm and presence.
Gioele
Behind the scenes
He follows El Caracol mainly on the strategic and digital side. He handles online presence, communication, marketing and website development, helping to bring the restaurant into the present without losing the connection with its history.
How we work
The recipe stays true to itself
Our paella continues to be prepared just as Antonio taught it. We don't chase reinventions for fashion's sake: we preserve a recipe that for us is part of our home story.
Three generations, a genuine continuity
From Antonio to Gianmarco, from Gianmarco to his children: more than a succession, it's a natural passing on of gestures, responsibilities and vision of the work.
Tradition and future, together
El Caracol's cuisine is born from the meeting of local territory and Spanish tradition, but continues to grow through new ideas, digital tools and a stronger presence in the present.
El Caracol · Mulazzo