The end of la dolce vita

On reading recently that Italian is the fastest disappearing language in America, my thoughts were mixed. I felt fleeting sorrow that such a beautiful lingo would be heard less. Between 2001 and 2017, there has been a reduction of 38 per cent — and this during a period when the proportion of Americans who speak a second language at home actually rose from 11 per cent to 22 per cent. But on the bright side, it demonstrates the assimilation of Italian-Americans, always an excellent thing for immigrants. Groups who cling to the Old Ways and then complain of not making progress in their chosen home are as ridiculous as a man who ties his feet together and then complains that outside forces are making him hop.

There was, however, no silver lining when I read that in the UK, Pizza Express is in peril, having to pay off a whopping £650 million over the next three years to a Chinese private equity firm, with total debts of £1 billion. Like a lot of people, I’ve got a bit of a thing about Pizza Express. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad time there and I tend to treat my local branch like a canteen, to the extent that some years ago I was asked to a special night when new pizzas were previewed. I honestly believe I was more thrilled about this than when Sugar Rush won an Emmy way back.

Last year, both the decent Prezzo and the dismal Jamie’s Italian also suffered meltdowns; yes, I know they’re not ‘proper’ Italian restaurants, but their demise also signals a move away from the Italian style which has dominated the post-war lookbook and fired the English imagination.