'I Found My Passion At 50'

Restaurateur Luciana Treccani talks to Stephanie van der Plank about how she found new purpose – and passion – after a life-changing event Luciana Treccani, 63, is divorced and lives in Bryanston. In 2007, she started the Café del Sol Classico restaurant in Olivedale with her children Chiara, 34, and Ryan, 37; they’ve since opened two more eateries, one in Bryanston and the other in Parkhurst. Her eldest daughter, Alessia, 40, works at Discovery Health.

“Years ago, when the trauma of my divorce was still fresh, if somebody had told me that my passion for food would fuel the next stage of my life, I would never have believed them. In 2001, I was completely blindsided when, after 27 years of marriage, my husband asked for a divorce. Shortly after we married, I’d left a career in investment management to start a family, but I was now nearing 50 and having to deal with the double blow of losing my life partner and suddenly having to earn an income again after years out of the industry.

My life had been turned on its head.

I was at an all-time low; my self-esteem and confidence were shattered. It was tough on my children too and, desperate to help me find my feet, they encouraged me to sign up for a self-discovery course that focused on life coaching and developing personal and professional goals. If they hadn’t pushed me to do that, I doubt I would’ve gained the insight I did about what was important to me and what defined me outside of my marriage: I realised that I felt a strong connection to my traditional Italian roots; a culture in which food brings people together.

Coming away with that insight, I chatted to my friends and family and, knowing how much I enjoyed cooking and entertaining over the years, they all insisted I look at the food industry as a way to reinvent myself. Their belief in  me helped propel me forward, and I took a leap of faith, setting up a small catering business, specialising in private events.