ITALIANS OF WOLLONGONG: CATERINA DALLA POZZA

Caterina Dalla Pozza began working at Luccarda`s boarding house and wedding reception centre at Tarrawanna, in 1965. Caterina`s sister in law Giovanna Dalla Pozza, was already working there, and she began in 1958. When Giovanna left Luccarda`s, as she was expecting her third child, Caterina took over her role. Her role was helping in the kitchen as a kitchen hand as well as a house keeper for the boarders.

Caterina and her husband Matteo, like many migrant families at the time, shared a house with Matteo's brother and his wife, and both couples had children. When Caterina started working, her sister-in-law looked after the children. Both husbands worked long hours, double-shift and even triple-shifts if they could get them, so the house-keeping and baby-sitting was done solely by her sister-in-law, as there was no other support or network of relatives to call on in the new country.

Caterina`s work day started at 9 am. She would attend to the house keeping duties, washing and ironing the clothing for the boarders, as well as linen. Caterina would was also tend to kitchen duties and food service. Ida Luccarda was the one who did the preparation and the cooking of the meals.

The evening meals for the boarders always consisted of a `primo e secondo`, a first and second course. First course was either a brodo or minestrone and the second course was a roast meat or small t-bone steak that was served with potatoes or beans. Other times it may have been schnitzel, meat stew or pork chops. It was always a hearty dinner that the men sat down to at the end of their day. The meals were all home made, `casalinga` style.

The menu changed daily, but the meals were the same dishes constantly rotated. The menu choices were done solely by Ida, based on the dishes that she knew and what was familiar to her and also what she knew the boarders would enjoy. Caterina would serve the boarders their meals. When Ida was very busy and the pressure was on her to get the food and plates prepared and served on time, Caterina would then help Ida with the cooking in the kitchen.

Caterina does recall there was `method in the madness` when it was particularly busy. When both boarders and function attendees had to be fed, everybody would pitch in. During those periods, some staff focused on the meals for the boarders, while other staff concentrated on getting the meals out for the function centre. As soon as the meals for the boarders were dispatched, the staff then helped with the catering for the function. Sometimes, kitchen staff doubled up in duties to help out. Occasionally, the kitchen staff helped with waitering duties, depending on what needed to be done.

Caterina recalls attending a wedding reception herself as a guest, at the Luccarda reception centre, that started out with small numbers of people. By the time Caterina commenced work, those numbers had drastically changed. Occasionally, they would hold two smaller wedding receptions at once. Typically, wedding receptions were held on a Saturday. Sometimes, but only rarely, did they hold a wedding reception on a Sunday.

The popularity of the venue was mounting and people were booking approximately six months in advance. Caterina worked a long day for a wedding reception. She would start her day normally around 9 - 9.30 in the morning. They would be prepping during the day and precooking many of the meals. Then in the afternoon Caterina would have a good break before getting ready for the reception.

Ida and Liugi organised the wedding receptions. Ida was in charge of the kitchen and Luigi co-ordinated the wedding receptions. Luigi would have a schedule that he worked to and timed the menu to be delivered accordingly.

The wedding receptions began at 6.00pm and Caterina`s day would usually finish between 12.30 - 1.00am, after the wedding guests had left and all the washing and clearing had been done. There were also casual ladies employed that would help with the washing of the plates and the kitchen clean up. When Caterina worked a normal day at the boarding house, she would usually finish around 9.00pm.

The fruit and vegetable produce was purchased at the Fruit and Vegetable Co-Op in Kenny Street, Wollongong and other supplies were purchased from wholesaler, Davis and Penny, at Fairy Meadow. Frida Luccarda, who was Arduino`s wife, did much of the ordering of the supplies on Ida`s behalf.

After several years that Caterina had been working, Ida Luccarda went to Italy for a much deserved holiday for three months. In that time, Caterina and Frida, were the ones who took over the cooking duties for both the boarding house and the wedding receptions. Both of them knew exactly what to do and the business ran just as well. Shortly after Ida`s return the business was sold.

Around 1970-1971 the Luccarda business was bought by Bruno and Assunta Ardenti. The business would now become Bruno’s Restaurant Reception Centre. Part of the agreement for the purchase of the business was that the boarding house would remain, as well as the staff. Caterina moved into the kitchen at Bruno’s. Whilst the new owners of the Luccarda reception centre were successful, it was noted by some that the generosity was not the same as that of the Luccarda family.

Bruno did some renovations, and a new bar was added. The main function room would be extended as well. The business had now changed with the addition of a restaurant, as well as the boarding house. Wedding receptions were full and now Christenings were catered for too. Bruno also introduced a Friday night dinner dance.

Caterina`s role at Bruno`s was essentially the same as it was at Luccarda`s, but she was given different responsibilities. Aside from helping in the kitchen, she was now helping out with the Restaurant meals as well, for the Friday night Dinner Dances. It was a la carte dining and Bruno hired a head Chef for the restaurant. The chef would cook the main meals while Caterina was responsible for the entrees` and desserts.

Entrees` such as prawn cocktail, onion soup, varieties of oysters and salads and desserts like peach melba and bombe alaska. Caterina often did the same for the wedding functions, which was where she assisted the most. Occasionally, there would also be a small wedding function on a Friday night.

The boarding house duties were still very similar, only this time, the men had to wash their own work wear in a common laundry, and Caterina was still responsible for their house keeping, linen and the ironing of their dress clothes.

As a child I can vouch for the weddings at Bruno’s. Coming from a family of nine, going to a wedding reception was such a highlight for our family. We didn’t have much, as many others families were in similar positions, but going to a function at Bruno’s brought so many members of the Italian community together. So many paesane would come together time and again for those wedding receptions. We would see the same people for the next lot of weddings that we were invited to. We had so much fun as children there too. Some of those weddings were huge. I can vividly remember up to 450 people easy! The hall was so big, and where we sat you could hardly see the bridal party.

As I spoke to Caterina about the wedding menu that I recalled at Bruno’s, it was very similar to what was cooked at Luccarda`s. The menu at Bruno’s was as follows: Antipasto followed by a minestra/soup, a pasta (usually ravioli with sugo) a roast meat with verdura/vegetables and finish with cassata ice cream for dessert as well as the wedding cake and coffee. The wedding receptions were popular indeed. They could cater for large weddings, as well as smaller ones. They had a concertina wall that could block part of the room off to hold a smaller function. A large dance floor, internal bathroom facilities, a room for the bride and groom and a huge parking lot. They catered very well, always having ample wait staff to serve at the weddings.

Bruno’s Reception Centre was sold in 1975 to the Capetta Family, retaining the name Bruno’s. The boarding house was still part of the business, but eventually it would change. Caterina`s duties remained similar with the Capetta family, such as Friday night dinner dances and wedding functions. Gradually, her role changed to just the large wedding functions. She worked for three individual families at the one place. Caterina saw many changes over the years and was a part of the celebration of many a bride and groom. Caterina finished with the Capetta family in 1981.

After having a few years break, Caterina was asked to work at the Fraternity Bowling Club, in Fairy Meadow. She agreed and commenced working in 1985. This time, Caterina was working in the bistro. This was different kind of cooking than she had done previously. The bistro would operate on several shifts per day and the variety of the menu was much, much larger to that of the functions she was accustomed to. Coupled with that were the methods of cooking, as patrons didn’t have to book at the bistro and people were ordering meals according to their preference.

Caterina said that within a few weeks, she became accustomed to the new and diverse set up and operation. Later on , she would eventually move to the front of the bistro, serving customers, as bain-maries had been introduced.

Caterina felt different about working at the club, compared to her days at the boarding house/reception centre, that were long and the work extremely hard. She enjoyed her time immensely at The Fraternity Club, she was paid well and felt comradeship with the other women who worked along side her.

People who frequented The Fraternity Club knew her well and would look forward to seeing her at the bistro, and many spoke about the wonderful meals she cooked.

Caterina left The Fraternity Club in 2003. In total she worked for 15 years combined with the Luccarda family, Bruno Ardenti and the Capetta family at the wedding reception centre at Tarrawanna, and 18 years with the Fraternity Club. Quite the contribution it was, providing wonderful food for the Italian community and for many others.