‘Welcome, and I acknowledge our special and invited guests today.
It’s wonderful to be here today to say thank you to Nicci and Maria, their families and staff, for their dedicated service to our market and to South Australia over these last 60 years.
In the true entrepreneurial spirit that still underpins our market today, Lucia Rosella and her Aussie neighbour, Dayna Hill, opened Adelaide’s first pizza bar on this very roadway in 1957.
These humble beginnings were built on a foundation of lovingly prepared, home style food all within a tiny shopfront with only seven bar stools.
Lucia’s story has grown over the decades to include two more market shops and a commercially successful production kitchen.
But what remains unchanged is the warm welcome and authentic Italian hospitality.
Lucia’s in many ways reflects our market’s rich multicultural heritage and the diversity of cultural expression that exists here. We do have 42 cultures within the 500 people that work here all within 8000 square metres. Italians are not alone to express their culture through their love of cooking through family recipes passed down the generations, through the respect of seasonal produce and through the importance of a shared meal with family and friends. For those very reasons, Lucia’s has thrived and holds a special place in many hearts Adelaideans have been breaking bread, sharing delicious and nourishing meals and creating memories at Lucia’s for 60 years. I take this opportunity to congratulate Nicci and Maria and the whole extended Lucia’s family, you have been true to traditional market values and you embody the pioneering spirit, turning a small family business into an enduring legend and now I ask the premier of South Australia, the Hon Jay Weatherill MP, to say a few words.’