Franca Ciaghi talks about her life at Mildas. 2026 marks sixty years of love for the art of hospitality.
The Mildas opened on July 21, 1966, in PInzolo’s Piazza Collini. Then, in 1982, it moved to Madonna di Campiglio, to Hotel Des Alpes, where it remained for four and a half years. In 1986, it found its definitive home, reopening on July 26 in Giustino.
Raul and Franca’s priorities are excellence in ingredients and simplicity in execution.
Food invites us to travel between what we are and what we wereDining at Ristorante Mildas in Giustino, in the historical district of Vadaione, is a special experience that combines excellent cuisine with the warm welcome of home. Upon entering, the full, soft sound of vinyl envelops you in a soothing embrace. Franca Ciaghi has just placed Edith Piaf’s La vie en rose on the turntable, selecting it from her personal, eclectic collection. The music softens the ambience and attenuates the solemnity of the majestic cross vaults and ancient granite columns. Franca flashes a graceful dance step and smiles. Her passion for hospitality is her life—first alongside her husband, Mirko Pizzini, today with her son Raul. Her husband founded the Mildas, creating recipes that still delight the palate of diners to this day. Raul represents continuity, embellishing his father’s creations with fresh culinary insight. Together, they have breathed life into a very special menu, a cuisine made of memories one could say. In the “Recherche du temps perdu”, the taste of madeleine suddenly awakens forgotten childhood memories. At the Mildas, their “Spaghetti alla Mirko”, a dish that smells of sun and the Mediterranean, and their delicious ricotta ice cream, both served here for at least half a century, evoke once-distant emotions.
"Here, we don’t just work—we live and we are happy."
A Dream in Times of Change: The Birth of Mildas“Mirco worked on construction sites,” says Franca, “but his dream was to create. He believed in his instincts and took a chance, starting his adventure with five hundred thousand lire in his pocket and as many dreams. The first Mildas, inaugurated in Pinzolo, was a café, rotisserie, and pizzeria—the first in the area. There was one other, in Tione, but it was only for takeout. The business immediately took hold, being very well received by the people of the town and of the valley. The kitchen was open-plan and the menu was decidedly modern for that time.” It was the 1960s—a period of economic boom, social tension, and a desire for rebellion and freedom. Everything seemed possible, and young people were redefining culture, politics, and customs. “To give you an idea of the times,” explains the restaurateur, “I’ll tell you that, after meeting Mirko in 1968, we decided to move in together. At that time, I had been teaching at the elementary school level in Spiazzo, and the principal sent me a written invitation me to return home. For women, it was a novelty to even go to a restaurant or go out with friends for a pizza. Then, over the years, people became fond of the restaurant, and students in the area worked for us. An entire generation passed through that restaurant in Piazza Collini, and when it closed it was a sad moment for everyone.”
Franca Ciaghi: “My guests are the lifeblood of my existence”.
The Move to Madonna di Campiglio: Elegance, Success, and New Challenges“In 1982,” she continues, “we got a call from Mario Bertelli, the owner of the newly renovated Grand Hotel Des Alpes. We accepted his offer and got back into the game in Madonna di Campiglio, on the ground floor of Salone Hofer, in the same building that had once been the dining and party room during the summer visits of Franz Joseph I and Elisabeth of Bavaria. There, in that elegant setting and with an original mise en place exalted by a few historical dishes, we continued our success. Those were times of great guests, of a wealthy, high-profile clientele. After two winters without snow in Cortina, focus shifted to our mountains here, and many tourists discovered Madonna di Campiglio. The problem, however, was the high rent, which was not matched by continuity of work. Business came mainly on weekends, when demand would be so high we were not always able to meet it. The rest of the week, however, was too quiet.”
A Home for the Future: History, Family, and the Art of HospitalityIn 1986, the Pizzini family became the owners of the basement floor of a building in Giustino, where today’s Ristorante Mildas is now located. And so the establishment’s third chapter began. “We completely redid it,” Franca Ciaghi recalls, “creating a restaurant in a style that fully represented us—somber but warm, simple but classy. I feel the history and the meaning of this place. A convent until 1630, then a stable for horses, with the L’Opinione inn on the upper floor, it was the spot along the Brescia-Merano route where the stagecoach stopped to collect the mail, convey news, and take a break. Centuries of history that has left its mark. Those who know how to listen and see can sense it. In keeping with the sacred origins of the restaurant’s home, I like to remember that dining is also a ritual.” Have the challenges of the industry changed over time? “Now, at the heart of the business, the relationship with our collaborators is fundamental. Raul and I care about it very much. We’re a family here, and those who work for us need to be care for. Some of my peers advise me to keep a certain distance, but I believe that we can only move forward together. I demand respect among them, and I know that this job requires long hours and weekend commitment. Harmony is a prerequisite for achieving the most important goal, that of offering our guests the utmost hospitality. So, at seventy-nine, I continue working because it gives me pleasure. I appreciate the relationships with people who bring their world to me, to the Mildas, and help keep my mind active. Today, I welcome a fourth generation of guests—a wonderful clientele—with whom there is mutual satisfaction. The work in the restaurant—from purchasing to reception, general management to the history of the dishes and our family—gives me a great deal and evokes an emotional response. I feel pampered and appreciated. Last but not least, I do what I want. At my age, I can.” The words of Franca Ciaghi, Mrs. Hospitality!
