SINGAPORE: An Italian restaurant in Singapore has apologised for any offence caused by references to the mafia, after the Italian ambassador said the name of the business and an event named Hip Hop Mafioso were of “dubious taste”.
Gotti Italiano, located at Amoy Street, said it will “consider all options moving forward” in naming the brand.
Italy’s Ambassador to Singapore Dante Brandi criticised the names of the restaurant and the event in a Facebook post on Friday (Mar 8), saying: “Naming your club after an infamous criminal family and catching clients with a ‘Hip Hop Mafioso’ night is certainly not illegal, but – allow me to say – is definitely of a dubious taste.”
The name Gotti is infamously associated with American mob boss John Gotti, who led the Gambino crime family in New York City which was once described as America’s most powerful crime syndicate.
Gotti, of Italian descent, was a prominent figure in the 1980s and 90s. He was involved in several trials and was convicted of five murders in 1992. He died of throat cancer in prison in 2002.
“Mafia is not what my country is proud of,” Ambassador Brandi wrote in his Facebook post.
“People have died and suffered because of it and – most importantly – people have died and are still dying and suffering to fight it.”
In response to CNA’s queries, Gotti Italiano said it has removed all social media materials promoting the Mar 8 Hip Hop Mafiaso event and will “thoroughly review” how it names future events.
“Despite the event starting at 7pm, as soon as we received Ambassador Dante’s note on Facebook around 8pm, we took immediate action to remove all marketing communications associated with the event as soon as possible,” said the restaurant.
“Throughout the night, there was no mention of any mafia personnel or related culture at the event. We want to emphasise our utmost respect for Ambassador Dante and Italian culture.”
The restaurant said it would ensure that future events are “respectful and in line with cultural sensitivities”.
“We can assure you that events with such thematic elements will not be part of our future plans,” it added.
On whether it will change its name, Gotti Italiano said that while it has noted the concerns, it also recognises the importance of preserving its brand identity.
“However, we are open to constructive dialogue and are considering all options moving forward. We remain committed to honouring Italian culture and history in every aspect of our business, including our name,” it added.
The restaurant said it had replied to the ambassador and apologised for “any offence or discomfort caused”.
“Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we have taken immediate steps to address this matter thoughtfully,” it said in its response to the ambassador.