ANGELO FIRENZE, 38, of Belmont is a food entrepreneur who sells gelato worthy of his still-vital Italian heritage. He delivers it by the scoop at Angelato, his Belmont restaurant, and by the tub, wholesale, to scores of eateries in Eastern Mass. In Belmont, he also sells a growing menu of deli and delicacies, and he says more innovation is on the way.

Yesterday, I put some questions to him in my usual format: questions, and answers, of 10 words or less. (Please, no counting; it’s a goal, not a rule, and not as easy as it might appear.)

What did you want to be when you grew up? “A captain of industry.”

What was your first job? “Taking care of clay tennis courts.”

Your favorite sandwich or salad: “A classic italian, made as a panino [pressed] on whole grain ciabatta.”

The key to good gelato: “Real, wholesome ingredients, and a far higher percentage of the flavoring ingredient than would typically be found in ice cream.”

Your favorite flavor: “Hazelnut. (In Italian, ‘nocciola.’)”

Why did you start pricing and selling deli servings by the ounce, if people want that? “To raise awareness for the concept of eating precise portions as a means to health and wellness.”

Do you eat precise portions? “Yes. Today, for example, I will eat three weighed meals and nothing in between.”

Can’t you make more money with bigger portions? “Yes.”

Something you’d change about our food system: “End farm subsidies.”

A secret of food retailing: “Honesty is the best policy. Every attempt I’ve witnessed to put something over on the consumer ends in disaster.”

What don’t people understand? “Eating well and loving your body does not have to be difficult.”

A rule of thumb you go by: “Love is the best response to every possible stimulus.”