Summary
Antonio Carluccio is a larger-than-life character who, over his 50-year career, has inspired thousands of people with his no-fuss Italian cooking and passion for good food and wine.
But behind the famous name is a man whose life has been full of unexpected twists and turns, joy and sadness, love and loss. Born on the Amalfi Coast in the South of Italy in 1937, Antonio's taste buds were first awakened by his Mamma's delicious home cooking.
In this book he recounts the early years, including his first experience cooking simple suppers on a two-ring stove, to his unplanned meteoric rise to fame as the founder of one of the UK's most prominent restaurant brands, prolific author and successful television presenter. Despite his success, Antonio has never forgotten his humble beginnings or the women, who next to food, have been the biggest influence on his life.
Throughout the text will be the recipes that have formed the touchstones of his life. This is a story of commitment, drive and the ingredients needed to succeed.
Antonio Carluccio was born in Vietri sul Mare, Italy on April 19, 1937. He briefly worked as a journalist in Turin before moving to Vienna, Germany, and London to work as a wine merchant. He then became an Italian chef and restaurateur. In 1981, he opened the Neal Street restaurant in London's Covent Garden, which closed in 2007. In 1998, he started the first Carluccio's Caffè, which is now a chain that operates from more than 80 locations. Carluccio sold his interest in the restaurant chain in 2005, but maintained involvement from a distance.
He wrote 22 books including 100 Pasta Recipes (My Kitchen Table), Two Greedy Italians Eat Italy written with Gennaro Contaldo, Vegetables, Carluccio's Complete Italian Food, Antonio Carluccio's Simple Cooking, and Pasta: The Essential New Collection from the Master of Italian Cookery. He also starred in television programs including Antonio Carluccio's Italian Feast and the series Two Greedy Italians with fellow chef Gennaro Contaldo. He was appointed commendatore by the Italian government in 1998, received an OBE from the Queen in 2007 for services to the catering industry, and received the AA Hospitality Lifetime Achievement award in 2012. He died on November 8, 2017 at the age of 80.
(Bowker Author Biography)
![Cover image for Antonio Carluccio [electronic resource].](/client/assets/5.1326/ctx//client/images/no_image.png "Cover image for Antonio Carluccio [electronic resource].")