Daily Mail - Daily Mail Weekend Magazine
if you think britain’s bad ...TRY LIVING IN ITALY
Also taking the train for a delicious TV voyage round his homeland, chef Gino D’acampo on the secret to his strong marriage – and why we don’t know how good we’ve got it here...
Gino D’acampo has been loving every moment making his latest TV show, Gino’s Italian Express. Well, almost every moment. The TV chef has been travelling by train around some of his home country’s most beautiful spots, cooking for locals and trying regional delicacies. Just don’t mention the famous Romeo and Juliet balcony in Verona, which attracts millions of tourists every year.
‘The balcony’s rubbish,’ he says. ‘It’s a waste of time because it has nothing to do with the culture of Verona, which is beautiful, charming, elegant and historical. Why go there and worship something fake? It was built in 1935, long after the play was written. It’s commercial rubbish. There are so many more beautiful things to see in Verona. You feel the romance everywhere in the city – the buildings, the way the people are and the way the food is.’
In the new series he rustles up meals for people he meets, including a tarte Tatin-inspired dessert for some train drivers and a hearty sausage stew for a group of rowers. Taking the train, however, is not something he’s used to. ‘I usually have a driver, or take a taxi. But I’m down to earth. I like to clean the kitchen, I iron and wash my wife’s car! I just don’t usually take trains. So this has been charming – a wonderful way to see my country.’
His highlights in the new series include donkey riding in Siena, rowing on Lake Garda and drinking in the scenery in beautiful Tuscany. He travelled to Milan, Verona and Turin – major cities he’s visited before – as well as smaller towns that were new to him. ‘These shows are great for me – I get to revisit cities I went to when I was a little boy with my mum and dad, and also discover places for the first time, which keeps me excited.’
One of his favourite small towns was Bolzano in the Italian Alps, near the Austrian border. ‘All the signs are in German, and even when speaking Italian they sound a bit strange. The landscape is more like Switzerland than Italy. But I loved it. It was very cool, with very fresh air.’
Of all the destinations, though, he adored the very traditional areas of Lake Garda and Tuscany. ‘When you picture Italy, you picture Tuscany with those tall trees,’ he says. ‘And Lake Garda is the ultimate place where you think, “OK, I’m in Italy now.” You have the lake, the sunshine... It’s a really cool place.’
Gino is what you might call typically Italian. He’s neatly turned out,
speaks at a million miles an hour with lots of gesticulating and is, above all, full of passion. ‘Italy is a hot country. Wherever you feel heat, your excitement and passion come out. We’re hot-blooded, and where there’s passion there’s love, but also anger, hunger, excitement... all of this.’
It’s that passion that forced him to pursue his wife Jessica to England after they met while both working at Sylvester Stallone’s restaurant, Mambo King, in Marbella – he as an 18year-old chef and she as a 19-yearold waitress. They married in 2002 and have three children, Luciano, 17, Rocco, 14, and Mia, seven, and the secret to their marriage, he says, is keeping plenty of distance. The couple have two homes, one in Elstree in Hertfordshire and one in Sardinia, and Gino is often away working. ‘Our relationship works amazingly because we live and let live,’ he explains. ‘My wife often goes out with male friends for dinner and I go out with female friends. We have different holidays. We’re together six months of the year and when we’re together, we’re together.’
As well as owning a string of res
‘Italy’s hot – where there’s heat, there’s passion’
taurants, Gino writes recipe books and appears on TV shows such as This Morning and Celebrity Juice, and, of course, his highly successful series of travelogues. Although he spends half the year in the UK, he never fully escapes Italian culture because of his business and he thinks that’s one of the reasons he’s never lost his accent. ‘I’ve been trying to shake it off for 25 years and it’s not working!’ he laughs. ‘The staff in my restaurants are pretty much all Italian, and I’m back in Italy all the time anyway.’
At 43, he looks phenomenally well. He’s trim, wrinkle-free and has a sparkle in his eye. He insists he does no exercise, so what’s his secret? ‘Italians eat what they like, but in moderation. We don’t get smashed on a bottle of wine, but we’ll have a glass a day.’
He does think the cuisine in Britain has become much better since he moved here, though. ‘One thing we don’t have in Italy is the culture of Chinese, Indian, French and Thai food. You let people come in and express themselves. That’s a big reason why I like it here. You’re openminded, we’re more narrow-minded.
‘I like British discipline too. Italians say things like, “When shall we meet? Ten-ish?” You’re well-organised. You moan, but you should try living in Italy! Your train system works well, your banking system works well. If you went and lived somewhere else you’d know how it is when things don’t work. You’re crazy to moan!’
The world of the TV chef is notorious for its machismo and rivalry, but Gino has nothing but good things to say about his peers. He teamed up with Gordon Ramsay and First Dates maitre d’ Fred Sirieix for the ITV series Road Trip, when each of them showcased their own countries and cuisines, which will return for another adventure soon.
Recently it was revealed that Gordon’s 17-year-old daughter Tilly had been dating Gino’s son Luciano. Gordon joked that the situation was a ‘nightmare’, but Gino approved. ‘Tilly is beautiful,’ he said. ‘I don’t want to say a lot because it’s none of my business. But what a great pleasure knowing my son is dating Gordon’s daughter, just to really annoy him!’
Today, he says he owes Gordon a debt of gratitude. ‘Jamie Oliver and Gordon made our jobs easier and cooler. It’s very rock’n’roll now but it didn’t used to be. They’re good guys.’
Gino says he never planned to have a TV career. ‘I never wanted to do television,’ he admits. ‘But once I started I carried on because I enjoy it. It comes naturally to me. I don’t follow direction very well and I do it my way. If I had to let one thing slide, it would be the television. But I get to travel and talk about my country and the thing I’m passionate about, which is food. I’m a very lucky boy.’ n
‘My wife and I have different holidays’