The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
TV chef Antonio opens Carluccio’s
Italian Festival in city helped persuade celebrity chef to bring popular chain to city centre
Atop chef has bought his classic taste of Italy to Peterborough with the opening of his new restaurant in the city centre.
Carluccio’s officially opened off St John’s Square, Peterborough, on Tuesday night, offering a taste of the Mediterranean to city diners.
TV chef Antonio Carluccio, who founded the nationwide chain, visited the newest branch to officially open the doors to a party of invited guests.
He has previously visited Peterborough for the Italian Festival, and said he had good memories of the city.
He said: “It is always difficult to find the right spot. This seems to be a very good one.
“It is important to be outside, and this is a wonderful building. We have been allowed to change a bit of it, but kept the old section the same.
“I remember coming to Peterborough before, and there were 3,000 people here, and it was very impressive.
“There is a big Italian community in Peterborough as well.”
The Peterborough chain is the 71st branch of Carluccio’s to open in the country, but the famous chef said he was looking forward to eating in the newest venue.
He said: “We have 2,500 people employed across the country, so you can’t call it a family, but there is a family atmosphere.
“We listen to staff’s views - it is not just a sheer business. I think business is a dirty word.
“It is somewhere for people to go who like simple, honest, traditional Italian food.
“We also like to try and get the ambience just right, It is not too over the top.
“The food is very classic Italian. The delicatessen offers a wide variety of food that is not available everywhere, and make it so it is somewhere Italians would like to go shopping, to attract more people.”
Although he no longer runs the chain, he is still employed as a consultant, and he said the most crucial dish to get right on the menu was Pasta e Fagioli – a traditional pasta and bean soup.
He said: “It is a traditional peasant dish, that has become something more now.
“It is the taste test I always do. A chef should be able to make a Pasta e Fagioli!”