‘The Italian mamma. A model throughout Italy. Especially in my home. Mine would cook every day, and constantly aroused my curiosity: how did she produce, with only a tiny number of ingredients, those festive dishes, and classic desserts? This curiosity has followed me through life, and has even prompted a very personal response on my part…

A response that comes from a love of fine food, learnt from Head Pastry Chef Raffaele Bello, in the land of my birth in Puglia. Excellence. Or at least the quest for excellence, one of the most important things I learnt from Pierre Gagnaire in Paris. Technical expertise. Seeking new ways of cooking, of combining ingredients… And the result? After further formative experiences at Enoteca Pinochiorri in Florence and at Don Alfonso 1890 on the Amalfi Coast, a cuisine marked by asceticism and elegance, based on exceptionally-fine local ingredients. Since 2002, this is the culinary signature at ‘Il Pellicano’

What was your most moving culinary experience?
There's no doubt about it – it was Pierre Gagnaire! How to aim for perfection, in everything you do, at every moment, in the certainty that you will never attain it. Constantly reflecting about what you do, constantly questioning.
The most amusing kitchen incident you ever witnessed?
One evening, during the dinner service, one of our guests suddenly asked us to close the glass door. At that moment, a waiter walked straight into it without checking that it was open… So he ended up with his tray in his face, and of course it was full…
Your best piece of advice for amateur chefs?
Always go to the best restaurants and try them out, try to understand how they cook and the techniques they use, and then enjoy trying to recreate their dishes at home.