Yesterday the Embassy of Italy in London hosted the launch of the Antonio Carluccio Foundation, a charitable organisation set up in memory of Antonio Carluccio, a giant of Italian gastronomy, who died on 7 November last year, and paid tribute to his life and work. The ambassador, Raffaele Trombetta, spoke about meeting Carluccio during his previous posting in London as consul, calling him an “ambassador of taste”.
Carluccio, a chef, restauranteur and cookery expert, arrived in the UK from the Amalfi coast in 1971 and never left, spending over 50 years living in London. He was widely regarded as one of the top Italian culinary ambassadors. In 1991 he and his wife opened Carluccio’s restaurant and café, the first of what was to become a chain that would popularise high-quality Italian gastronomy in the UK.
In 1998 he was awarded the title of commendatore by the Italian president in recognition of his services to the Italian nation, followed by an OBE from Queen Elizabeth II in 2007. In 2012 he received a career award for special merit in the gastronomic and culinary sector.
170 guests were present, including Raymond Blanc, a respected French chef, and renowned British actor Robert Powell, who gave speeches paying tribute to Carluccio. Powell read an extract of Carluccio’s unpublished book Signor Procini e Mme Chanterelle and introduced a video presenting the chef’s life and achievements. Steven Berry, an American writer, then presented the Antonio Carluccio Foundation, whose purpose is to fight hunger and provide resources and know-how to help young cooks from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed in the catering and hospitality sector.
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