Quotes from Gino D'Acampo

The personality of a restaurant is very important.

I'm the type of person who doesn't do television just for the sake of it.

Venice is incredible. Although you may have seen it in pictures, you can't grasp how beautiful it is until you visit.

Only the French people say French food is the finest cuisine in the world. If you ask anyone else, they will tell you the best food in the world is Italian.

Always buy dry pasta, not fresh. 90 percent of Italians use dried pasta as it keeps its al dente shape more perfectly when cooked.

The only way you could replicate the way I grew up, with no access to supermarkets or petrol stations, would be to live on a farm in the middle of Wales.

Get on with your life and learn to become a better man and that's the way I live my life.

My worst buy has always been cars and boats. I used to own two Ferraris, but as much as they're beautiful, they're a waste of money.

Every summer I sail to a small island called Cavallo, which lies between Sardinia and Corsica.

In the D'Acampo family we have pancakes with banana and chocolate sauce for breakfast every Sunday, no matter what.

I'm the king of napping. I can nap and I snore. Then I wake up, go to the toilet, wash my face, have a coffee and it's like a brand new day.

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.

A lot of food shows are people wanting to become celebrities, rather than encouraging people to cook.

My favorite pizza is the real Neapolitan - Italian sausage, friarielli, mozzarella and chilli.

As far as Italian ingredients, I always have one of those plants of fresh basil in the house, and some mozzarella in the fridge.

Food should be simple, colorful and accessible to everybody.

We have a big garden; there's a swimming pool, and we keep chickens. I love them. I love getting up in the morning and collecting the eggs.

My mum and dad weren't wealthy people. We used to have pasta every day, meat once a week, fish was once every two weeks, presents only at Christmas and birthday.

My favorite breakfast that is nutritious and very quick to do is eggs. Of course not everyday because that's not good for you, but I like to have eggs in the morning at least three times a week as it gives me a lot of energy.

I don't like lakes generally. It's a glorified pond, isn't it? I live by the sea, so for me I need to taste salt. I prefer the mystery, the majesty of the sea.

My grandfather used to be a chef and I remember going to his restaurant to peel potatoes and clean his floor. He used to go out and kiss all the girls in the restaurant and I thought 'oh this is good... one day I want to be like him.'

I like Chinese and Indian food, but only every couple of weeks.

Italian people are so proud to show off. A little bit too much, I have to say. Wherever you go, they prepare a buffet and they get offended if you don't try things.

A key rule for every cook should be not to buy food when it's out of season because it's expensive and tastes awful.