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Antonio Carluccio

Kirsty Young's castaway is chef Antonio Carluccio.

Kirsty Young's castaway this week is the cook Antonio Carluccio. He's been hailed as perhaps the best Italian cook in Britain today and the flavours and methods he holds dear are the ones he learnt at his mother's knee, growing up in Northern Italy. The food he ate then was high quality, locally produced and carefully prepared - now, that's every chefs mantra, but when he arrived in Britain in the 1970s it was ground-breaking. Within a few years he'd taken over the Neal Street Restaurant in London's Covent Garden and turned it into an institution and now his highly successful cafes are scattered throughout Britain.

For him preparing and cooking food is a sensual act, so perhaps it's no surprise that in his spare time he whittles wood into intricately-patterned walking sticks and tries his hand at clay modelling too. It's all part of a life that, at its best, is a tactile, sensual experience.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: The Finale to The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-SaΓ«ns
Book: His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman
Luxury: White truffles.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 11 Jul 2008 09:00
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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Felicity Lott

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Music Played

  • Luis Bacalov

    The theme from the film Il Postino

    Soloist: Jill Washington Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra

    • The European Film Music Collection.
    • Silva Screen Records Ltd.

  • Bedrich Smetana

    Vltava (The Moldau) (from MΓ‘ vlast)

    Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

    • Smetana: Ma Vlast.
    • Supraphon.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor - 1st movement

    Soloist: Vladimir Ashkenazy

    • Ashkenazy/Lso/Maazel/Zinman: Piano Concertos by Tchaikovsky & Chopin.
    • Decca.

  • Paul HΓΆrbiger

    Es steht ein alter Nussbaum - There Stands an Old Nut Tree

    • Paul Horbiger: Gala Der Stars.
    • Lite Special.

  • Gioachino Rossini

    The Thieving Magpie Overture

    Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Herbert von Karajan

    • Rossini & Verdi: Overtures - Karajan.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • The Beatles

    Yesterday

    • The Beatles 1962-1966.
    • EMI.

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Dance of the Knights (from Romeo and Juliet)

    Orchestra: Kirov Orchestra, St Petersburg Conductor: Valery Gergiev

    • Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet.
    • Philips.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Camille Saint‐SaΓ«ns

      Finale (from Carnival of the Animals)

      Orchestra: London Sinfonietta

      • Classics For Children.
      • Decca.

  • Book Choice

    • His Dark Materials trilogy - Philip Pullman

  • Luxury Choice

    • White truffles

Credits

Presenter Kirsty Young
Interviewed Guest Antonio Carluccio

Broadcasts

  • Sun 6 Jul 2008 11:15
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Fri 11 Jul 2008 09:00
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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