HAPPY HOME
Gino D'Acampo
Home truths
CELEB CHEF GINO D’ACAMPO GETS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH HIS HOME
The Italian chef and TV personality cooks up a storm at Christmas. He lives with his wife Jessica and their three children in Hertfordshire
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE TIME AT CHRISTMAS? My favourite time at Christmas is being surrounded by family, cooking, eating and drinking at Villa D’Acampo on the island of Sardinia. Everyone is in charge of one dish that makes up the whole Christmas meal – so no pressure!
WHAT’S YOUR NON-NEGOTIABLE, MUST-HAVE AT HOME AT CHRISTMAS? Peaches soaked in Sardinian Cannonau red wine. We have it every year without fail and it’s delicious. You get the best of both worlds: wine-infused peaches, and peaches-infused wine – we love it.
WHAT PART OF CHRISTMAS PLANNING DO YOU LOVE THE BEST? I love sitting down with my family and choosing what we are going to eat on the day. I remember doing that as a child, with my mum and aunties. That is why my new cookbook – Gino’s Italy: Like Mamma Used To Make – is so special to me. I really want to keep traditions like those alive.
WHAT PART OF CHRISTMAS PLANNING DO YOU DISLIKE THE MOST? The presents. In the last decade or so, Christmas has all been about the presents you receive and who got what. I don’t think it should be about that at all. Christmas should be about no mobile phones for the day, good food and good-quality family time. And also getting drunk.
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS RECIPE? There’s too many to choose from, however I have some fantastic simple recipes in my new cookbook – go check them out!
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO COOK FOR CHRISTMAS? As we all cook one dish in our family that makes up the meal, I like to give myself the simplest one. I cook for work all year round, so it is time for my family to make an effort! As long as we don’t have turkey, I am happy.
WHAT SMELL SAYS ‘CHRISTMAS’ TO YOU? Funnily enough, recently it has been fish. The last couple of years we have had fresh fish and seafood around Christmas time – which I know may be strange to some people. In our house, we call it Fishmas…!
