Italian food authority and godfather of Italian cuisine in the UK Antonio Carluccio has died early this morning aged 80.

The chef rose to prominence with his popular Neal Street Restaurant in London’s Covent Garden, which became the venue where Jamie Oliver began his career. Carluccio also went on to open his own eponymous food shop and restaurant chain in the early ’90s.

In recent times, he was better known in Australia from his TV show Two Greedy Italians on SBS, in which he and friend and fellow chef Gennaro Contaldo travelled across Italy.

It is with great sadness that we announce that Commendatore Antonio Carluccio OBE sadly passed away this morning. Antonio was a much loved and respected Italian cookery writer, cook, restaurateur, food expert and loved TV personality, he was regarded as the Godfather of Italian cooking. Raised in the rural North West of Italy, Antonio had a rare and privileged breadth of culinary knowledge. In 1999 Antonio co-founded Carluccio’s and it is his dedication and legacy which has made the restaurant group one of the UK’s most successful and well-known brands. He was a great man and will be remembered with love and affection.

A post shared by Antonio Carluccio (@cookcarluccio) on Nov 8, 2017 at 8:04am PST

Jamie Oliver took to Instagram this morning to pay tribute to the chef who kick-started his now stellar career.

“He was my first London boss at the Neal Street restaurant 25 years ago which was an institution and mecca of wild mushrooms where I had the pleasure of working for him,” he wrote.

“He was such a charismatic charming don of all things Italian! Always hanging out the front door of the restaurant with a big fat cigar, a glass of something splendid and his amazing fuzzy white hair.”

This is a beautiful scene that we shot for Two Greedy Italians that I think says a lot. Rest in peace Antonio Carluccio. X

A post shared by Jamie Oliver (@jamieoliver) on Nov 8, 2017 at 12:07pm PST

Carluccio was married three times. His most recent, to Priscilla Conran, sister of designer Sir Terence Conran, ended in 2009.