Best place for bread?
The pane di Altamura from any bakery in the town of Altamura is very good. The secret to making great bread rests with the fl our and water used.

Best for satisfying sweet cravings?
Hotel Sacher in Vienna for their lovely cakes, including a delicious chocolate Sachertorte. Oh, and that view from the rooftop.

Best for fresh produce?
The Rialto markets in Venice or the markets at Pozzuoli in Naples. The produce at each of these markets is always so fresh.

Best for cheese?
Central London’s La Fromagerie because they select their cheeses very well and have a walk-in cheese room. They also have a good eye for importing rare produce from Italy that is in season, for example they recently had pines with pine kernels, bergamots and cardoons (artichoke thistles).

Best meal off the beaten track?
For me, this would be somewhere in the Italian countryside, where you’ll find the most genuine local produce there is.

When I don’t feel like cooking…
I will go out to a restaurant. My favourite in London is my friend Alvaro Maccioni’s iconic La Famiglia in Chelsea. Alvaro has been running the restaurant for over 35 years.

Best butcher?
The Parson’s Nose on Fulham Road in London, is a good place to buy meat. They’re very knowledgeable, select their meat well and pay close attention to the cut.

Best caffeine fix?
A single espresso at any of the Carluccio’s in London.

Top tipple?
The best place for a drink is somewhere near the sea where you are sharing the table with your loved one. My top drink is either soda water with Angostura Bitters and ice, or Campari soda.

Most memorable meal?
Eating the amazing fresh seafood at the relaxed beachside restaurant Da Vittorio Ristorante in Porto Paulo near Menfi in Sicily.

Looking for some Italian food a little closer to home? Check out where to find the best Italian food in the country right here.