Buon Natale!

A regular on television screens for more than two decades, Neapolitan celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo is also a successful restaurateur.

In the city to mark the launch of his newest eatery at the INNSiDE Liverpool hotel, we sat down with Gino to discuss his latest venture and what he’s got planned for the festive season.

Words by Lawrence Saunders

How has your new restaurant been going and why did you decide to open a second one here in Liverpool?

The restaurant is going really, really well. I think we opened at the right time, just after COVID when people were super excited to go out spending money, partying, drinking, eating great food.

Why Liverpool? Why not? I love you guys. You’ve always been very kind to me with the previous restaurant that I have [on Castle Street]. So I thought, well, if I can do another restaurant and people appreciate it, why not?

Had you visited Liverpool before today?

Oh, yes. I’ve been to Liverpool many, many times. I remember 25 years ago, when I came to this country, I wanted to live in Liverpool. My girlfriend at the time, who is now my wife Jessica, didn’t want to move up here because she wanted to stay with her mum in London. But Liverpool would have been one of my choices to move to straightaway.

The only problem I probably could have had is that I don’t really understand your accent – as much as you sometimes don’t understand mine!

You were born and raised in Naples – a place that has always reminded me a bit of Liverpool. I was wondering whether you saw that connection or not?

You know, maybe you are right, there is some kind of weird connection. Yes, because Liverpool is as crazy as [Naples], 100%!

Could you tell us more about the new autumn/winter menu that you’ve got at the restaurant?

The menu is probably one of my favourite ones because the dishes are very warm. I’m the kind of guy who likes full-on dishes when they’re really tasty. The spring and summer [menus] are great but more colourful and lighter. The autumn/winter one – I’m really looking forward to it.

You’ve recently launched a new food range with ASDA. How important is it to you that people try to cook Italian cuisine at home?

That’s the whole idea of Gino on television. The aim for me whenever I do television, or whenever I write a book, is to encourage people in the kitchen. Even if I can encourage one person to go in the kitchen and cook something it means I’ve done my job well.

Gino at home with his family in Sardinia, Italy.

The reason why we do ranges like the one in ASDA is because I want people to get the best ingredients ever. But also I understand that like me, we don’t always want to cook every day – sometimes we want a day off. That is why I do ready meals which are freshly made with no preservatives – just natural ingredients from Italy, frozen and sent straight here.

It looks like you have such a brilliant time on Gordon, Gino & Fred. Is it really as much fun as it seems?

More fun! What you see on television is probably half the amount of fun that we actually have, to be honest with you. We really enjoy ourselves when we film Gordon, Gino & Fred.

Do you think you’ll be doing another series?

We will next year at some point, we just need to get the diary together. We’re all very busy but you know, all three of us want to do it. We were supposed to go to New York for the Christmas special this year but we just couldn’t do it because of COVID – it was a nightmare.

As we look ahead to Christmas, I was wondering what your plans are and whether you’ll be heading home to Italy for the festive period?

I always spend Christmas in my house on the island of Sardinia. Every Christmas all my family go there – we just love it, surrounded by Italian food. I get less distracted when I’m in Italy because people know that I’m on holiday and I don’t get bothered.

What will be on the menu on Christmas Day?

One thing that my family always has at Christmas is fish and seafood – we don’t really have a turkey because none of us likes it. I don’t think many people do like turkey to be honest. One thing that I never understood is why people choose the best day of the year to have the worst meal of the year! I can’t get my head around it.

We don’t have the traditional things that you have every Christmas. But one thing for sure is that the Di Campo family is all about fish and seafood. We have mussels, clams, lobster, scallops, sea bass – whatever fish you can think of, we have it.

Gino’s new restaurant & 360-degree Sky Bar are located at the INNSiDE Liverpool hotel, Old Hall Street

IMAGES: © HAARALA HAMILTON

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