Chef Antonio Carluccio dies after fall at home aged 80 (original) (raw)
His rep has confirmed the tragic news
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Antonio Carluccio dies age 80
Italian chef Antonio Carluccio has died aged 80.
His rep confirmed to Mirror Online that the star passed away this morning after a fall at home.
"I adored him, we are all devastated," his publicist said. "His family are so upset. He wasn't ill, he was on bubbly form when I last saw him."
Food writer William Sitwell paid tribute to the famed chef on Instagram, writing: "The saddest news. One of the loveliest people, and a really wonderful friend, Antonio Carluccio, has died."
Antonio Carluccio died this morning
With former GBBO star Mary Berry (
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Getty Images Europe)
In Two Greedy Italians with Gennare Contaldo (
Image:
BBC)
Revealing that Antonio had been due to stay with him next week to present the Northants Food and Drink Awards, William revealed he had been planning to give him a special gift.
"I was so looking forward to seeing him and giving him an illustration I just had framed. It accompanied the last piece he wrote for me, a beautiful memory of his war years, and the illustration depicted him at his bedroom window above the station-masters house where he lived as a child," he continued.
"He loved the picture and said it showed exactly the scene in his own memory. I was so lucky to get to know him well over the years."
Pictured exploring the countryside in a Fiat 500 in his twenties
London-based Antonio's career spanned an epic 50 years, but he was best known for BBC Two's Tow Greedy Italians, which he hosted with fellow Italian chef Gennaro Contaldo.
He also opened the much loved Carluccio's chain of restaurants, which started life as a humble Italian food shop opened by Antonio and his wife in 1991.
It soon expanded into a wholesale business, and in 1999 the first Carluccio's cafe was opened in London's Market Place.
Antonio was the brains behind the UK's chain of Carluccio's restaurants (
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BBC)
Antonio as a child in Hampshire (
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REX/Shutterstock)
He was appointed an OBE in 2007 (
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PA)
Antonio - who was Jamie Oliver's mentor - sold the chain for £5million in 2005. At last count, the chain had restaurants in more than 80 UK locations.
In 1981 Antonio opened the Neal Street Restaurant in Covent Garden, London, which traded for 26 years. In the same year he also was runner up in the Sunday Times Cook of the Year.
In 2007 he was appointed an OBE for services to the catering industry, and in 2012 he received the AA Lifetime Achievement Award.
As a child in 1940 (
Image:
REX/Shutterstock)
His 2012 autobiography, A Recipe For Life, revealed how the thrice-married star turned to whisky and gambling and even attempted suicide when his 28-year marriage to designer Sir Terence Conran’s sister Priscilla ended.
"I got married – many times – because I didn’t want to be alone, but then you decide perfection doesn’t exist so you say, 'okay, enough now,'" he told the Daily Mail.
Before Priscilla, Antonio, who lived in a humble post-war bungalow in south-west London, was married to Gerda and then Francesca.
However, his marriage to Francesca was short-lived with the chef realising they were a poor match almost as soon as they'd said "I do."
With Piscilla (
Image:
REX/Shutterstock)
"I discovered the day after the wedding she was not the right one. We’d taken the overnight boat to Cherbourg on our honeymoon and, when we arrived, I went out on the deck and saw we were the last ones on board.
"I went back to our first-class cabin and said, 'Francesca, we have to get out.' She said, 'Do not be so stupid. I know how to travel first class. They wake you up in the morning.' She said that to me, who had always travelled first class with Papa [Antonio’s father was a station master]. From that moment I knew this was not for me. We separated after six or seven months."
Tributes have poured in from the celebrity world, with This Morning star Gino D'Acampo pledging to dedicate tonight's Italian Coastal Escape to his late friend.
"I’d like to dedicate tonight’s episode of ‘Italian Coastal Escape’ to my good friend Antonio @CookCarluccio . Sending all my love to his family. I will remember the good times we had together xxxx" he wrote.
Fellow chef Nigella Lawson retweeted an interview with Antonio from 2012, and wrote: "Riposi in Pace."
Meanwhile, a statement from the restaurant chain celebrated his epic achievements.
"We are incredibly saddened by the news that Antonio Carluccio, our founder, passed away on Wednesday," the statement read.
"Antonio built Carluccio’s from one restaurant to the fantastic brand it is today. It isn’t just Antonio’s name above our doors, but his heart and soul lives and breathes throughout our restaurants.
"Antonio was an OBE, OMRI and a much loved and respected Italian cookery writer, cook, restaurateur, food expert and TV personality.
"He was regarded as the Godfather of Italian cooking. Antonio has been a huge inspiration to many of us and his energy, zest for life and sense of humour will be greatly missed."