Son of the local railway stationmaster, Antonio Carluccio's love affair with food began when he was a child in his mother's kitchen. Having moved to London in 1975, he ran the Neal Street Restaurant and spent 10 years developing the hugely successful Carluccio's Caffes. In 1998 Antonio was given the Commendatore award for his knowledge, enthusiasm and lifetime's service to the Italian food industry, and in 2007 he received an O.B.E. He is recognised as one of Italy's greatest food ambassadors, has written fourteen bestselling books and made numerous television programmes - the latest being the second instalment of the enormously successful Two Greedy Italians series.