Gennaro's Hidden Italy

‘A brilliant book by one of the masters of Italian cuisine’ – STANLEY TUCCI

We welcome back the warm and charismatic master of Italian cuisine, Gennaro Contaldo with a brand new anecdotal cookbook, Hidden Italy: a true homage to his home country with each recipe carrying a piece of history and tradition, inviting us to embrace the warmth and authenticity of Italian culture.

“For me, Italy is an emotion – the wonderful historic cities, quaint villages lost in time, landscapes, traditions, the people and of course the food. When I visit, I like to go off the beaten track, explore the lesser-known towns and villages, seek out the family-run trattorie, the ones without written menus. ”

In Hidden Italy, Gennaro takes us on a culinary journey of discovery across Italy’s diverse landscape of plains, mountains, rivers and lakes and to the shores of the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas, to find wonderful recipes that have been lost in time or simply gone out of fashion, many of which can be traced to a particular town or village. With a deep respect for the past, Gennaro recreates heritage dishes, blending his modern touch with timeless techniques. Uncover dishes that were once the heart of family gatherings, from humble pasta variations to mouthwatering sauces that capture the essence of Italy.

This will be a hugely entertaining evening - Gennaro Contaldo’s sense of fun and Italian spirit have led him to be one of the UK’s most-loved chefs. One half of the much loved BBC series Two Greedy Italians, alongside the late great Antonio Carluccio, he is renowned for being a mentor to Jamie Oliver and teaching him, with Carluccio, everything Jamie knows about Italian cooking. He is a favourite on BBC Saturday Kitchen, has his own YouTube food channel, and is an ambassador for Citalia, Parmigiano Reggiano and Birra Moretti. He lives in east London with his wife and twin daughters.

@gennarocontaldo