Luca De Berardinis calls himself a haute cuisine designer: he took his first steps in the kitchen with his farmer grandparents and has been working with food for more than 20 years.
Armani, Valentino, Versace, Prada, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Cavalli… They dress people in the quintessence of beauty. For many years they have set the tone for good-looking, fashionable, wealthy women and for self-confident, smart, successful men. And all of them belong to Italy, to its colorful spirit of traditions, dynastic rules, and respect for the motherland.
My name is Luca De Berardinis, and I’m a haute cuisine designer! My parents are creative people whose lives were totally devoted to art and to breathing an extraordinary soul into everyday things. Yes, they are designers. But I took my first steps in the kitchen and in cooking with my grandparents, who are farmers. White-haired and misty-eyed, they welcomed me into the world of nature, and I’ve stayed there forever.
What a wonderful childhood I had, with all those garden trees, the harvests, and the funny stories my grandpa used to tell me in the evenings! Too nostalgic for such a young man? No way!
I’ve been working with food for more than 20 years. I feel old enough to look back and still enough of a newbie to learn something new every single day. Maybe this is the recipe for success I’ll pass on to my children some day?
I was a teenager when my father encouraged me to cook. I loved experimenting with tastes and textures, and the kitchen gave me the freedom I needed. Little by little, the tasks and routines turned into a lifelong love. I’m a chef by calling, not by birth, and the Michelin team thinks so too.
Boasting too much for an experienced guy? No way! I truly believe in inspiration, the power of positive thinking, and a smile. Before I became a chef, I had to go through all the challenges a kitchen can bring. I fell asleep on the dirty floor, served fifty different meals a day, washed dishes, and all the while I was happy to be there.
Am I an epicurean? No doubt I am! I adore life, and the pleasure of food is part of it. Pastry, meat, national dishes, aromas, tastes, and secrets: all these things fill my being with real meaning.
The dish I’d like to present is Ravioli filled with ricotta and lemon from Amalfi, cream of broccoli, cherry tomatoes and coulis of king crab.
