On Tuesday, October 6 a new National Chef of the Year will be crowned. We take a closer look at this year's finalists hoping to produce winning dishes at the final at The Restaurant Show, which will impress the judging panel - Luciano Lucioli.
Half-Italian, half-Ethiopian, Luciano is a self-taught chef who got his love of cooking from his mother. He is currently head chef at Marks & Spencers Headquarters. He started his career at Rhodes 24, in Tower 42, then went to Michelin-starred Murano with Angela Hartnett, The Greenhouse with Antonin Bonnet and the current head chef Arnaud Bignon. He’s also worked for Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester.
Luciano Lucioli
How do you feel the dishes you prepare reflect on your own personality?
For me, cooking is an amazing thing to which I can transfer my emotions, and my style of thinking as well because when I’m cooking for someone I want them to understand what I’m putting on the plate, why I’m trying to combine the different ingredients. For example I have a dish of vension with white chocolate which sounds crazy but it works well. So when I present a dish I would like the person to understand my passion and my knowledge, and my experience, which I think is massively important in deciding the meals you prepare.
Who have been your biggest influences?
When I was in Italy I didn’t really have someone to inspire me, because I just wanted to use my own passion and the love I had for food. Since I moved to London, though, I would say Alain Ducasse, Heston Blumenthal, the Roca brothers and also myself as well, because I love to eat and I think it’s important that you have a good palate when you create a dish.
How did you feel about making it to the final of National Chef of the Year?
For me it was unbelievable, I knew that I’d done a nice menu with a great ingredient combination but I wasn’t expecting to win my heat and go straight through to the final, I was just praying that I could go through as one of the highest-scorers. I remember when they called my name on the stage it was like a dream, I wasn’t expecting it at all, I faced some very tough chefs, Michelin-starred winners, and I knew I’d done well but I wasn’t expecting to win.
Are you nervous about performing in front of a crowd at The Restaurant Show in the final?
A bit, I think that when you do something like that you need that little bit of nerves to focus you, make you concentrate. But I’m not that worried at all. As soon as the clock is started I’ll just be focusing on my own food.
Luciano Lucioli
What do you hope to achieve in your career?
My dream is to open my own restaurant, to be a great chef and a good businessman. I don’t want to complicate things, my goal is not to have a Michelin-starred restaurant, my goal is just to do what I love to do, come to work every day with new ideas, create new things and be an inspiration for younger chefs.
What would winning National Chef of the Year mean to you?
For me it would mean a lot because it can show that I have lots to share, to show for the business. It’s one of the most prestigious awards you can get in the UK, up there with a Roux scholarship. It can show me where I stand among the country’s best and give me a good possibility for future opportunities.
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