Luca and Antonio Abbruzzino are another father-son culinary duo that have taken Italy by storm since they started to work together. Based in Calabria, father Antonio has classical, technical skills that would put most chefs to shame, while Luca embraces the flavours and ingredients found all over the world to bring traditional dishes into the twenty-first century.
The collaboration between father and son is the reason why their eponymous restaurant holds a Michelin star, but that doesn't mean they see things differently. ‘We have two very different tastes and cooking styles, but our love for local quality ingredients is always what brings us together,’ says Antonio. ‘Luca is an exceptional cook who looks at Calabrian cuisine in a modern way. I just like to remind him of the importance of tradition. Most of the time, innovation is pointless without respecting the past.’
‘I prefer seafood, while my father prefers traditional pasta dishes,’ adds Luca. ‘For example, one of our dishes originally started as a light broth with clams, fennel and potatoes. My father said it was nice but lacked substance. We argued for many weeks until I came into the kitchen one morning and my father had plated the dish but as a primo with a tortello in. We sat down and ate it together and I knew he was right. But I don’t like to say it too much!’