Always happy to discover a new place when visiting a new city or going back to a favourite holiday destination. And often follow my instinct, or keen to explore a recommendation from a friend. 

And yet some of the best restaurants that come to mind and bring a big smile are:

Lunch á La Colombe D’Or in St Paul de Vance, always worth the detour when 300 or fewer kilometres away... for a 360° perfect magic!

Dinner at The Grill in New York amongst the highlights of a flight across the pond: great atmosphere, fine menu and the cocktails worth swimming over.

An evening with a big plate of Risotto al Nero di seppia at La Famiglia in World’s End, keep high the flag of Tuscan cuisine in London, deliciously fine, and the table under the olive tree ideal for a memorable time with a dearest friend there: the Maccionis have brought magic to London a couple of generations ago, and the smiles keep beaming throughout.

And by the way, it is definitely true: around the dining table, you never grow old...

Buon appetito

Food has always been at the top of my favourite pursuits... 

As a child, when preparing to undergo surgery to have my appendix removed, when asked what I would like as a treat when coming back from the operating table, I asked without hesitation: a whole San Daniele ham! 

And according to my brother - ten years my junior - my panini as the afternoon Merenda are still one of his favourite memories... a gifted chef?! Not at all, but for sure a good fork! 

Italian cuisine is amongst the most varied in style, ingredients and outlook. From north to south - and not even thinking of the islands - you can walk to the next village and the classic dishes differ considerably. 

To make it all even more complicated, in some cases the same name of a local speciality will land you with a completely different dish, just a few hundreds of kilometres away... 

In Piemonte delicious creamy and sophisticated... go to Bologna: rich and hearty and move across to Tuscany for the humblest. Jump up and down the seven hills of Rome, so yummy, as you prepare yourself for poetry as you travel down the Costa Amalfitana, where a tomato is fit for The Gods, a mountain of fresh mussels steamed open and covered with ground pepper can take your heart away... 

Buon appetito!