What are your earliest memories of being interested in food?
I have always been fascinated by the food since early times as I used to eat a lot when I was a child. Especially because I used to spend much time with my grandmother who cooked extraordinarily well.
What, or who, would you say has inspired your cooking the most?
All the things that surrounds me, but especially the colors of the seasons have inspired me most.
Describe your culinary style…
It is contemporary Italian cuisine created only based on the ingredients of the season with a glance back to the past.
What would you say is the main focus/concept for your new book,La cucina di Luca Fantin?
It is a summary of the work which has been done constantly at our restaurant. The focus is to use the local products in Japan and the products which is existing in Italian cuisine.
What do you think has made your food and therestaurant so successful?
I don’t know, but if you have a lot of clients who always come back to your restaurant, you know that you are on the right track.
What are your most indispensable ingredients?
The passion and love for the cooking.
What kind of experience do you aim to give readers inyour new book?
A trip to Japan discovering the ingredients and the inspiration of my dishes.
What would you say has been the most memorable moment in your culinary career so far?
Every day is a memorable day for me, the kitchen is made of emotions in daily life.
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self, starting out a career in the world of food?
When you are young, you must be motivated and must picture your own future once you know that you really want to do this profession. You have to put your heart and soul into it in order to reach where you want to be.
What’s next for you?
To have a small garden in Tokyo where I can cultivate herbs, flowers and vegetables.
What is your guilty pleasure?
That’s called gianduia.
What restaurant is currently at the top of your list to dine at?
Tokyo |Mitani,Narisawa,Ruygin
Italia |Piazza duomo,La pergola
Preface of the book by Silvio Ursini
Foreword by Takanori Nakamura
Introduction by Andrea Petrini
Texts and recipes by Luca Fantin
Photography by Andrea Fazzari and Takao Ikejiri