Katie was an artist when in 1997 chef Giancarlo Caldesi commissioned her to paint a mural in one of his restaurants. He loved her painting and she loved his pasta, they now have two restaurants, Caffe Caldesi in Marylebone, Caldesi in Campagna in Bray, Berkshire and an Italian cookery school, La Cucina Caldesi.
In 2006 Katie and Giancarlo appeared in the BBC television series Return to Tuscany which saw them get married in Tuscany, take over a hotel there where they ran a residential cookery school and open their school in London all over a period of six weeks.
The series launched them as TV chefs and they now make regular appearances on television for programs such as Market Kitchen, Masterchef, BBC Breakfast, Sunday Brunch and Saturday Kitchen as well as frequently contributing to articles in the national papers and glossy magazines.
‘Around the World in Salads’ is Katie and Giancarlo’s eighth book. The next one to be published is on the food of Sicily, out in October 2016 which will add to their portfolio of regional Italian recipe books.
YOGA OR PILATES?
Yoga
FAVOURITE YOGA OR PILATES MOVE?
Tree
FLAT WHITE OR GREEN TEA?
Flat white
GREEN JUICE OR COCKAIL?
Cocktail
SUMMER OR WINTER?
Summer
CITY OR COUNTRYSIDE?
Countryside
DANCING OR DVD?
DVD
LAST MEAL?
Salmon salad with watercress dressing
DA VINCI OR DI CAPRIO?
Da Vinci
CHARLOTTE BRONTE OR CAITLIN MORAN?
Caitlin Moran
VOGUE OR NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC?
National Geographic
ANGELA MERKEL OR HILARY CLINTON?
Hilary Clinton
WHAT NEVER FAILS TO MAKE YOU SMILE?
My dog
WHAT CHARACTER TRAIT DO YOU LOVE ON OTHERS?
A sense of humour
WHAT CHARACTER TRAIT DO YOU LOATHE IN OTHERS?
Gloominess
WHAS HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE YEAR SO FAR AND WHY?
2005, we were married, had a TV series made about us, opened two businesses, I was slim!
AND YOUR WORST YEAR?
1984
WHAT’S YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE?
Hellman’s mayo, tomatoes and white bread
FAVOURITE FOOD?
Michael Pollan’s In Defence of Food
FAVOURITE FILM?
Local Hero
FAVOURITE RECIPE FROM YOUR NEW BOOK?
Chicken Shawarma Salad, Green olives, Lemon Crème Fraiche
RECIPE THAT EVERYONE ASKS YOU FOR?
The perfect lasagna
YOUR SECRET INGREDIENT?
Vanilla oil
FAVOURITE RESTAURANT (AFTER YOUR OWN OF COURSE!)?
Nopi
IF YOU WERE PRIME MINISTER WHAT WOULD BE TOP OF YOUR AGENDA?
Introduce regular and compulsory proper cooking from scratch into the school curriculum – at least 3 times a week so everyone know about nutrition, ingredients, how to grow food, animal welfare and could cook well when they leave school
MOTTO TO LIVE BY?
Don’t do the minimum, do the maximum
A SINGLE PIECE OF ADVICE TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF WOMEN?
A tough one, so much advice that I would have liked when I was younger probably doesn’t apply anymore such as “you can be anything you want to be” women should know that now. Perhaps something more mundane and domestic but still I believe crucial and often overlooked “know how to cook and pass that skill onto your children”.
FAVOURITE ITEM OF ASQUITH CLOTHING?
Live fast halter neck
WHAT IS IT ABOUT ASQUITH THAT YOU LOVE?
The softness of the fabric and the thought that has been put into the fit and comfort as well as the styling
WHO WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO SEE WEARING ASQUITH?
Cameron Diaz
WHO IS YOUR WOW WOMAN?
Sarah Wilson
Website: www.caldesi.com
Tel: 0044 (0)207 487 0756.
Caffé Caldesi, 118 Marylebone Lane, London W1U 2QF
La Cucina Caldesi, The Italian Cookery School, 118 Marylebone Lane, London W1U 2QF
Caldesi in Campagna, Old Mill Lane, Bray, SL6 2BG
‘Around the World in Salads’ is available now from Asquith.
Read and watch Katie Calesi’s recipes come to life here.
Get KATIE’s Look
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| BLISSFUL WRAP | LONG SLEEVE TOP | FLOW WITH IT LEGGINGS |