Meet the Villa Pia Family: Luciano

In our delightful new series on the blog, we introduce you to the ‘Villa Pia family’ — the amazing team that helps make your holiday in Italy so special. We asked the staff questions about work and what they do in their spare time. We hope you, our readers, enjoy these interviews as much as we do.

In today’s edition, we sit down with the gentleman of the Villa Pia kitchen!
 
Name
Luciano.

Occupation
Cook.

How long have you worked at Villa Pia?
About 7 to 8 years. I’m originally from Brescia, in the north of Italy. But I live locally, about 4 kilometres away, up a hill.

What do you like most about working at the villa?
The cooks!

Marinella, one of the cooks, says, ‘Luciano’s a gift from heaven. He always substitutes at the last minute for the other cooks.’

Paola, the manager, adds, ‘Luciano has the most experience, having worked in kitchens all over the world including in New York and Mexico. He’s extremely hardworking and excellent at his job. And he’s a real gentleman.’

Anything you would change?
Cookery class! And especially the kids’ cookery class! (There’s knowing laughter all around from the other cooks present). I hate it because I don’t like having to explain things, it’s better for you to look at me and learn. Also I’m not that used to being around kids.

The other thing I would change is to have a bigger kitchen.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at Villa Pia?
I enjoy figurative painting. I’m influenced by artists like Miro, Kandinsky, Ligabue, the surrealists. I also love reading, I don’t have a TV at home. As a widower, I’ve learned to enjoy my own company.

Describe Villa Pia in 3 words.
Work and friendship.

To enquire about a holiday at Villa Pia visit the Villa Pia Bookings page