From learning music to opening his own restaurant, L’ORTO’s new Executive Chef Antonio Camilli has come a long way in his culinary endeavours. He talks about his passion for food and the creative process behind his signature dish.

Raised in Italy, you were in London studying music when you decided to become a chef. What drew you to a life in the kitchen?
I must admit that I didn’t really understand the chef’s life at first, too much work, too little money. An entire life of sacrifices, for what? It was only when I worked for the renowned Chef Joel Robuchon that I realised how powerful this job could be. It was an open view kitchen and I would take a look at people enjoying their food. Their faces and smiles when those pieces of art reached the dining table made me forget my tiredness and stress. I remember, this particular couple sitting at the counter enjoying their meal, saw me having a bad day and getting stick from the chef as usual. They left me a note: “Don’t give up! What you guys do is pure gold. Thanks for the amazing evening.” That note made my day, they were having a beautiful evening and I felt that I had played a role in it. After that night, my life changed forever. I have a mission to fulfil, to make people happy whenever they eat my food.

You’ve since worked all over the world gaining experience with some of the biggest names in the business from Angela Hartnett to the late, great Joel Robuchon. What would you say were the most important things you learned during this period?
The three ‘F’s – to be firm, fair and friendly. You need more than cooking skills in order to be a great chef.

In 2023, you opened your own restaurant, Santavoglia, in Lecce, Italy. What has inspired you to now come to Bahrain to work with L’ORTO?
Ambition. I want to create an international project, a bridge between my restaurant in Puglia and Bahrain. I want to be able to give my team a chance to grow within the two restaurants. I also truly loved L’ORTO’s idea of fun dining.

What is your signature dish, how was it developed and what makes it popular?
Tagliolino, smoked butter, chives and bottarga. I always work on a three-ingredient rule to create my dishes – three flavours that work alongside each other in order to find the right balance. For this particular dish, you have the smokiness of butter, the sweetness of bottarga and the tanginess of chives, all perfectly conveyed by the simplicity of fresh pasta. ✤