Gino D'Acampo drives a succession of hire cars through 49 half-hour jaunts that ITV stitched into seven series between 2013 and 2020. Each episode lands in a single location—Amalfi, Puglia, the Dolomites—where he tastes a local staple, haggles in the market, then cooks two or three dishes pegged to the scenery. The camera lingers on olive groves and parmesan wheels; the recipes are timed to advert breaks so the risotto has thickened when we return.
The format never shifts: arrival, bite, chat, stove, plate, farewell. Producers kept budgets modest, shooting largely in spring and autumn to catch golden light and empty piazzas. Viewers got a postcard, a shopping list and a clock-clear supper; ITV got reliable ratings filler that sold cookbooks to match every series.
Live spin-offs followed: D'Acampo toured British theatres in 2015, 2017 and 2018, recreating on-stage versions of the televised meals while audience members sampled the finished plates. The stage show played 27 towns in 2017 alone, from Grimsby to Edinburgh, turning the TV brand into a touring restaurant.
Production Details
ITV / 7 Seasons / 49 Episodes / 2013
Main Cast
