Antonio Carluccio dead: Beloved Italian chef dies aged 80

Antonio Carluccio, known as the godfather of Italian cooking, has died aged 80.

A statement from the much-loved TV chef and restaurateur’s agent said: "It is with great sadness that we announce that Commendatore Antonio Carluccio OBE sadly passed away this morning."

Carluccio was a regular on TV shows including Saturday Kitchen as well as his own series, as well as being known for his eponymous Italian restaurant and deli chain, Carluccio’s.

Across his career he wrote 22 books, and can be credited with helping popularise Italian food in the UK, as well as helping launch the career of Jamie Oliver.

He was born in Salerno, Italy, in 1937, and moved to London in 1975 having worked as a wine merchant in Germany. Moving into the restaurant business, he became manager of Terence Conran's Neal Street Restaurant in Covent Garden in the early 1980s, where Jamie Oliver went on to launch his career, taking full ownership in 1989.

This experience gave Carluccio the expertise to launch a food shop in his own name in 1991 and the first Carluccio's Cafe in 1999 near Oxford Street, which has since grown into a chain more than 100 sites across the UK.

When the company was bought in 2010 it was valued at £90m.

Carluccio was appointed Commendatore by the Italian Government in 1998 for services rendered to Italy, the equivalent of a British knighthood. He later received an OBE from The Queen in 2007 for services to the catering industry.

Food writer and broadcaster William Sitwell was among the first to post a tribute on social media, writing: “The saddest news. One of the loveliest people, and a really wonderful friend, Antonio Carluccio, has died.”

Jamie Oliver also posted on Instagram, saying: “Hi guys with great sadness I’ve heard that Antonio Carluccio passed away this morning. He was my first London Boss at the Neal Street restaurant 25 years ago which was an institution and Mecca of wild mushrooms where I had the pleasure of working for him.”

He added: “He was such a charismatic charming don of all things Italian!! Always hanging out the front door of the restaurant with a big fat Cigar a glass of something splendid and his amazing fuzzy white hair”

A statement from the Carluccio's restaurant chain said: "We are incredibly saddened by the news that Antonio Carluccio, our founder, passed away on Wednesday. Antonio built Carluccio's from one restaurant to the fantastic brand it is today. It isn't just Antonio's name above our doors, but his heart and soul lives and breathes throughout our restaurants."

It added: "Antonio has been a huge inspiration to many of us and his energy, zest for life and sense of humour will be greatly missed."