What’s the best thing about the end of winter?
Products start to change; the vegetables and wild foods start turning up. At this stage, most of them are still being imported from the States—asparagus and wild mushrooms, fava beans, artichokes. All those things we have been without for so long. 6. What is your favourite warm-weather pastime? I’m from New Zealand, and I grew up next to the sea, so I’d have to say swimming in the ocean. If I get to do it once a summer, I’m happy. 7. Where is the best place to spend your night off? Quite often I’m happy to spend it at home with my wife and daughter. But if we go out, I’m happy to go to the Niagara Street Café. 8. How flexible can you be with Italian cooking before it’s not Italian anymore? I’ve been cooking Italian for 20, 30 years, so I think you develop an instinct. I don’t use ingredients that don’t exist in Italian cuisine. The basic impulse of Italian cuisine is very simple. I don’t want to say “rules,” because if Italians see a rule they’ll break it. I think they’re stricter with
