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Renowned Italian chef Giorgio Locatelli was recently seen on BBC TV with art critic and presenter Andrew Graham Dixon travelling around Sicily and sharing their love of Sicilian food and art. In his new book, Made in Sicily, a follow-up to Made in Italy, Locatelli explores the ingredients and history and introduces the reader to some of the cooks, fishermen and growers that make Sicily what it is. There are regional recipes ranging from insalata di rinforzo, a famous island salad made with cauliflower, to four kinds of caponata, pasta with anchovies and breadcrumbs, Sicilian couscous, and the celebrated dessert, cassata.

Locatelli is producing his own olive oil on Sicily and the Locatelli family spends a part of every summer there. He says: ‘Sicily has had a big influence on the way I cook. I have always loved simplicity, but there you have true simplicity. You have no preconceptions, you have a knife and some salt and pepper and then you go out and see what is in the market. It is such a natural way of cooking that makes you feel so free.’

Locatelli will discuss his love of Sicily and the huge influence the island has had on his cookery with Donald Sloan, head of the Oxford School of Hospitality Management at Oxford Brookes University and chair of Oxford Gastronomica. And there will be tastings for the audience made from recipies in the book and prepared by students of the Oxford School of Hospitality.

This event is part of the launch of the new Jeremy Mogford Food and Drink Literary Prize in association with Conde Nast Traveller Magazine and Oxford Gastronomica.