From Sardinia to 10 Downing Street, passing through Buckingham Palace, the United States, and now the headquarters of the world's great and powerful: the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Luca Camboni, 36, from Bari Sardo, was 23 when he left the island to emigrate to London and seek his fortune in the field he was most passionate about: cooking. And he has found the long-awaited fortune: today he is a private chef and owner of LC Global Solutions Ltd, a luxury events and catering company, but he is also a food consultant for several restaurants around the world, from New York to the Caribbean, as well as an entrepreneur active in the import of Sardinian products. This year, for the second consecutive year, he is in Davos with his team, cooking for the most powerful women and men in the world, as he explains over the phone, occasionally giving in to an "English expression," his voice rising above the clatter of dishes and cutlery.
Luca Camboni, how long have you been in Switzerland?
"I've been here for a week, days of non-stop work. But luckily, it's almost over."
Who have you cooked for so far?
"It's a constant coming and going: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and then the leaders of Romania, Scandinavia, and Somalia. Two days ago, I hosted a dinner for 25 presidents and 75 prime ministers. Eric Trump, the American president's third son, was also at the table."
And Donald, did you see it?
"It's impossible to approach him, neither him nor other heads of state or government. The level of security around them is extremely high. However, I intercepted the famous Beast, the presidential limousine with its long black motorcade."
What's the atmosphere like in Davos?
"When I manage to get out of the kitchen, it feels like I'm in a movie. Security agents are everywhere, you have to move very carefully. The city is like a whole miniature world: shops and hotels have been transformed into diplomatic residences, each for each country. It's crazy."
Sardinian recipes on your menus?
"Here I offer international cuisine and specialize in kosher Jewish cuisine. But my Sardinian touch is everywhere. Just think, when I couldn't get bottarga anymore due to Brexit, I decided to create my own English version. I called it Atlantic Roe."
And do the English like it?
"Very much. For many years, I've been cooking in their homes, even in the "royal house" par excellence. I've had the honor of testing myself at Buckingham Palace for Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, and now King Charles, as well as former Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Theresa May."
What's the most unusual request a client has made of you?
"Cooking a piglet on the barbecue. They told me it weighed 6-7 kilos, but it actually weighed a whopping 21. I had to bring out all my Sardinian skills."
Do you ever feel like you're at a pressure test?
«The closest thing to the worst MasterChef challenge is the “last minute meeting”: different buffets every time, for hundreds of people, to be conceived and organized in a very short time».
Who instilled in you the love of cooking?
My passion was born in Sardinia, of course, thanks to Aunt Pina. That's why I named a pizzeria in North London after her: on the menu, between caprese and margherita, there's always culurgiones, ricotta ravioli, and honey seadas. And then there's Grandma Angela, who gives her name to a soup that reminds me of her and which, I guarantee, comforts and warms the heart with every spoonful.