In the first of BBC2’s Remarkable Places to Eat, a feast for the senses awaits First Dates’ Fred Sirieix in Venice – Buon Appetito!
Who better to show you round the world’s best dining hotspots than a chef?!
This entertaining culinary travelogue sees four cooking maestros join First Dates’ maître d’ Fred Sirieix to share the secrets of the countries and food that they love.
First up, Fred (pictured above with local fishermen) heads to Venice with chef Angela Hartnett and visits a tiny, tucked-away restaurant where the food is so fresh that the menu is finalised just minutes before opening.
Along with ice cream, cake and pricey-but-sublime coffee in St Mark’s Square, there’s also a stop at a family-run trattoria in Burano where the risotto is unrivalled.
You’ll be booking your flight to Italy before the credits roll!
Here Fred, 47, tells TV Times some other things on the show’s menu…
What’s the thinking behind Remarkable Places to Eat?
It’s hard when you go to a new city and don’t know where to eat.
So I go with chefs who know their stuff.
We were there to discover; we immersed ourselves in the restaurants and met like-minded people who believe in quality.
It’s the best show I’ve done.
What was your highlight?
Venice.
I was amazed how the locals go everywhere by boat, and even the restaurant deliveries are done like that.
In Venice they often just put on food for tourists, but we found a place that gets in fresh fish daily.
Do you visit budget-friendly places, too?
Yes, the simplest foods are the best.
You don’t need to spend €200 per dish to eat well – you can just have a baguette.
The baguettes in Paris were great.
Chef Michel Roux even made baguettes for the first time!
TV Times rating: ****
