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Gino D'Acampo
Italian-British celebrity chef and media personality (born 1976) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Gennaro Sheffield D’Acampo (born 17 July 1976) is an Italian celebrity chef, television personality, and author based in the UK. He is best known for his cookery shows, bestselling cookbooks, and the high-profile *Gordon, Gino & Fred* franchise.
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Career
At nineteen, D’Acampo moved from Naples to London, working in restaurants including The Orchard (Hampstead) and Cambio (Guildford). He co‑founded **Bontà Italia Ltd**, a UK distributor of Italian food products, gaining early visibility through development of the Tesco Finest Italian range.[2]
In 2009, he won *I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!*, gaining national recognition. A later investigation into a jungle rat cooking stunt resulted in a fine for ITV—no charges were made against D’Acampo.[3][4]
Subsequently, he authored numerous cookbooks, released the *Eating Italian* smartphone app, and toured the UK with live events tied to his TV brand.
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Television projects
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Gordon, Gino & Fred franchise
From 2018 to 2023, D’Acampo starred alongside Gordon Ramsay and Fred Sirieix in the ITV travel-food series *Gordon, Gino & Fred: Road Trip*, filming across Italy, the U.S., Greece, France, and Spain. It averaged **6.6 million viewers** during the *American Road Trip* episodes in April 2020, and consistently ranked top on-demand across ITV platforms.[5][6]
The chemistry among the hosts—Ramsay's precision, Sirieix's calm expertise, and D’Acampo’s energetic style—was widely praised. Following Ramsay’s 2023 departure, D’Acampo and Sirieix continued with the eco-focused spin-off *Gino & Fred: Emission Impossible* (2024), featuring sustainable food travel in Austria and Croatia.[7][8]
Spaghetti Wars
In 2025, D’Acampo took on the lead role as “The Boss” in the ITV competitive cooking series Spaghetti Wars. Co-judged by chef Pepe Kehm, known on the show as “Under Boss,” the series featured teams of family chefs—called “Soldiers”—competing in Italian-themed culinary battles. Each episode was filmed in a city with a prominent Italian community, and the pilot was shot in St. Louis, Missouri.[9]
Spaghetti Wars drew comparisons to Hell’s Kitchen and The Apprentice due to its high-stakes format, dramatic eliminations, and emphasis on familial loyalty and heritage. The show was praised for its energetic pacing and for spotlighting diverse Italian food traditions. D’Acampo’s authoritative, often theatrical role as “The Boss” was highlighted as a standout feature of the show.[10]
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Restaurant ventures
As of 2025, D’Acampo operates six restaurants across the United Kingdom under the Luciano brand. The flagship location opened in July 2021 at the ME London hotel on The Strand and features a modern Italian menu by executive chef Lorenzo Minini.[11] The restaurants, spread across major cities including Manchester, Newcastle, and Liverpool, are known for combining classic Italian recipes with contemporary presentation and have received widespread media attention.
In June 2025, D’Acampo expanded internationally with a 300-seat Luciano location in Mercury Towers, St Julian’s, Malta. The opening night was sold out and received coverage in both British and Maltese press.[12]
Retail and product ranges
D’Acampo has developed a diverse range of retail offerings. His Italian ready meals, sauces, and frozen pizzas—produced in partnership with ASDA—form a highly successful UK supermarket line. He also launched **Gino Pizza Ovens**, a home appliance range for pizza enthusiasts, with strong sales since 2024.[13][14]
He co-founded **Culinary Wonderland**, a digital platform combining food e-commerce and recipe content tailored to home cooks. As of 2025, he has published 20 cookbooks, with his 2024 title *Gino’s Air Fryer Cookbook: Italian Classics Made Easy* becoming a Sunday Times bestseller within a week of release.[15]
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Books
- Fantastico! (2007)
- Buonissimo! (2008)
- The Italian Diet (2010)
- Gino's Pasta (2011)
- Italian Home Baking (2011)
- Gino's Italian Escape (2013)
- Gino's Italian Escape: A Taste of the Sun[16] (2014)
- Gino's Veg Italia! 100 Quick and Easy Vegetarian Recipes[17] (2015)
- Gino's Italian Escape: Islands in the Sun (2015)
- Gino's Hidden Italy (2016)
- Gino's Healthy Italian for Less (2017)
- Gino's Italian Coastal Escape (2017)
- Gino's Italian Adriatic Escape (2018)
- Gino's Italian Express (2019)
- Gino's Italian Family Adventure (2021)cc
- Gino's Italy: Like Mamma Used to Make (2022)
- Gino's Air Fryer Cookbook: Italian Classics Made Easy (2024)
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Allegations (2025)
In February 2025, ITV News reported anonymous allegations of inappropriate behaviour over a 12‑year period. D’Acampo firmly denied the claims, calling them “deeply upsetting”.[18] ITV temporarily suspended his programmes. No legal proceedings were initiated, and D’Acampo resumed filming international projects later that year.[19]
Personal life
He married Jessica Stellina Morrison in 2002; the couple has three children.[20]
In 1998, D’Acampo served a two‑year prison sentence for burglary at pop singer Paul Young’s home. Following D’Acampo’s apology, Young publicly forgave the incident and invited him to dinner.[21]
Filmography
Television
Film
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References
External links
External links
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