Paolo Cillo: I love to see customers really enjoying the food

Jul 8 2008 by Ruth Cobban, Liverpool Daily Post

Paolo Cillo head chef at Il Forno _320

The new head chef at Il Forno is bringing a taste of southern Italy to the restaurant. Ruth Cobban reports

A LOVE of cooking runs in the blood for Paolo Cillo, Il Forno’s new Italian head chef. Both of his brothers are chefs, one owns a restaurant and, as Paolo says, food is one of the most important things in life for any Italian family.

And with his current employer, Il Forno, described as "a slice of Italy situated in the heart of Liverpool", the 24-year-old should feel right at home in the Duke Street restaurant.

Born in the picturesque town of Potenza, in southern Italy, Paolo was surrounded by the tastes, smells and sounds of good cooking from an early age.

He says: "Food is one of – if not the most important – aspects in life for all Italian families.

"Fresh herbs and pasta, and fresh local Italian produce can usually be found in an Italian kitchen, and so I grew up in a home which had this strong emphasis on food and cooking.

"My brother opened a family restaurant 10 years ago, and that just fuelled my passion for good food."

Paolo himself started cooking at the tender age of 11, beginning his career in his brother’s restaurant.

"I never wanted to do anything else," he enthuses. "I’ve only ever wanted to be a chef."

Although he started as a humble pot- washer, Paolo worked his way up from the bottom, going on to train at the prestigious Etoile Cookery School, in Italy. From there, he returned to Potenza, where he continued to work with his brother.

He heard about Liverpool’s Il Forno through the acclaimed Italian chef and restaurateur Antonio Carluccio, who praised the establishment for its classic dishes and decided to come over to Britain to have a break, learn more about Liverpool and see what life in the UK was like.

After six months in the city, though, he returned to Italy and opened his own restaurant, Barracuda, in Potenza, a year ago.

Il Forno, however, was not letting go of his cooking talent that easily, and managing partner Vince Margiotta tracked Paolo down in his home town to ask him to return.

"I was really honoured that a restaurant as good as Il Forno would offer me the position of head chef. It’s a great experience, and the team here are fantastic," Paolo smiles.

"It’s also a very exciting time to be working at Il Forno, the restaurant is beginning to be recognised and to receive the acclaim it deserves."

They are places notorious for their fast pace and tension, but Paolo says he thrives off the pressure in the kitchen.

"It is one of the best parts of the job," he exclaims. "I also really enjoy giving our customers satisfaction. I love to see them really enjoying the food and relaxing. In Italy, we take time over our food, we savour it, and I would like to see that happening in this country.