Antonio Carluccio Biography: Death, Age, Wife, Net Worth, Height, Parents, Career

Antonio Carluccio, OBE, OMRI, is an Italian gastronomy, an Italian chef, restaurateur, author, and television personality whose passion for authentic regional cooking transformed British perceptions of Italian food over a remarkable 50-year career.

He earned the moniker “the godfather of Italian gastronomy” through his encyclopedic knowledge of ingredients, especially wild mushrooms, and his unyielding commitment to simplicity—famously encapsulated in his motto “mof mof” (minimum of fuss, maximum of flavour).

Carluccio brought Italy’s rustic flavors to London via his iconic Neal Street Restaurant, the Carluccio’s chain, and a string of best-selling cookbooks like A Passion for Mushrooms and Two Greedy Italians, while captivating audiences on BBC shows alongside protégé Gennaro Contaldo.

Profile

• Full Name: Antonio Carluccio
• Stage Name: Antonio Carluccio
• Born: April 19, 1937
• Died: November 8, 2017
• Age: 88 years old
• Birthplace: Vietri sul Mare, Italy
• Nationality: Italian
• Occupation: Chef, Restaurateur, Author, Television Personality
• Height: 1.70m
• Parents: Giovanni Carluccio and Maria Trivellone
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Priscilla Conran (m. 1980–2008)
• Children: None
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $10 million

Early Life and Education

Antonio Carluccio was born on April 19, 1937, in Vietri sul Mare, a picturesque coastal town on Italy’s Amalfi Coast. Giovanni Carluccio, his father and a railway station master, and Maria Trivellone, his mother, raised him amid frequent moves to places like Castel Nuovo Belbo and Borgofranco D’Ivrea in Piedmont, where he first chased wild mushrooms with his father’s friends.

He might have had siblings but details about them are unknown. He pursued language studies in Vienna at age 21 and worked across Europe, but formal higher education details remain sparse. Carluccio hailed from Italian roots, and he kept religion private.

Career

Antonio Carluccio began his career far from kitchens, moving to Vienna at 21 to study languages before settling in Germany from 1962 to 1975 as a wine merchant in Hamburg. He arrived in London in 1975, still trading Italian wines, until his brother-in-law Terence Conran tapped him in 1981 to manage the Neal Street Restaurant in Covent Garden.

Carluccio turned it into a bastion of authentic Italian fare, earning raves for dishes rooted in Italy’s regions; Jamie Oliver started there under his wing. His TV debut came soon after on BBC2’s Food and Drink, showcasing Mediterranean bounty, while his 1981 book An Invitation to Italian Cooking marked his publishing start.

By 1986, A Passion for Mushrooms crowned him “The Mushroom Man” after years foraging Italy’s hills. In 1988, he and Priscilla launched Carluccio’s deli, specializing in top Italian imports.

Carluccio’s empire grew swiftly in the 1990s; he bought Neal Street outright in 1989 and opened the first Carluccio’s Caffè in 1999 on London’s Market Place, blending restaurant and shop for breakfasts to full meals with fresh imports. The chain ballooned across the UK after listing on the Alternative Investment Market in 2005, hitting dozens of sites by emphasizing quality ingredients over fuss.

He penned over 20 books, many best-sellers, dissecting Italy’s cuisine from pasta to preserves. TV peaked with Two Greedy Italians alongside Gennaro Contaldo, touring regions for BBC Two and spawning cookbooks.

Honors rolled in: OBE in 2007, OMRI from Italy. Neal Street closed in 2006 after 25 years, but his influence shaped British dining—Oliver and others credited his mentorship.

Antonio Carluccio shaped Italian food’s place in Britain through relentless advocacy for foraging, simplicity, and regional authenticity, authoring 22 books that sold worldwide and fronting shows like The Men Who Cook and Antonio Carluccio Returns.

His Carluccio’s chain endures as a high-street staple, training chefs in his vision while he consulted on menus till late. Partnerships with Contaldo highlighted Italy’s heartland, from Sicily to Veneto, inspiring home cooks everywhere.

Accolades peaked with a 2017 standing ovation at Istanbul’s Gastronomic Fair from experimental chefs.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: Unknown
• Facebook Handle: Unknown
• Twitter Handle: Unknown

Personal Life

Antonio Carluccio married Priscilla Conran in 1980; their union lasted until a 2008 separation after nearly three decades, marked by joint ventures like the Carluccio’s deli and caffè. He has no biological children. He passed away peacefully at home in London on November 8, 2017, surrounded by loved ones.

Net Worth

Antonio Carluccio has an estimated $10 million net worth by his passing. Core earnings flowed from Carluccio’s chain expansion, royalties on 22 cookbooks, and BBC television series that reached global audiences. Restaurant ownership, including Neal Street’s long run and caffè franchises, generated steady revenue, bolstered by wine merchant roots, deli sales, and live events.