Giorgione, born Giorgio Barchiesi, is the Roman host who moved to Umbria and won over the public, Red shrimp to social networks, with their no-nonsense cooking, loaded with calories, oil and lard. He rejects “show cooking” and harshly criticizes both trendy cooking and the approach of television chefs: “I don’t do merchandising. They have a script and a point in the ear. I’m cheeky, but I try to reach people.”.
Here is a 65-year-old gentleman, a former veterinary student, from a wealthy family in Rome, who learned to eat from the nannies who made pasta by hand. A guilt-free smoker (60 cigarettes a day) and a fan of... Tex Willer.
Ten years ago, almost by chance, he was discovered on television, where he found an audience that loves to watch him prepare and then devour roasts stuffed with fat, spaghetti “all'assassina”, fried wild boar, buffalo-stuffed cheek burgers, beer-cooked pork knuckle and countless other delicacies with an almost “erotically exciting” flavor.
After adjusting years ago with bariatric surgery, he now lives peacefully and has a lot of fun, doing improvised dances in which he demonstrates admirable flexibility.
Simplicity and criticism of trendy cuisine
Giorgione learned to cook from maids who made homemade pasta when he was a child. Today, he reflects on a culinary tradition simple and familiar, often ignored by new trends.
In contrast to television chefs, who are concerned with the shape of their dishes, he prefers practical, tasty and accessible cuisine. “I do what I like and that’s it. Once a Tuscan lady called me to say that I had ruined her traditional recipes. But I do what I want.”, shoots, showing that tradition is important, but innovation also has its place.
He criticizes nutritionists who, according to him, are “at the service of the food industry”. During a TV appearance, while weighing 186 kilos, he confronted a famous nutritionist who attacked him after he made a joke about “cholesterol in its initial state”. For Giorgione, diet is just “the break between one meal and another”, as he responded to the nutritionist, drawing applause from the audience.
The simplicity of eating well
Giorgione emphasizes that eating well is good for the soul and the body. In his view, it takes more time and dedication to buy quality food and prepare meals. He laments the laziness of some mothers who opt for fast and processed foods for their children. “Children need stories, and food is also a narrative”.
With his simple dishes packed with flavors, Giorgione tries to keep alive the conviviality and pleasure of sitting at the table, where the act of cooking is not a show, but a way to share moments and stories.
His hearty dishes, his speeches against television cooking and his passion for keeping culinary tradition alive make Giorgione a unique character.
For him, cooking is not a performance, but a way of living and relating to others. "I'm not a chef, I'm a host. I cook, that's all I know how to do.", says Giorgione, always faithful to his simplicity.
