Luca Lorusso was born in Corato in Puglia, where his family lived on the edge of town in a house which backed onto fields abundant with olive trees, tomato plants and fruit trees. Luca's love of cooking comes from his 'mamma', who cooked meals for his large family using local and seasonal produce and who encouraged him to see cooking and food as a means to bring together family and friends.
Luca now lives in Melbourne, Australia, where he runs a restaurant serving food inspired by Puglia. Running a restaurant is very different from cooking for family and friends, but the essence is the same: use quality ingredients, simple and effective cooking methods, and lots of love and passion.
Vivienne Polak</B has always had a passion and interest in food and entertaining, as well as a great love for travel. She has spent much of her life visiting new places with family and friends in tow. Vivienne's interest in discovering and preserving familial and traditional recipes has brought her to the treasure trove that is the cuisine of Puglia, a place she fell in love with on her first visit to the region.