“Plain and simple, Venice is the best.”
Phil Vickery, one of TV’s best known chefs, is married to Fern Britton, and has been a regular on This Morning for the past 15 years.
During that time he’s travelled the world, making 175 films for the programme. He sets off next month for a new filming assignment in Australia.
Catch Phil on This Morning, weekdays from tomorrow at 10.30am on ITV, where he’ll be offering a host of festive food tips and advice.
Visit itv.com/thismorningfor more details and recipes.
“M parents weren’t flush with money and my childhood holidays were in the UK.
I remember a caravan break in Pitlochry and going to Blackpool a lot because my grandparents stayed there.
I actually didn’t get on a plane until I was 22 but it was pretty special.
At the time I was a young chef and we used to get a really good summer bonus. I saved up and, with my girlfriend, we went to Barbados.
We’d been talking about where to go and there was a really big song at the time Woah, I’m Going To Barbados so we did.
It was just as amazing and exotic as you’d imagine.
I didn’t have a holiday for two years after that while I saved up again and then went to explore Australia and New Zealand.
Fern and I have had a couple of really nice holidays in Venice.
We went when we first got together and everything just clicked into place.
We had a lovely room with a balcony in this little hotel and when we went back about three years ago, they remembered us and we got the same room.
I’ve got a soft spot for Venice.
Although it’s very busy and touristy, I think they can cope with it and that’s the difference.
Wherever I go food is central but I’m not a gastronomic snob. I’m not one of those guys that has to go the best restaurants in the country. I’m happy with simple, plain cooked food.
I remember the very first meal I ate in Venice. It was pan fried sole with saut potatoes and it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had in my life.
The last holiday I had sadly without my wife or children was when I was filming for This Morning in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.
I stopped on the way back to see my brother Chris, who’s a doctor in Cambodia.
It was Phnom Penh and I’ve never seen anywhere like it.
There’s a real cultural difference and it was just a really eye-opening experience.”
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