Italy Unpacked

Andrew Graham-Dixon is a well know as a leading BBC art historian. Giorgio Locatelli is an Italian who has been living in London for many years, running his eponymous Michelin- starred restaurant. They became friends when Graham-Dixon was eating at Locatelli's restaurant, and discovered they both loved Sicily. Thus, they established the novel format of this series about "main land" Italy in their journey through the island with "Sicily Unpacked". The format is simple, and you wonder no one has done it before: take 2 experts with very different personalities and alternate scenes reflecting their interests and passions. In "Sicily Unpacked" they could go to the many of the most famous places on the island as it is a much less well known tourist destination. In their second series "on Italy" they vary this theme a little, by selecting many less well known places, towns or sites. They are not doctrinaire in this approach (they visit La Scala and Milan Cathedral), but in Pisa they do not go to the Tower. They ignore Rome completely. Locatelli shows Graham-Dixon many of the producers that supply his restaurant. Graham-Dixon gets to show Locatelli (and us) many of his favorite Italian works of art which are a bit more obscure (no visit to the Uffizi!). Locatelli's emphasis on fresh local ingredients will not make you a "foodie", as this is not new, but his passion for cooking and life is quite wonderful. The contrast between the 2 friends is perfect, as each seems almost a stereotype of their cultures, together they celebrate Italy which is off the beaten track and completely authentic! Nothing to being middle aged or anything like that. Locatelli appears often as someone who is very scholarly when it comes to Italian food history, which is a nice surprise in the presence of an art historian from Oxford University. It requires no imagination to want an Italian holiday but this series makes you to enjoy all the non-tourist places they take you to.

ITALY UNPACKED is highly entertaining stuff, as Andrew Graham-Dixon and Giorgio Locatelli travel the length and breadth of the country in their sporty car to discover a heady combination of food and art. They visit all regions, including Sicily, and by doing so uncover a wealth of neglected treasures and undiscovered culinary delights. If viewers think Italian food is just pasta and cooked meats, they should be prepared to think again; Locatelli leads us on a tour of Italy"s markets, especially fish and vegetable, and picks out some of the choicest products to whip up into mouth-watering dishes. If you are not a foodie already, you certainly will be after this series.

Structurally speaking, the series is very much a celebration of middle aged manhood. Two men, both experts in their field, travel together, sharing jokes and making fun of one another - almost as if they are glad to be off the marital leash. The tone remains jokey, even though we are told a lot on the way; and sometimes we wonder whether the two men wouldn't be happier on their own even more, leading an epicurean life of culture with food.

Nonetheless, ITALY UNPACKED is highly satisfying entertainment, both visually and emotionally.