Paul Newman – What Was Pebble Mill?

Giorgio Locatelli: Pure Italian episode listing

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In 2001-2 we made a 15 part series with Italian chef, Giorgio Locatelli, for the UK Food channel, at Pebble Mill. It was Giorgio’s first TV series. Below is the programme information which we supplied to UK Food: http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/tv/giorgio-locatelli-pure-italian/

“In this inspirational new series, Giorgio Locatelli gets fresh with timeless classics like tiramisu and osso bucco and seduces us with innovative interpretations of Italian dishes suffused with tempting Mediterranean flavours.

Importing only the finest Italian ingredients and savouring the choicest seasonal produce available, Giorgio Locatelli has pioneered a new ‘Britalian’ cuisine in the kitchens of Zafferano and Cecconi’s in London.

Food fashion has been dominated in the recent past by fusion and anything fast, but Italian cookery has always remained close to our hearts tempting us with the hint of Tuscan landscapes and three-hour lunches al fresco. In Giorgio’s hands we discover the delights of Italian food as he shows us how to find the finest and freshest ingredients and in his inimitable fashion turns them into mouth-watering modern menus.

In each episode we hook up with Giorgio out and about as he shops for vital ingredients. Then he welcomes us into his kitchen where perhaps he shows us how to make the perfect polenta and then, for the second dish, how to create something very special by introducing a contemporary twist on an Italian classic. In between dishes Giorgio gives us his guide to the best ingredients – perfect for entertaining.

The series is inspirational and full of the Italian passion and personality that influence the food so the viewer feels like a fellow guest in Giorgio’s kitchen.

Italians thrive on company and Giorgio is no exception. Throughout the series he is joined by fellow foodies, wine buffs and friends who stay for lunch and occasionally lend a hand. Giorgio Locatelli – Pure Italian is packed with fresh ideas to inspire the would-be chefs among us.

“Locatelli is the hottest thing since Calabrese salami in Italian restaurant cooking right now (Locanda Locatelli, London) and we’re here to tell you this guy’s food is exceptional.” John Lethlean, Epicure, The Age”

There were 15 episodes of Giorgio Locatelli: Pure Italian

Episode 1: North v. South. Giorgio is joined by Neapolitan chef Vincenzo Borgonzola to discuss the differences between the styles of cooking in the north and south of Italy.

Episode 2: Fish. Giorgio is joined by restaurateur Tony Allan, who is a great connoisseur of fish. Featured recipes chargrilled tuna with rocket and tomato salad; and frangipane tart.

Episode 3: Meaty. Butcher Clem Arricale joins Giorgio to prepare a selection of mouthwatering meat dishes, including Italian sausages with borlotti beans and calf’s liver with sultanas.

Episode 4: Savoury. A selection of Italian cakes and sweets are supplied by Ninai Zarach, an importer of fine Italian ingredients, who joins Giorgio in the kitchen for lunch.

Episode 5: Family. Giorgio is joined by his wife and daughter for a family meal. Recipes include buckwheat pasta with fontina cheese, leeks, cabbage and potato, entrecote of beef.

Episode 6: Food for the Boys. Giorgio prepares a meal for two friends, chef Andy Needham and fashion stylist Greg Faye. Dishes include beef carpaccio, potato and mint ravioli with a red pepper sauce.

Episode 7: Sunday Lunch. Top chef Giorgio Locatelli is joined by two friends, Italian cheese connoisseur Marco Vineis and chef Nick Bell, for Sunday lunch. This is classic Italian cuisine with a twist.

Episode 8: Quick Supper. Giorgio serves up some wholesome fast food to busy restaurateur Roy Ackermann: grilled tomini cheese with walnuts and pomegranates; and chargrilled chicken with spinach.

Episode 9: Entertaining Supper. Giorgio prepares an extravagant supper menu guaranteed to impress his friends and family. There is also a look behind the scenes in Giorgio’s restaurant to learn about wine.

Episode 10: Taste of Tuscany. Giorgio prepares a meal for chef Mario Bonaccorsi inspired by the flavours of Northern Italy. He also takes a trip to a specialist Italian delicatessen.

Episode 11: Pure Italian. Giorgio prepares a meal for his son and an old family friend using natural ingredients. He also visits London’s No 1 meat market and reveals his idea of the perfect cup of coffee.

Episode 12: Friends for Dinner. Pasquale D’Amico, head chef at one of London’s top Italian restaurants, is coming to dinner, so Giorgio prepares a meal to meet his friend’s exacting standards.

Episode 13: Special Celebration. Giorgio is joined by sushi chef Mark Edwards to prepare a selection of seafood dishes: baby octopus with tomato and bruschetta; and pears poached in wine and aromatic spices.

Episode 14: Colourful Cooking. Giorgio decides to use colourful ingredients to whet the appetites of his guests: chef Federico Sali and Benedetta Sita. He also explains why food presentation is so important.

Episode 15: Vegetarian. Giorgio prepares a selection of vegetarian dishes for market man Danny Murphy. He also takes a trip to Battersea in London, to visit a warehouse which houses a surprising secret.

I was the series producer, with self-shooting directors: Paul Vanezis and Paul Newman, and researcher: Joolz Richards.

Vanessa Jackson

Giorgio Locatelli: Pure Italian

Article, about chef Giorgio Locatelli – I can’t remember the magazine, but possibly the Observer.

In 2001/2 BBC Pebble Mill made a 15 part cookery series, which was Giorgio Locatelli’s first TV cookery. I was lucky enough to be the series producer. Even though we had a tiny budget, of around £22,500 per half hour – I seem to remember, we loved making this series. The self shooting directors were Paul Vanezis and Paul Newman, who recorded the show on the Sony DSR 200. We used a professional sound recordist. Julie Richards was the researcher, and it was the first series that Ant Smith edited. We hired a terraced house with a beautiful kitchen in Kentish Town (fortunately the owner was abroad, as we rather took over the whole place), and recorded one show a day for three weeks. Giorgio was great to work with, and there was always good food to eat! Giorgio seemed to know everyone who was worth knowing – and even lived next door to Kate Winslet!

The motorbike, shown in the photo, was a mixed blessing. During the production period Giorgio had a bit of an accident on his motorbike – fortunately he was ok, but it shook us all up.

Vanessa Jackson

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Joolz Richards: ‘It was, by far, the best programme I ever worked on. Hard work, very short turnaround time, great fun and incredible opportunities. Vanessa had to go into the edit after the first week of filming leaving me to direct Giorgio which was a challenge!!! Plus Federico, lovely Federico who made us lunch every day. Great memories.’

BigScreen Birmingham (Paul Newman): .’….and Steve who prepped the food and ate everything afterwards. I still make a couple of Giorgio’s recipes – the shoot was quite relentless but great fun – and our visits to markets and restaurant kitchens were unforgettable.’

The future of the Pebble Mill site – Paul Newman

entrance to Pebble Mill car park

Pebble Mill security hut

7 years after the BBC decamped to the Mailbox planning permission is now well advanced for a relocated Dental Hospital where the BBC Nursery used to be, with its frontage onto the Bristol Road. The big construction project is due to start next year and open for patients around 2014. The side of the site facing Pebble Mill Road is due to be occupied by a private hospital – I don’t know which group – but there is a question mark over funding, or so my contacts tell me at the City Council. One third of the site has no fresh use planned at present, although a nature trail is under consideration alongside the brook. Last time I walked past the tree in the middle of the car park was still standing, rather forlorn, but it probably has some form of limited legal protection from the bulldozers. I suppose it’s rather ironic, if that is the right word, that a film location where a fictional medical drama was shot every day will soon become a location where real medical dramas happen every day.

Paul Newman

Stefan Buczacki – ‘Gardening Britain’ & ‘Gardening Roadshow’

Photos by Gail Herbert, no reproduction without permission.

Gardening writer, presenter and plant pathologist Dr Stefan Buczacki made a number of gardening series at BBC Pebble Mill:

Stefan Buczacki’s Gardening Britain was a six part series transmitted in 1996 on BBC 2. Stefan travelled round Britain dispensing gardening advice. This series was recorded as a two camera outside broadcast. The producer was Clare Boulter and the series producer Clare Stride. (The end of run meal features in the photos).
Stefan Buczacki’s Gardening Roadshow was a similar gardening advice show produced at Pebble Mill in 1998 for UK Style. Again it was recorded as a two camera outside broadcast. The crew for the series included cameraman Nigel Davey and Noel Paley, and sparks Herbie Donnelly.
Stefan also presented several stories for Gardeners’ World in 1990-1, including a feature on the restoration of Heligan Gardens in Cornwall, shown in one of the photos (Stefan with umbrella and palm trees).
Stefan also presented a series for UK Style called Stefan’s Ultimate Gardens, where he helped garden owners create a particular style of garden. This series was recorded single camera. Series producer Vanessa Jackson, director Paul Newman, researcher Emily Rusted.

Thanks to production assistant Gail Herbert for sharing her photos.

Stefan Buczacki at Heligan Gardens