On September 3^rd, Patrizio d’Oro joined Yangpu campus as the new canteen chef. We decided to meet him for a small interview and get to know him better.

1. Hello Patrizio, and welcome! How do you find the atmosphere on Yangpu campus, and how is the integration within your new team?

It’s really a family style, it’s not so tense, it felt like home since the first day. I started working in Yangpu on September 3^rd, and my integration is getting better day by day.

2. Could you tell us a bit more about yourself? What were you doing before joining the Eurocampus?

I’ve been in China since 2012; before that, I travelled and worked in Europe, France, England, Spain, and even Switzerland. I’ve been to a lot of places. I started this job when I was 14, now I am 36. I have never done any other job and I don’t think I will ever do. I spent my first year in Shanghai, second year in Suzhou, and then decided to go back to Shanghai.

I went to Shanghai because the oldest Italian restaurant, it was the first Italian restaurant to open in Shanghai and in China, in 1995, offered me a job as the second chef of the group, because even though now it’s closed, at the time, the group had 4 restaurants in China and 7 in Singapore.

Italian cuisine is my natural specialty, but thanks to my travels across Europe, I met people from around the world and got inspiration from these different cultures, that’s a good thing we also find in China.

3. According to you, what is the biggest difference between being a chef in a restaurant and being a chef in a school canteen?

Basically, it’s the same. I think whether you cook food out of passion or not, you have one goal: the satisfaction of the client, regardless of who your client is. As an Italian, as a Mediterranean guy, the satisfaction of the guest, and the service are important. It’s about making people happy.

4. What is your favorite dish or recipe you adore making?

Spaghetti Pomodoro with tomato sauce, we often have it here. How can I explain? Spaghetti with tomato sauce look easy, but there is a lot of technique behind it. All the simplicity of the dish is complex in its technique. In Italy, we say you can recognize a good chef when he/she makes a spaghetti with tomato.

5. A favorite spot in Shanghai for a family dinner?

Before joining the school, I had my own restaurant, I know many friends who have restaurants but to me, the place is not the most important, what matters is the company. Any place can become beautiful with the right company.

One thing is certain, we are pleased to have met him and are decided to try the spaghetti pomodoro next time they are on the menu!