CELEBRITY chef Gino D’Acampo says he has come to Bolton on a mission — to inspire people to pick up some pasta and create some real food.

Italian chef Gino is one of the main attractions at the Bolton Food and Drink Festival, and is set to present a number of cooking demonstrations in Victoria Square, as well as in the cookery theatre tent today.

The 38-year-old flew in especially from Sardinia to be at the festival, and says he is delighted to be back for the third time, even if the Bolton weather is worlds away from Italy’s Mediterranean summer.

He said: “It’s good to be back, I just flew in from the island of Sardinia because I didn’t want to miss it.

“What is the difference between Bolton and Sardinia? Is that a serious question?

“Where do I start, number one, I was on my boat in Sardinia, 35 degrees with beautiful sunshine, I am here under a tent with you, you do the maths.”

Gino, who is best known for appearing on TV shows such as Let's Do Lunch with Gino & Mel and This Morning, said that the meals he is preparing are simple, classic dishes.

One of his pasta dishes was linguine al amatriciana, which is pasta with chopped tomatoes, pancetta and onions.

He said: “We will be doing three cookery demonstrations, desserts, cherry tiramisu, and orange upside down cake which is my mum’s recipe, so I am really fond of that, and then we do two pasta dishes.

“My dishes are very simple, they are things that everybody can do.”

The cookery theatre in Victoria Square was packed for his first demonstration this morning, and Gino said he prefers his cookery demonstrations than working on TV, because it allows him to interact with the people.

He said: “I definitely prefer to do stuff like this live, television is different, you have to look at a camera and you need to imagine people on the other side, but this is definitely the kind of thing I prefer.

“The interaction with people is great, you can see their reactions, it is much better.”

And after all his hard work in the kitchen, Gino hopes people will be influenced to go and do it for themselves.

He said: “My demonstrations are very lively and fun, I don’t come here to take things too seriously, because life is already too complicated, we come with very easy recipes.

“What I am trying to achieve is for when people finish watching me, to go and pick up a packet of pasta and actually do it.

“There is no point for me to go on stage and show off, I do that on television, I want to inspire them and let them actually cook, that is the aim.”