14-12-2023
Our restaurateurs and their culinary delights: Christmas at Luciano’s
For years, our ever-popular Marina di Venezia restaurants have been entertaining and delighting the palates of countless guests. Each boasting their own specialities, they have become part of our extended family. So, it’s natural that we’d like to say something about them.
Luciano runs the Piazza Marina restaurant on the Listón, across from the stage and near the swimming pools. In winter time, after closing his restaurant and tidying everything up, Luciano takes a well-deserved break to dedicate time to his family, before getting ready for the next season.
Christmas time is particularly significant for Luciano. Spending time with his family and friends, he and those closest to him socialise and celebrate the season with plenty of good food – spiced up by his irrepressible humour.
Assisted by his son, Edoardo, and a guest-list averaging 20-25, Christmas lunch at Luciano’s is no ordinary meal. The feast is spread over two days, which means that he gets to spend time at home with his closest friends and family!
Although every year the menu may vary slightly varies according to Luciano's creativity, the platters such as filled pasta starters, classic amatriciana, and meat-based main courses always follow Italian tradition. Homemade ravioli (much-loved by his father) is an all-time classic, which Luciano makes from scratch using his 1940’s-vintage ravioli sheeter machine.
When everything is ready, the family is joined by friends with warm greetings exchanged, and glasses raised for numerous toasts.
After the Christmas Day luncheon, the festivities spill over into 26th December on Santo Stefano (St. Stephen’s Day), when the traditional broth (another of Luciano's father favourites) is served. Tradition has it that following the main Christmas lunch the day before, broth is a much lighter to digest, although the rich leftovers still need to be consumed!
Presents are exchanged in a joyous atmosphere with a dazzling array of numbered parcels that the children draw by lot.
Luciano is happy to share one of his favourite Christmas recipes with us, which we in turn pass on to you.
All of us at the Marina di Venezia wish you a wonderful Christmas holiday – and we hope to have you back again in 2024!
Click here for Luciano's Christmas recipe!
