Memories in meals Flavia Cacace
Flavia Cacace, 32, is a regular on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. She lives in Guildford and is currently on tour with her dancing partner Vincent Simone. Here she shares some of her special foodie moments with
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I am the patron of The Fountain Centre, a charity based in St Luke’s Cancer Centre at Royal Surrey Hospital that supports people living with the disease. Last summer, I went to visit the hospital and then went on to see my parents, Roberto and Rosaria, on the way home. We ate my favourite meal, spaghetti Bolognese, and being with them reminded me how lucky I am to have a healthy family.
I was born in Naples and Italian food is very important to me. I have memories of being in Italy, but it’s when my mum cooks something like pasta with cheese and ham that I realise just how Italian I still am. I can remember being a very little girl and watching her cook and I still love to do that now.
For my eighth birthday, my parents arranged for my school friends and me to have a party at McDonald’s. A person dressed as Ronald McDonald came in and I can vividly remember how excited I was.
When I was a teenager, I went through a real phase of baking cakes. My mum is a brilliant cook, but not a big baker. One day, she came into the kitchen and I presented her with a big plate of cakes. I loved feeling as though I had impressed her.
Flavia and Vincent’s show Midnight Tango is touring the UK until the end of July and is starting a West End run in January. Visit
midnighttango.co.uk for tickets and more information
JULY 2011 Young Flavia with family At work with Vincent 5 6
Flavia fave spaghetti Bolognese
With boyfriend Jimi Mistry Birthday treat
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I have been dating actor Jimi Mistry for a while. We met when we were partners on Strictly. One of the best meals we’ve shared was earlier this year when he was on the Strictly tour and I went to Birmingham to watch. Afterwards we went out to an Indian restaurant called Lasan. I don’t usually like Indian food, but I had lamb shank in a tomato and herb dressing and it was delicious, so tender. For pudding I had kulfi , a traditional milk dessert and I enjoyed that too.
For my 30th birthday I went out with a group of friends to a French restaurant in Guildford. I’ve known some of them since school and like to think I’m pretty good at staying in touch. I ate chicken with lots of salad and veg. I do try to eat healthily because I have to stay fi t for my dancing, but sharing food with friends is one of my favourite things.
I have recently rediscovered something I used to love in childhood. My mum used to cook liver and onions for me. I went off it, but recently I saw it on a restaurant menu and ordered it. It was just as I remembered and now I can’t think why on earth I stopped eating it.
I am the youngest of fi ve siblings and we all try to get to my parents’ house in Guildford on Christmas Eve. I save myself up for the buff et feast my mum and dad serve. There’s always too much to choose from. I don’t eat lots of the dishes they make, like pig’s foot, during the rest of the year, but at Christmas, I put any thoughts about healthy eating out of my mind and just go for it.
GRUBMAGAZINE.CO.UK
PHOTOGRAPHS: Getty, Rex Features
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