 Leucio Sagnella
grew up in a small village close to Naples and always knew he was born to cook. He
gained his Chef de Cuisine teaching qualification in Italy and earned one of the highest
marks ever achieved. Leucio then went on to become head chef of several high profile
restaurants in Italy and General Manager of a range of Italian hotels before moving to the
UK in 1995 and opening Galletto Italian Restaurant at the top of the old town in
Basingstoke. "We are a family
business", says Leucio, "my staff are all Italian and I have 25 years experience
in the restaurant trade. I used to appear on a daily regional Italian TV cooking
show similar to 'Ready...Steady...Cook!'. Everything cooked in my restaurant is
prepared from scratch, using only the freshest seasonal ingredients. Our food is simple
and natural, using olive oil and garlic so you can taste the food; we don't smother
everything in a sauce to disguise it. Fresh fish is our speciality - I don't use
farmed fish, all our fish is wild and so it is seasonal.
 "We also source the best Welsh lamb, Scotch
beef and British pork and I make regular visits to Covent Garden to hand-pick the best
fruit and vegetables available. A local gardener with a passion for growing
vegetables and herbs, brings bunches of fresh herbs regularly from his garden.
Nothing we use is frozen and we are definately not a 'fast food pizza place'. Our
wine comes from Italy and I visit various regions to buy directly from local
vineyards. The wine is shipped back to Galletto every few months."
 As well as an
intimate indoor dining environment, Galletto has recently installed comfortable outdoor
seating arrangements, reminiscent of European cafe-culture, perfect for those long summer
days and warm summer evenings. Galletto was also the first restaurant in Basingstoke
to implement a fully non-smoking policy indoors, which has proved very popular with
regular and casual patrons alike.
So what makes Galletto unique? "My
attention to detail", says Leucio adding, "my staff say I am a perfectionist and
I am proud of it. Dining should be a pleasurable experience, relaxed and not rushed.
Diners can have a table all night if they wish and they will be treated like kings
and queens. What is unique about my business is that I like to think that I have
brought a little piece of Italy to Basingstoke. Basingstoke has a lot of fast food
establishments, which is OK for people who want to eat and go, but that does not cater to
everyone. 
"Our customers are discerning diners, theatre
goers and those who want to celebrate a special occasion such as a birthday or
anniversary. We have regular customers who come from from all over London,
Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey. We are always striving to be better; our target is
to make our customers happy and we encourage customer feedback. We want to be the
Ferrari of cooking...not the Ford!"
Galletto is open for light lunches from 12 noon to
2:00pm daily and open for dinner from 6:00pm until 10:00pm. The current menu and
comprehensive wine list is available to view online at: www.gallettos.com
and you can book a table by telephoning Leucio on: (01256) 352-622
Feature Article Photos ©
Copyright 2002-2004, by Galletto/G.Hawkes. All Rights Reserved.
Feature Article © Copyright 2005, Netpark Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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