Francesco Mattana

Pinch me…I wrote my first cookbook!

I have wanted to become a cookbook author for a long time. I had a few book titles and ideas in my pocket but it just felt right that for my debut cookbook I would take people on a journey to my beautiful home of Sardinia.

We called it “EAT LIKE A SARDINIAN, LIVE TO 100” because it focuses on the Sardinian ethos of simple, fresh, seasonal ingredients, healthy fats and plenty of time spent cooking and eating with loved ones. This is why Sardinia is one of only five 'blue zones' in the world - where people live longer than anywhere else.

The cookbook is packed with over 90 authentic Sardinian and family recipes that are easy to make, along with some traditional Italian classics from other parts of the country that Sardinians enjoy eating as well. As both a professional chef and a teacher chef, I have an extra eye and understanding of the challenges faced by home cooks, so I’ve provided clear instructions and shared tips and tricks to help people master every recipe, every time.

There is no way I could have done all of this on my own, this book is the result of a lot of hard work by an incredible team, so thank you to all of those involved - it's been a pure joy!

Thank you as well for all the support and for following along on this cooking journey with me! Every pre-order goes towards making the book a success when it’s published. It helps the book get seen, stocked and supported and it might even help me become a bestseller! So if you are able to pre-order it now that would truly mean a lot (and you don’t have to pay until publication!). Or if you can help me spread the word, that would be amazing as well.

Publication Day is the 28th of May 2026 in the UK and Ireland and the 2nd of June 2026 in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. If you would like to pre-order it, you can find it here: linktr.ee/ourcookingjourney

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1 week ago | [YT] | 1,100

Francesco Mattana

Today I want to tell you a little bit about my own cooking journey (so far!).

Growing up on the beautiful island of Sardinia, I was surrounded by an appreciation for local and seasonal ingredients and a love and passion for food, family and life. My paternal grandfather was a fisherman and my maternal grandfather was a farmer, so our fish, meat and vegetables were the freshest you could get. When I left home at 19 I had to learn how to buy fresh, healthy and affordable food for myself. But, more importantly, how to cook it simply. This was where my love of food and cooking began.

I decided to become a cook and started working in the kitchen in Italy. I then moved to Australia and there I co-founded a small Italian-Sardinian restaurant and pizzeria in Brisbane with childhood friends at the age of 23. I was so proud of the restaurant, but I also wanted to develop my culinary knowledge further. I moved to London and became a teacher chef for some of London’s top cookery schools and this is where I found my love of teaching.

In 2022, I took some time out for a few months to travel and discover food from other parts of the world. This was life changing. When I came back, I knew I wanted to focus more on sharing my passion for food, my skills and my recipes with as many people as possible and teach them how easy, simple and truly enjoyable cooking can be. I started sharing step-by-step recipe videos, cooking techniques and helpful tips and tricks and the community grew and grew. It’s been so special and rewarding watching you all make my recipes and I love when I see you using these skills and learnings in your own lives.

There are many exciting things to come and I have been working very hard on a few very special projects that bring all of these things together. The first one will be announced next week and I can’t wait for you all to see it.

Lots of love
Francesco x

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 522

Francesco Mattana

Do you like to watch longer and more informative recipe videos?

We are working on creating more longer-form content at the moment and we’d love to know what you’d most like to see.

It could be:
🍝 Our usual recipes, but with many more tips and tricks and in-depth explanations
🇮🇹 Italian classics and the stories behind the dishes
🍽️ Restaurant style food made at home for family, friends and special occasions
🍕 More fresh pasta, gnocchi and pizza recipes, from start to finish
🍞 Longer recipes, with more ingredients and more steps that consist of various preparations like lasagna or sourdough bread making
👍 Entire meals in one video such as a main and sides
🔥 BBQ content

Let us know your thoughts and what you would love to see next 🙌

4 months ago | [YT] | 774

Francesco Mattana

We did it!! 🙌 We reached 100,000 subscribers on YouTube in just a few months 🤯

Thank you to everyone who has followed us and supported us here and on all our other channels. And thank you as well to you ‪@YouTube‬ for this lovely award which is now hanging in our kitchen ▶️ ❤️

We’re working on bringing you more long-form videos this year - what would you like to see? ✨️

#YouTubeCreatorAwards

6 months ago | [YT] | 1,297

Francesco Mattana

If you love a creamy mushroom pasta this is what you need to give it a try! When mushrooms are in season, I love making a good pasta alla boscaiola! Here you can find the full written recipe 👇
www.ourcookingjourney.com/recipe-pages/pasta-alla-…

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1 year ago | [YT] | 25