The owner of a popular Italian restaurant in Marlow Bottom said he is excited to take his show on the road with a new top-of-the-range food truck after being inundated with private bookings all the way through to next year.

Gianluca Paletta, 46, founded Da Luca in Kingswood Parade in December 2014, and his intimate and authentic unit has become an integral part of village life – with community support even offsetting the near-inevitable economic setbacks of COVID-19.

After going from strength to strength in his decade-long residence, Gianluca announced plans to expand Da Luca through buying and decking out a mobile food truck in March – a vision that is increasingly closer to reaching fruition, as shown in sneak-peek images of the converted horsebox’s revamped interior.

The 46-year-old said he has received an overwhelming number of enquiries since unveiling his expansion plans in the spring and will take the food truck on the road for its first catering gig in High Wycombe on Saturday, June 15.

(Image: Gianluca Paletta)

His calendar is quickly filling up, with multiple weddings booked for next year as well as private events in Marlow and Bourne End this summer and autumn, all to the credit of Gianluca’s close relationship with members of his local community and, of course, the promise of delicious high-quality food.

Alongside pizza, the new truck will serve a number of traditional – and some not-so-traditional – Italian dishes including grills, pasta, chips and calamari.

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Gianluca, who hopes his two children, aged 11 and 12, will eventually follow in his footsteps and pass Da Luca down through the generations, moved to the UK from Italy in his twenties and still employs a childhood friend and another of twenty-plus years in his restaurant.  

(Image: Gianluca Paletta)

He was initially unsure whether an outpouring of support for the pizzeria’s expansion project would manifest in actual bookings – but now, looking back, he is more grateful than ever for the “always supportive” and close-knit community of Marlow Bottom.

“I’ve always worked in hospitality, but when I arrived here, I could just see the future. It’s a beautiful area and I can’t think of anything better than the people here. It’s so unique.”

Gianluca is planning to celebrate 10 years of business in the village with a ‘nibbles and drinks’ event in December as a way of thanking customers – many of whom have become close friends – for turning the idea of opening a little place of his own into a roaring success story.

For more information, email bookings@dalucarestaurant.com.