'Here they will see and experience the best of humanity'

Sicilian community kitchen founder, Jamie Oliver's former right-hand man and dolphin spirit, Danny McCubbin, answers 15 quickfire questions

Leyla Kazim

Dec 05, 2024

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Hi! This is Leyla from A Day Well Spent, a newsletter seeking pathways to more purposeful living.

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I am delighted to bring to you the next interview on A Day Well Spent where every few weeks, I ask someone who inspires me, interests me and embodies the ethos of this newsletter, 15 quickfire questions.

Whenever I lose heart at the state of the world today, I look over at the sleepy village of Mussomeli in Sicily and the incredible work Danny McCubbin is doing there, and my faith is restored.

The word ‘inspiring’ gets bandied about a lot. But when speaking of Danny, there are few other adjectives that come to me so forcefully.

For as long as I have known Danny (since 2015, when he was Jamie Oliver’s right hand man), he has been driven by an unstoppable calling to help others. Through his vital work, he has quietly become an integral part of so many people's lives over the years.

Australian-born Danny spent 17 years working alongside Jamie Oliver, delivering on many of his major campaigns aiming to promote healthier food and home-cooking skills (who remembers the excellent and eye-opening Jamie’s School Dinners?).

Danny first fell for Italy when a group of Jamie’s chefs and apprentices visited San Patrignano in Bologna, a project training young people with drug and alcohol addiction in various skills. He volunteered there for years, making many friends along the way.

In December 2020, Danny bought a 1 Euro house in Mussomeli in the heart of Sicily, with the intention of founding a community project to give back to the town. And so — after a huge amount of work — the community kitchen The Good Kitchen was born.

Every week, surplus food is rescued from local shops and used to cook meals for vulnerable people in Mussomeli. The kitchen provides volunteering posts, and opportunities for those who are lonely to share a meal with new friends.

The Good Kitchen has become an integral social hub for the community and a lifeline for many.

The kitchen is now three years old and to celebrate Danny’s 60th birthday last month, he is crowdfunding €60,000 to provide job opportunities for the people of the town (there is 50% youth unemployment in Sicily) and to cover the running costs of the project for the next six years.

Danny has also recently published The Good Kitchen: Love and Connection Through Food about his journey so far, with the intention of encouraging those who may wish to start a project that has social value.

It has been a privilege and joy to follow Danny’s journey over the years and his infectious habit of leaving the world a little better than how he found it.

I’m overjoyed to share Danny’s voice with you all in this interview — and thank you for answering these, dear Danny!

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1. What makes up a day well spent for you?

When I think of this question my mind instantly takes me to a typical Sunday here in The Good Kitchen and a Monday at my house by the sea in Torre Salsa.

Sunday is the day where all of our volunteers arrive in the kitchen to cook a meal for families and elderly people here in the town, who are either alone or facing food insecurity.

Our volunteers are from all walks of life, young and elderly. We are all united by our desire to provide food for those who need it. Monday is also a stunning day for me as I wake up in my house by the sea.

I gaze out over my olive trees to the ocean and know that I am exactly where I should be doing exactly what I should be doing.

2. What compliment have you received in recent times that's stuck in your memory?

A volunteer recently told me that I have great emotional intelligence, noting how, despite my basic understanding of Italian, I am able to grasp the needs and wants of the families we support.

This compliment made an impression on me especially as many of the elderly we care for speak only the Sicilian dialect.

Despite the language barrier, I always try my best to connect with and assist them. I think about that remark every time I open the doors to the kitchen.

3. What quotes or mantras do you try to live by?

There are many. My favourite is, “In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

4. What practical skill do you have that you value the most?

I am so grateful to have been born into a family who knew the importance of good food and how to cook it.

As a child in Australia, I spent a great deal of time with my grandparents on their farm and my earliest memory is of me falling asleep in a pumpkin patch, waking to the sound of my Granny calling my name.

I am grateful that my Mum insisted that her children all help prepare the family meal. It was here that I learnt how to cook and for that I am forever thankful.

5. What do you know today that you wish you'd known five years ago?

I now know that in life it is ok not to always have the answers and even the best laid plans can be upended. The one constant in life is change and I now accept that.

Five years ago I was living in London and trying my hardest to carve out a life for myself in Italy. I was forcing the issue, looking for answers and becoming frustrated when there were none.

I have a great deal of time here in Sicily. Time to reflect, plan and live from a place of peace.

6. What character or personality trait about yourself do you value the most?

Empathy and compassion for those who do not have a voice or who have been marginalised.

7. What does 'eating well' mean to you and how do you manage it?

Good question. One of the reasons I wanted to leave London was to get my health back on track.

I discovered that I had a nasty bacteria called helicobacter pylori. My gut was ruined and my doctor told me it was so bad that I was well on my way to getting cancer.

It has taken me some time to work out what "eating well" means for me (what works for one person may not work for another) — no gluten, wheat, sugar or preservatives.

Cut back on dairy and try to eat 30 types of fruit and vegetables every week. Cut back on red meat, plenty of legumes and two litres of water a day. Start the morning with the juice of half a lemon in a glass of water.

8. What is your ultimate dream?

This may sound corny but I am living it.

I always wanted to start a community project and The Good Kitchen is everything that I have ever dreamed it could be, and more.

I guess my ultimate dream would be to welcome leaders and people who are in positions of power in the world to The Good Kitchen.

Here they will see and experience the best of humanity. They will experience the extraordinary amount of goodness that people can bring into each other's lives.

9. What's your most loved skincare / beauty product or secret?

Exercise. Can I also say mindfulness? Because I believe that beauty comes from within.

10. How do you counter the fast-paced and immediate nature of today's world?

I moved to Sicily as London became too hectic for me. I also had to reduce stress in my life because of my gut issues.

I am a country boy at heart and I also have the spirit of a dolphin. Here in Mussomeli, I am surrounded by beautiful mountains and at my home in Torre Salsa, I can walk to the beach.

11. What are your hobbies and interests? What do you like to do in your free time?

I used to play tennis three times a week in London. Here in Mussomeli, I have started to play Padel. My body is grateful as Padel is a more gentle sport to play than tennis.

I love walking in nature. At my house there is a beautiful trail that winds all the way down to the ocean through olive groves. It is simply stunning.

In my free time, I’ve embraced the art of doing nothing. There’s a simple joy in spending an hour in my hammock in the sun, listening to the birds sing and letting my imagination shape the clouds above.

12. What's the latest thing that you have learnt?

When I was in my early 20s, I was told by a so-called expert that I was bipolar.

I never believed this and for the rest of my life, I have refused to be labelled. I am extremely passionate and driven and at times, it may appear there are two of me living this life.

Recently, I have been observing how I cook and prepare food here in the kitchen. It's hilarious!

I start to chop an onion and before I finish, I start to peel a carrot. I guess another so-called expert would say that I have ADHD. But instead of labelling myself, I have learnt to simply accept myself, warts and all.

Funny thing is, since observing myself I seem to be far more focussed in the kitchen and organised as well. Isn't life a funny thing?

13. Tell us about something you tried or did for the very first time recently

A friend showed me how to go walking in the snow. You know, with those snow shoes that look like tennis rackets? It was here in the Madonie Mountains and it was spectacular.

It was so difficult at first but then when I slowed down and listened to the instructions from my friend, I mastered it.

14. What book should everyone read and why?

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.

A friend gave this book to me when I was at the lowest point in my life. The words washed all over me and helped me help myself.

Put simply, the book helped me see that all we have is the present moment and that is all that we ever need.

15. What are you working on that we should know about?

In November this year we ran our first community cooking workshop for young chefs here in The Good Kitchen.

It has always been my dream to teach young chefs about the power of community and equip them with the skills to set up their own community kitchen.

It is also my dream to take all of the learnings from The Good Kitchen and share that online, so that anyone anywhere in the world can bring people together through food.

You can learn more about our plans here.